Raised Bed - 1st Planting of Vegetables

Here are the results of the 1st planting of vegetables in my DIY raised bed in a community garden.  We kinda followed square foot gardening guidelines on density.  Well, almost.  Also trying to plan the activities in here.

DIY Sub-Irrigated Container

I am very much impressed with this project!  And decided to use this approach for my next container.  No, I did not buy it new, rather "used" which is much much more affordable.  So here it is with 3" corrugated perforated drain pipe - 10' piece cut to fit the 36" container.

From what I can tell the key to success is the soil mix:

The basic idea here is that you're constructing a mix that will effectively wick moisture to a vertical height of at least 14" (peat moss). However, that same mix must be porous so as to provide proper aeration to plant roots (perlite). Also you should have enough drainage for rain water to escape down into the water reservoir.

Community Garden Plot

I've got a 10'x10' plot in a community garden.  For 5 years.  The plot has a water supply and is built on a solid clay soil.  No permanent connection to water supply is allowed.  My plan is to build two 10'x4' raised beds.  Here is my inspiration.

Solar Toys

It all started with a couple of solar tiki torches more than a year ago which I really liked.  Those proved to be totally reliable - running on a two NiMh batteries and flickering way into morning hours - I love that yellow flickering light. After a rare impulsive buy I ended up with a crystal ball led light which changes color.  A good conversation piece for a late night symposium.

Then I added Crystal Ball String Lights.  Though hard to setup these are cute. Surprisingly they run on a single NiMh battery.  Not bright but I do not mind.
Recently I added spotlights.   A separate solar panel houses 3 NiMh batteries.  What I like least about these spotlights are blue light color and short wires - maybe I should use CTO gel?.
My experience with small solar toys powered by NiMh batteries was so positive I decided to get a battery-backed solar pump for my future water feature.  The fountain is very compact but sufficiently tall and is totally self-contained.  We shall see!

New Plants - Bamboo Incognito

Bamboo is a must-have for any Japanese garden.  Here is what I like about it:

• Upright and takes little floor space
• Beautiful foliage
• Dynamic - responds to movement of air
• Hopefully easy to grow and maintain.

On the left is the original plant I found through this free offer page.  I need help identifying this species.  It's a runner for sure.  On the right are the cuttings from the above plant planted on my balcony.

Bamboo Privacy Screen/Trellis

I am inspired by Zen garden ideas about importance of boundaries.  So as the first step in remodeling the southern balcony in Japanese style I built a bamboo trellis which doubles as a privacy screen.  I hope it will also help to fight the scorching heat while retaining the light breeze.
So here are the steps I took for this (not so) little DIY project:

You Growing What?

Just noticed there are unplanned plants in my container!  Power of life is amazing.  Also tells you how much stuff is in the air.
Note to self: that drip irrigation even on a south balcony is a powerful thing!

Harvest collected from a single 30" container.  So far this one is the only affected.

What kind of mushrooms are these?