One of the most satisfying things about my new gardening experiences this year has been the fennel. You see here the biggest one that I have thus far harvested. I have several more in various degrees of plumping up. Perhaps I should explain. Until late last year, I was living in this ridiculous slum building in Strathcona, with no yard, no balcony and no opportunity for window boxes that did not immediately become prey to the various species of pests* that plagued us.
My parents always used to garden back in the old house in Poco (TriCities Pride!), and I missed having a kitchen garden more than I realized. When we finally moved to a (relatively) pestless place with a patio, I immediately began accumulating pots and planning my garden.
I picked up lots of seeds in the spring, mostly stuff I knew I could grow, like lettuce, carrots, arugula, peas, etc. And then I picked up some fennel seeds on a whim, because I freakin' love fennel, and I buy it all the time when it's in season.
I don't really have much first hand gardening experience, and I had no idea that fennel would be so easy to grow. Easy to germinate the seeds, easy to maintain the seedlings, easy to protect from insects - really the only hard part has been resisting the urge to eat them before they get bigger.
Somewhere along the way this pot of chives picked up a fennel sidekick.
*Raccoons and pigeons in the ceiling, plus rats, mice, moths and flies
Being out of the unhealthy slum and into an area which affords healthy gardening is pretty sweet! Ah the nights of listening to the little rats running through the floorboards... How I remember them.
ReplyDeleteWatching the garden grow day by day is so very exciting! If only we can keep the squirrels out!
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