Hey there, I would try some stuff and watch it closely and take some notes if it works out or not, it helps for future gardening. ---- your balcony probably doesnt get too much sun for the trees, but I would try all the stuff for one season. --- I would go for large pots/ containers with a diameter of a foot or more. Dont get greedy and grow too much stuff in too small pots. The result is poor starved plants and a lousy harvest. ---- how to start Tomatoe, zucchini and eggplant I would by as young plants, as well as sage (add sand or gritt to the potting soil). If you know someone with a garden: Strawberries produce runners which you cann pinch off and pot up. If not, buy some. ---- start basil from seed, it quite easy I tried dill myself several times on the balcony, it never grew properly, probably something about the standard potting ground/soil. and the lemon: they tend to be fussy. I havent got a clue about your winter climate. But if it is so cold that you have to put your lemon indoors, its then that the problems start. Its tricky to overwinter a citrus without a greenhouse, so at least dont be disappointed if there are problems. good gardening, cheers, Lin

Please join us for the continuation of this thread on the Adopt a Milkweed Newbie - part 4 thread. I will be posting updates to the List of Newbies there. Here is a link that might be useful: Adopt a Milkweed Newbie - Part 4 This post was edited by kchd on Wed, Mar 5, 14 at 18:57

Sure, start hardening them off in a porch. Most annual seedlings can be placed in direct sun right from germination, but you should avoid this if they are under plastic or in an enclosed space without ventilation. They will grow much better in the sun than not. Start off with just an hour or two of morning sun if they have been under lights, then increase it after a few days. A porch attached to the house should be fine at night. The trick is to change conditions slowly, allow the plants a few days to get used to each change. They are perfectly capable of living outside in the conditions you describe, they just need to get used to it. The idea of peat pots is that you just drop the whole pot in the ground and the roots grow straight through it. I've tried it and it didn't work, so I'd recommend removing the pot. Cosmos love a free root run through loose soil.

You can use most any growing mediums you want. They all have their advantages and disadvantages. Some hold moisture better, some hold more oxygen, some provide better drainage etc.. For my drip systems, I cover the bottom drain hole with a screening filter (that I cut out of a cheep replacement furnace filter). Then I add a layer of rock I get from my back yard (though any river rock or fish tank rock will do). That I wash to get all the dirt off, and sanitize by soaking it in bleach water for an hour or so. I use the rock to add weight so the plants don't become top heavy and blow over in the wind (I grow outside). However the layer of rock also provides excellent drainage properties, holds the furnace filter screen in place, and takes up space so less growing medium is needed. Then on top of the rock in the bottom of the bucket, add the growing medium. I like using coco "chips" myself, because it's fairly inexpensive, holds moisture very well, and while still being able to allow the roots to be well aerated. 2 cubic feet of coco chips is about 15 gallons when expanded. With the layer of rock at the bottom (about 1/3) of the bucket, that's enough to fill 4, 5 gallon buckets. Coco fiber is the same material as coco chips (made from coconut husks), just smaller particles, so it dosen't aerate as well as the "chips," but still does a good job (chips just do better). The chips are about the size of small wood chips for your smoker, and the coir (fiber) texture is about like peat moss. Here is a link that shows some different typical growing mediums Growing Medium, I haven't used lava rock, though I understand it works well also. What ever growing medium you use, you'll want to rinse it off well first. The coco chips (or coir) will color the water at first, but wont hurt the plants at all, and eventually rinses out. Treating water (like water filtration systems), or nutrients to use? Sounds like you meant what type of nutrients to use. Miracle grow dosen't make a line of hydroponic nutrients that I know of, and I'm not familiar with "pro teck," "Lanka," or "super thrive." But you want to use nutrients designed for hydroponic plants. Fertilizers that are for use in soil don't contain the micro elements (elements used by the plant in small quantities) needed for healthy plant growth (because soil contains enough of them). Soil fertilizers generally only contain the macro (elements used by the plant in large quantities). Hydroponic nutrients are designed to be complete, and provide all the mineral elements (macro, and micro elements). So just make sure their made for hydroponic plants. I have used both the General Hydroponics Flora Series nutrients, and the Verti-Gro nutrients. The GH flora series is a 3 part nutrient (that needs all 3 parts to work correctly), and because it's a 3 part nutrient, it allows more flexibility in mixing them for your specific plant needs. However if you grow enough it will get quite expensive, making about 390 gallons of nutrient solution from the 1 gallon concentrate jugs, and costs about $100 (shipping not included if you need it). The Verti-Gro nutrients are a 2 part nutrient that needs both parts to work (the fertilizer, and calcium nitrate). They come dry and are mixed separately in water jugs to create a liquid nutrient concentrate, that are generally mixed evenly into the nutrient solution. The 4 lb combo special (fertilizer, and calcium nitrate, SKU#: FCombo) that includes shipping and runs under $40, and makes about 500 gallons of nutrient solution. The 25 lb quantities make about 5000 gallons for about $130 (shipping included). Here are a few others that are priced similar to the Verti-Gro nutrients that I haven't tried yet, but plan to test out in the future. QuickGrow nutrients J.R. Peters nutrients (I especially want to try these) P.S. If you want to send me a e-mail at; rocketman1022000@yahoo.com with the title "drip system" I can send you complete directions on how I built one of my drip systems. It's in PDF, is easily printed out, and contains many pictures of the build. Even if you don't build it, it will probably give you some good ideas.