スーパーの帰りに近所のJAを覗くと、月曜日なのでほとんど来客がありませんでした。
On my way home from the supermarket, I dropped into the JA near my home. It being a Monday morning, there were hardly any visitors.
I saw a lovely French lavender in a pot. However, I was not tempted, since I find it more enjoyable to buy small and grow large.
果樹コーナーで発見。ポポーのNCC-1がこの値段。昔 NC-1が日本で紹介されてプレミアム価格だった頃と比べると3分の1くらいに下がっています。ポポーは異品種が必要になる一方で木がどんどん大きくなって、うちの狭い庭では長期的にムリでした。オレンジなどの柑橘類なら10号鉢で育てれば地植えに負けない大きさの実が生るけど、ポポーの場合は鉢植えだと小粒でした。
When I went to the fruit trees' section, I saw pawpaw NC-1 plants. I was shocked to see the price at 1/3 of what it was when this variety was introduced to the Japanese market. I used to grow several varieties including NC-1 but eventually gave up. They need pollinators and they grow very tall very fast. Unlike oranges and other citrus trees who grow decent sized fruits even in a pot, pawpaw plants growing in pots produced meager fruits. I had to admit that my garden was far too small for them in the long run.
What I bought were herbs for my health, as usual - chamomile and rosemary. My small garden has no more space left for even a small pot, so today's purchase will be the last for this year.
JAのお会計カウンターで「袋は要らない」と言うと、会計係以外の人が即座に新聞紙で箱を作ってくれるので、手を汚さずに帰れます。
When I tell the cashier that I do not need a bag, another person near the cashier always makes a box with newspaper, so that my hands will not be soiled. I find it sweet.
買った苗の品種は、ローマンカモミールとマリンブルーという名のローズマリー。同じトレイにジャーマンカモミールもありましたが、いくら見つめても違いが分からないので、とりあえずローズマリーの地中海のイメージに合わせてローマンの方にしました。
The varieties are: Roman Chamomile, and a rosemary named Marine Blue. There were also pots of German Chamomile, but I could not see any difference between the two however hard I compared them. So, I chose the Roman version, to go with the Mediterranean image of rosemary.
大き目の鉢に植えました。これからの季節、ビュンビュン育つはずなので、じきに今の鉢が小さくなるでしょう。ちょうどディルのように。
I used pots that might seem a little too large for the tiny plants. I think they will grow fast in the coming season, and the pots will soon be too small for them - just like what happened with the dill plant.
今年の１月に買ったディル↓は、最近の暖かさで更に育っています。
I bought this dill in January this year as a small plant, but it has now outgrown its pot thanks to the recent warm weather.
