From about the middle of last year, we wanted to get more greenery in and around our house.
We started off with a few houseplants. Got a couple of outdoor plants for around the entrance. Then, we planted some sunflower seeds that Ryo got from his preschool.
More recently, we got a few tomato plants (see the photo) and two basil plants. We still have a lot of space outside the front of our house so today I bought a few planters and planted some radish seeds and “komatsuna” seeds.
Actually, I used to grow lots of vegetables in England as a child. I would plant old potatoes, various plants and one year daikon.
I hope I have still got green fingers!
I will be posting regular updates on the state of the plants, and of course the dishes we make with them.
Incidentally, the title for this post is an idiom and it is the equivalent of 自業自得
Vocabulary
- greenery: any plants, vegetables, bushes, shrubs, trees i.e. anything with leaves
- houseplants: 観葉植物
- green fingers: describes someone who has a natural skill for gardening (”green thumb” in America)
- incidentally: 因みに
I also used to grow lots of vegetables; minitomato, cucumber, minicarrot, spring onion, broccoli, spinach, komatuna, shunngiku, beans, etc. at balcony. Have you grown ‘komatuna’? Maybe you know that green caterpillars( the baby of cabbage butterfliesモンシロチョウ） love ‘komatuna’. I would use the young leaves of ‘komatuna’ as the gredient of miso soup. I was always fighting with green caterpillars. Oneday I finally gave up picking them away and I boiled the young leaves with green caterpillars. when I drained the hot water I could separate them. I thought it was the easiest way. Then I used fresh young leaves of ‘komatuna’. Nobody of my family know about this…
I especially recommend you 発酵油粕（はっこうあぶらかす） as organic fertilizers for tomato, not ‘komatuna’. It’s good for fruit. If you have more space, growing peanut will be interesting.
Wow, I didn’t realise you were so greenfingered!
I love cooking with komatsuna, and I have just planted a 30-day variety. I’m hoping the caterpillars will stay away long enough for me to cook the leaves. Thank you for the tip about 発酵油粕, I will try it with my tomatoes.
I’ve just planted some lettuce as well. I was so surprised at how small the seeds were. It seems amazing that a food source can come from such a small thing!
I suppose “good things come in small packages” is true!