Micro Balcony Garden Journal 2025 - 30 March / マイクロバルコニーの記録
Spring has arrived. Although it's still chilly in Germany during the mornings and evenings, daytime temperatures have consistently exceeded 10 degrees Celsius 🥳 On the balcony, the grape hyacinths are blooming, and the tulip buds are becoming visible.
With the warming weather, salad seedlings have started appearing at home improvement stores and markets. I purchased 12 plants at a bargain price of 30 cents per plant. In the past, I used to grow seedlings from seeds myself, but in recent years, I've been relying on these affordable seedlings. Thanks to the producers!
Starting cultivation at this time allows for a stable harvest of leaves by the end of April. By harvesting the outer leaves instead of the whole plant, we can enjoy them for quite a long time, up until early summer.
In our three-person household (with me enjoying plenty of salad during spring and summer, and my partner and daughter eating smaller amounts year-round), 12 plants usually meet our daily needs during peak season. However, if space permits, I would prefer to have about 20 plants. This year, I experiment with a few more by spacing them a bit closer together.
Inside the house, the cultivation of summer vegetables is also progressing. The first batch of tomatoes has begun to sprout, and as a tomato enthusiast, I'm thrilled just to see the seedlings emerging.
The photo below shows the "Bonsai Chili," a dwarf chili plant that produces tiny, spicy peppers. Since they have an appealing appearance, I'm planning to grow two extra pots to give as gifts to friends.
Speaking of seedlings, the broad beans intended for the newly rented garden are growing beautifully, and I find myself admiring them daily. I plan to plant some of them next week.
Yesterday, I went to the garden for the first time. In my haste to leave the house, I forgot my phone 😱 I used it as a chance for digital detoxing. Without my phone, I checked the compost bin left by the previous occupant, added compost I brought from home, pruned overgrown branches, and prepared areas for planting vegetables. I immersed myself in gardening for about two and a half hours (without a watch, I lost track of time). During this time, I saw a European robin for the first time in my life. It was so adorable—small, round, with an orange throat—truly charming. I wish I could show him to my daughter.
The foundation of the garden is now set, so starting next week, I plan to visit once or twice a week to gradually begin planting. Next time, I won't forget to bring my camera to take some photos.
Wishing everyone a wonderful Sunday. Happy gardening ☺️
See you in next week's journal!
春ですね。まだまだドイツは朝晩寒いですが、日中は安定して10度を超えるようになってきました。バルコニーでは春のムスカリが咲いて、チューリップのつぼみが見えています。
暖かくなってきて、ホームセンターやマーケットにサラダの苗が並び始めたので、12株買ってきました。一株30セント(50円ほど)とお買い得でありがたいです。自分で種から苗を作っていた時期もありましたが、ここ数年はこのお買い得苗のお世話になっています。
この時期から育て始めると、4月の終わり頃には安定して葉っぱを収穫できるようになります。株ごと収穫せずに外葉から収穫すると夏の入り口ごろまでかなり長く楽しめます。去年はこんな感じでちょいちょい葉っぱをいただいていました。サンドイッチの葉物がないー!なんてときにも便利です。
3人家族の我が家(春夏はサラダをもりもり食べる私、通年ちょぼちょぼ食べる相方と子供)では、最盛期は12株で日々の需要を満たせますが、スペースがあれば20株くらいほしいところです。今年はちょっと株間を詰めてあと数株植えようかなと考えています。
家の中では夏野菜の育苗も進んでいます。第一弾でまいたトマトが芽を出し始めて、トマト好きの私は芽が出ただけで大興奮しています🍅
こちらは盆栽チリという小さい株で小さい辛い実のなる唐辛子です。見た目がいい感じなので、余分に2鉢作ってお友達にプレゼントしたいと思っています。
育苗といえば、新しく借りた庭に植える予定のそら豆がそれはそれはきれいに育っていて、毎日眺めてうっとりしています。来週一部植えてくる予定です。
実は土曜日に初めて庭仕事に行ったのですが、慌てて家を出たら電話を忘れてしまいました。デジタルデトックスを楽しみつつ、前の人が置いて行ったコンポストビンの中をチェックして、家から持ってきたコンポストを積んで、伸びていた枝を整えて、野菜を植える場所を作り・・・夢中で2時間半ほど庭仕事に没頭しました(時計も持っていなかったので時間もわからず😅)。途中人生で初めて生ヨーロッパコマドリを見て、かわいいいいいいいいいと感動したり。ちっちゃくて丸くて喉の辺りがオレンジで、ほんとかわいいんですよ。
庭の基礎はできた感じなので、来週から週に1−2回通ってゆっくり植え付けを始めようと思います。次回は忘れずにカメラを持っていって写真を撮ってきますね!
それではみなさん、素敵な日曜日を。Happy gardening 🪴
That lettuce looks so cute!
Nice to see the other crops sprout. I really neeed to start growing crops from seed thiscweekend too, or I might need to buy some seedlings.
They will grow up fully in one month. It's so quick in this season with stronger and longer sunshine 🌞
Enjoy sowing seeds! Also it's nice to buy seedlings from local shops. I will buy some too as I suddenly had chance rent the garden 😁
loved the mini harvest too
Thanks!
How's the fig plant doing?
Awwwww I forgot to post the funny part 😱 Now a lot popping out ... because of spring I guess. I might be a Hive Fig farmer 👩🌾
The right one has a lot of baby figs 😁

It's amazing, a very beautiful plant ❤️🙏