Edible Balcony update - wet, wet, wet

 Water is usually the life-blood of the living which is why it is easy to forget how deadly it can be as well. As most of the country drowns in water I should count myself extremely lucky to be high and dry on the 13th floor of my Potts Point apartment block. I do.

This rain has been quite unbelievable.

The heavens just keep opening up. It reminds me of the monsoon season in Zimbabwe where I spent much of my teenagehood. Between November and February each year we would be marooned indoors with roads cut-off and school often closed due to the deluge.

I haven't seen this much rain since then.

The plants on the balcony are getting a soaking and there's not much I can do about it. 

Only the edibles on the wall - cavolo nero, vietnamese mint, warrigal greens and sorrel - need any hand-watering

Pretty as a daisy: the feverfew has flowered.

Luckily my tomato vines are on wheels so I can move them out of the rain.

Too much water will destoy the crop.

I've already counted about 40 flower branches on the cherry and grape tomato plants.

I've transplanted my candy-striped beetroot seedlings into a grow bag.

I hope the rain and sparse sunny days won't retard their growth too much

the rhubarb is going gang-busters though

And the good ol' rocket is bushing up nicely

This ruby silverbeet is now in its third year and getting a little woody so I may put in a new plant soon

The strawberries have been down in number ....

... but super sweet

And the edible violas - both purple and yellow - may get tossed through a salad tomorrow night.

Ahhhh... here comes the rain again. The harbour has disappeared behind a grey mist. We are a country of such extremes.