In article ,
"kathleen spencer" wrote:

I hope you may be able to offer some comments on my lack of success with my
balcony garden.
For nearly two years I have tried growing simple annuals in long rectangular
plastic pots. I have used everything from cheap, to good trade name potting
soil.
Sunshine, good food, water, nothing makes any difference.
I buy strong, healthy seedlings from K-Mart but half don't grow and those
that do, offer four or five blooms then just seem to give up.
I have bought many dozens of plants, in about six different varieties, all
quite simple.
I have noticed that, when in despair, after a couple of months I pull them
out, the roots have just not grown at all.
What am I doing that is wrong ?

My first thought is that I have NEVER EVER seen a strong healthy seedling in a
K-Mart. I have seen a lot of horribly pot-bound ones (apart from the ones
that just haven't been watered, and then there were the ones that had been in
a/c and were freezing to death!). When you plant your seedlings, are there
lots of roots showing around the edges when you take it out to plant? Is the
plant taller than the punnet is deep?

Try some seeds instead. Bear in mind that the wind/sun/shade problems on
balconies tend to make them very harsh environments.

--
Chookie -- Sydney, Australia
(Replace "foulspambegone" with "optushome" to reply)

"... if *I* was buying a baby I'd jolly well make sure it was at
least a two-tooth!"
Mary Grant Bruce, The Houses of the Eagle.