And then there were rabbits...

 I'm skipping a month or so ahead and the arrival of chickens but this fits better following the last post about the garden.

The garden did start growing well, the good soil rich in dark organic compounds gave them a good boost, but their good growth also brought about the introduction of a varmint... rabbits. Now, we had seen rabbits in the yard briefly, along with armadillos and heard raccoons in the woods, but this was the first time they'd interacted with anything we had done. So I went out to check the garden after a heavy rain and wind. The ditch all around the mound was filled with water and the thick clay soil led to more than one slip and at least one curse word as I nearly fell onto to rear. I notice that the sprout plant leaves had been the subject of distinct macerations. The evidence of what had caused this damage was sat blatantly on a log next to the garden. Rabbit poo. 

So it was time to build a fence. Now, at this time I did not have a job, any real tools or cash to buy any wire for the garden. So I had to improvise. 

So I went prehistoric in my skill set and made a wattle fence, I did not make the daub. I'm the burn, well, ex-burn pile there were a collection of reed like poles that had dried out. I pulled a mass of them out of the ground and snapped the muddy ends off over my knee. Making the ground wetter than usual I jabbed a collection in the mud, then began weaving the rest between the poles. It did not look pretty, but it was a fence, about a foot tall.

Looking at the fence, everyone laughed at it. 'The rabbits will just jump over it.' so I defended it, rabbits are lazy and if they can get food without jumping and hunting it they leave it alone. 

How long did it work. Well... Guess who was right...me or them... I'm hoping you've guessed right and said me. The rabbits did not return until one of my boys broke it and did not tell me, but it worked. So a few repairs here and there and it worked. Yay.

Now my onions were growing well they were getting tall and I got asked a simple question that led to a lot of confusion..."Have you fluffed your onions?"

Well, my knowledge of English meant that fluffing is a term from the adult entertainment industry, not that of gardeners. So, I had to ask, "how do you fluff your onions?"

It turns out fluffing your onions is breaking up the soil around the onions so they can grow larger...who knew? Well not me.

On that note, have you fluffed your onions recently?