Green or Black Thumb?

I don't have the best track record with growing plants. When I turned 21 and was moving into my cousin Crystal's condo, my Aunt Kristi sent me this lovely arrangement of houseplants with red roses mixed in. The roses of course died (they were supposed to) but the plant seemed to hang on.... that was until Christmas break which I spent most of at my parents house. The poor plant arrangement forgotten. When I returned it was pretty brown and I was about to throw it out until my cousin who had several flourishing plants offered to attempt to save them. She re-potted them in separate containers (which made sense but I hadn't thought of it) and in just a few weeks they were on their way to recovery. 

Then there was the beautiful Gerber Daisy that Ellie at University Housing got me for my college graduation (It was white with just a bit of pink/coral towards the center of the petals and a perfectly yellow center). I loved them, they were so pretty. I did water them a few times but they too were soon wilted and brown. I had hoped they were a re-occuring plant that would come back the following year and my mom reassured me that they should and that they should be good until the following year. So I left them on the porch of our apartment where they were safe from my roommates two curious kittens. But when we went to move my things out of the apartment and I retrieved my plant my mom was horrified at the state of them and let me know that the dried out plant wouldn't have survived. 

Then last fall Jim and I purchased some raspberry plants which grew two leaves before returning to looking like sad little sticks poking out the top of our pots. I also bought mums in October to adorn our porch and those lasted about 2 months before they died and I am not certain if those are the type of plants to return or if you have to buy new ones every year.

But with the return of Spring and thanks to a new subscription to Martha Stewart Living (Thanks Mom!) I have a renewed desire to grow something. Not just flowers, I want to grow food. So I have done some research on growing a container garden (I don't think our apartment people would appreciate me putting in a garden next to their lake). I chose tomatos (large red cherry), cucumbers (tendergreen), peppers (poblano), and peppers (anaheim chili). All of these require full sun which is exactly what our porch gives, tomatos seem to be grown by everyone so they can't be THAT hard, and the other three I like but sometimes have difficulty finding good and inexpensive at the store.... plus I have this delusion of making my own salsa as I can't get the kind I like down here.

  

I will keep you updated on their progress although the packaging says the earliest I should expect to see anything is 7-12 days. Any gardening advice? Anyone have any good salsa recipes or want to offer to remind me to water them each day?