The Progressive Garden...

Aside from how well the tomato plants are growing, the beans are doing superbly well.  I'm not sure that they are suppose to be growing this quickly, but they are...this is only 3 days along...

5 days along...

and here they are today...8 days along! Chris and I are really impressed with how quickly they are growing! I'll be transplanting them soon.

Though the chives and the beets haven't shown any sign of coming up for air, the lettuce sprouts started showing themselves just 3 days along...

5 days along...

And here they are today, 8 days along...they are actually growing toward the sun, but each day I turn them around so they will grow upright and be able to support themselves longer before I transplant them.

These are the orphaned tomato plants that I have left...they are doing so well I have felt really torn about what to do with them.  Chris convinced me to keep at least two more (one each moneymaker and cherry).  Also, while walking home today I saw our apt manager's car out front, so I paid her a visit and she was thrilled to take a couple more off my hands...that leaves only two that will not find homes!

Chris brings home drinks in plastic bottles, so I decided to put those to good use.  I transplanted some of the stronger tomato plants into plastic bottles that I sliced in half with a bread knife (these I gave to my two friends, Katie).  I poked holes in the bottom with my trusty phillips head screw driver and followed the same process as before.  You'll notice that one of the bottles is the bottle top.  Since it had a broader cap, instead of poking holes in the cap (which was too thick), I simply loosened the cap to allow the water to drain out.  More reusable household material ideas!

The tomatoes are acclimating nicely.  They have been thriving on what little sunshine has been present this last week or so.  I have been opening the doors a couple hours each day to help them get used to the colder air.

They spent a couple hours out on the balcony today.  I'm hoping by next week they will be out there permanently!