Ooh, it sounds like you have an Earth Box! These can be much fun, and since I have a bindweed problem, I plant only in containers of similar design, but they're from Garden Patch and they're called Grow Boxes. They're AWESOME!!! Google both, and read on what you can plant, how dense, etc. Here's an important question: do you have an elasticized cover that is black on one side and white on the other? This is KEY to your success using the EB; if not, there are ways to improvise; I currently use a hybrid of the EB & GB versions using some 4-mil plastic that I bought at Walmart, cutting it to size like the GB does, and using some good fertilizer, also purchased at Walmart, and using it ala EB instructions. (if you're totally lost after googling and reviewing the box instructions, email me and I can give you more specific details) You can plant alot into one box, if you plan accordingly. Since you have limited sun, you'll definitely want to get the biggest babies you can find (try Walmart, Lowes, look for garden centers in your area), because they may not grow a ton; you may even want to consider getting some additional lighting to supplement. As far as what varieties do well with less sun, you may want to post a question in the vegetable gardening forum--I would think a tomato on one end, but in my experience, peppers need full-on sun to go anywhere. Maybe you could do a pizza & pasta garden, and do a tomato plant, and some herbs on the other end--chives, basil, oregano. Don't know how well the herbs do with the limited light, though. Again, there are other forums where you might get better answers there. If you find yourself shopping at a nursery, seek out the most experienced gardener there (usually not the clerk, right?) and ask if they know of something you can plant for your sun exposure. They may not be familiar with the EB, so don't let them talk you out of planting the number of plants that you can put in there. The other thing you can do is to maximize the light that you do get, as well as the ambient light, by putting up thing that will reflect the light. Your patio may already have a reflective coating; if not, it's a minimal expense to put some up, and I wouldn't think you would even need to ask the building super if you do a nice job on it. If you're not concerned about looks, of if you can do it nicely, put up some white sheets on the non-glass portions to reflect as much light back onto the container plants as possible. Good luck!

You'll want to cover the dark containers with something that reflects heat, rather than absorbs heat as black does. Otherwise the absorbed heat will cook the plants' roots. Some people use white garbage bags or silver space blankets; I haven't ever done that, but have read that the garbage bags, at least, will disintegrate due to UV damage. 7 gallons is too small a container for an indeterminate like Cherokee Purple (yes, it can be done: but it's too small -- and you may need to water more than once a day; mulching the top of the pot will help somewhat with the water issue). Also, you will need some major-league -- and much taller -- support: yes, you can prune suckers, but the plants will still grow to 8-10' in height (maybe longer in your zone). Whatever support you use for a tall and/or heavy (all that fruit weight!) tomato vine needs to be anchored firmly outside the container. I don't grow peppers, but the small rings you have for the tomatoes are often mentioned as appropriate for peppers. (I use them for dwarf tomato varieties.)

I would suggest sowing the daisy and black eyed susan's particularly in peat pellets. They grow really slowely in my experiance, so you get to save on room by keeping them in a small little pellet. for a long time. Mine just seem really "happy" in the pellet too. I generally just push them into the soil, and keep in a sunny window until they germinate, but I second needing at least a little extra light via a shop light for really healthy plants. If you set it up and run it say, even just 8 hours a day it will help a lot. (Perhaps get a timer and put it on to go on for 4 hours early, prior to the sun really getting intense, and then again for another 4 hours when the sun is past it peek) You want to put the light only an inch or so away from the seedlings. As for the poppies, I would plant them outside now, if you still have snow / ice / freezing conditions. If you have moved past that, try putting the seed into ice cubes (drop it in a tray filled with water, let it freeze so they are stuck inside). and then "plant" (actually place on top of the soil) the cubes where you want them to come up. It is the best and easiest way to get them to grow. Most Poppies don't like to be grown inside. I would NOT recommend egg cartons. They just don't have the deapth that is needed, they get gunky from my experiance, and fall apart very easily. Turn into a real mess. Peat Pellets are a good way to go. Small cups (with holes in the bottom for drainage) or sourcing even the 6 pack black cells at a dollar store are other good mediums. I just like the pellets, because they are not messy and I have had good results, except with plants that grow very rapidly, then i would say direct sow into a larger container right from the start. I am not sure what type of trumpet vine you have. You may want to make sure that it is a type that does not produce suckers. Or there is a very good chance it will try to take over the world, or at least your yard rather agressively... My neighbour had such a vine, it grew under the ground 20 feet, including an paved driveway and came up along my house! I have had other friends that are now at war with their trumpet vines! (and loosing) One of the biggest mistakes people make with planting seed, is planting it too deep. Most plants don't require being under more then just the soil surface, if even that deep. Just placing the seed on the surface and manipulating just a very very thin covering (as thin as you can get it) is all most plants need. You can google instructions for any particular type of seed. I would not trust whatever is sent to you. I find even the instructions on many commercial seed packets are not the greatest.

Hi Val, not sure if you have many free seeds left, but if you could add me to the list, it would sure be a blessing to me. I empathize with your loss, but so glad to hear you are able to get back into gardening, as it is my happy place, too. I am recently divorced, lost my home in the divorce, which I had spent many years planting so as to be more self sufficient. So starting over again. Has taken me a few years to recoup from my loss, but I know that gardening is going to be good for me, too.