prairiehil's Profile

I grew up in Kansas, where a lot of sun and wind are a common problem. I've had a lot of luck with more shrubby plants -- smaller tomato plants, mint, lavender, and sage -- on sunny, windy balconies. I've never tried rosemary, but since it grows in southern Italy it's probably a good bet. Maybe strawberries and blackberries? Also, small scrubby evergreens might work and are easy to care for.
For a trellis I've grown moonflower and honeysuckle both on south/west facing balconies.

Here is a link to some plant info from K State ag research:
http://www.riley.ksu.edu/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=199

I'm not sure if there's an ag school anywhere near you, but they are usually excellent resources for what works in your area.
Beautiful area to work with! Have fun!

No, wolf spiders are dark brown and hairy -- like little tarantulas. They're completely harmless, and are really good at killing bugs. I've had a lot of the beige ones in my house this fall and as far as I'm aware they're just another common house spider. I don't know if you have brown recluse spiders in NY -- they're beige with a brown violin shape on their back. To help keep the spiders down it's good to vacuum your house REALLY well. including using the attachments in any heating/cooling ducts and all corners and crevices. It's also a good idea to check the undersides of furniture, where they like to nest.

Sorry, I have no advice for mice.

Oh, Regina, are you in for a treat! The Flint Hills are one of the most beautiful places on earth! And can I say that you are the first person I've ever met to voluntarily go on vacation to my home state -- I hope you set a trend. (Though August can be brutal in KS. Be prepared for heat and dead grass. And gorgeous sunsets.)

Metal seats without cushions tend to burn your bum after sitting in the sun all day. You could store cushions indoors until you need them. I just got a set similar to the Strath myself.