Aphids & Death in the Garden

Things change so fast in the garden, even on a balcony garden. I didn't think I'd have many problems with insects since I'm up in a high rise, but I've discovered Aphids on my lettuce, and they have crept onto my tomato plants too... Here's a look at them:

Here's what one of the aphids on my lettuce looks like up close:

They appeared and reproduced so quickly! As a solution, I had some Safer's Trounce (an organic insecticide) around so I sprayed the lettuce with it a few days ago when they first appeared in droves. It's killed a lot of the aphids, but now the lettuce doesn't look anywhere near as healthy (check out photo below). I will likely have to cut down this crop and start over if I want more lettuce. This is disappointing but just another part of having a garden - another challenge to overcome and learn from.
I am not sure where the aphids come from; is it the soil (are they in it all along waiting for ideal conditions and temperatures?)? do they fly up to my balcony? did I bring them back to my balcony after a bike ride? -- it's just very strange to me that they suddenly appear with such a vengeance.
My peas have also fallen subject to the wrath of an insect infestation. Some kind of fruitish fly has taken over its pot and the peas have pretty much died. It may not have been getting enough sun, leaving the soil too damp leading to the fly problem. If I have them in direct sun though, they just fry. I struggled with peas last year too, so perhaps they're just not suited for the balcony.

Vermicomposting Bin: Current Status > Almost Harvest Time

In 10 days I will have been vermicomposting for 3 months. At that point I think I'm going to harvest the vermicompost from my bin to use on my balcony garden and houseplants. The overall level of the materials in the bin have reduced by about half, indicating the worms have done a good job breaking down their newspaper/hay/soil bedding mixture into castings. There's a plethera of baby worms in the bin, which will be more adapted to the conditions of my bin. I will keep these when I harvest and will likely have to take some adults out of the bin to make sure it isn't overpopulated.
I have yet to decide what method of harvesting I am going to use. I will probably end up doing the method where I will divvy out the bin's contents into several small cone shaped piles on a large plastic sheet, the worms will escape the light by burying to the bottom of their piles and I'll scoop off the tops of the piles (will document harvesting process to come). I was originally hoping I could do the method whereby you feed the worms on one side of the bin for a week or two, and then harvest the castings from the vacated side, putting in new bedding and repeating for the other side, but I have been doing the rotating pocket feeding method, and I always seem to find worms wherever I pull back the bedding - they don't seem to stay just around the food source for me.

Pinecone & Clover

Balcony Garden: June's Growth

Taken June 28th:
Balcony garden blossoming

Scarlet Runner Pole Beans - flowering and climbing

Marigolds are making heads and bushing up

Tomatoes are growing strong, becoming more hardy. We bought a Tiny Tim cherry tomato plant from a Farmer's Market in the town near my cottage. It already has many green tomatoes on it.

Romaine and Buttercrunch Lettuces are florishing. They've been great to eat fresh from the garden. I no longer buy lettuce when I do groceries because I'm growing enough to supply us, plus there's no waste from any going bad - I cut only what I need.

The first pea is fattening up!

I love being able to see the vines of the Morning Glory growing across the window from inside the apartment.

Vermicomposting Bin: Pepper Seeds

These yellow sprouts are from putting some red pepper seeds into my bin. I was uncertain of whether I should put them in or not, but did anyway. I'll avoid doing so again, even though I'm sure they'll decompose eventually.

Spinach

The spinach has been great this year. It's so nice being able to cut and eat fresh spinach and lettuce right from my balcony garden and it's so easy to grow.

Below are taken June 6th:

Below: taken today, June 19th. The spinach is getting taller and going to seed. The leaves are not as green and luscious as the younger ones. I think I will cut it back and do a second sewing of seeds.

Balcony Garden: Spring's Growth

I haven't updated in a while. Here are some shots of my balcony garden plants, showing their difference in growth from photos taken on June 6th and on June 19th.

Marigolds June 6th (above), June 19th (below)

Morning Glories

Garlic Chives

Mixed Herbs

Tomato

Peas (First flower is becoming a pod below)

Pole Beans: they're growing quickly!

I put up some strings for the beans to grow across. This will hopefully turn into a green wall.

Lettuce: lush and ready for picking!