sprouts, compost

Celery is beginning to sprout under the kitchen window, and I think some Romaine as well, although it looks a lot like broadleaf weeds, so not sure yet. Weeded the rest of the long bed today. At the very back the Fennel still coming back up. I cut this plant down last year right after we moved in, thinking it was one of the many tall weeds. Now I'm going to let it grow back, for even if I don't use the herb, the yellow flowers attract butterflies. I want to move it though, but not sure if it will withstand that.

It's supposed to rain tomorrow and through the weekend. The pile is heaped up with green weeds now, so after they're all wetted by rain I'll turn it over again on the first sunny day and see if there's enough half-finished compost to rake into the long bed and prepare for planting. It shouldn't need much. I learned from Thalassa Cruso that my leaf mulch probably did a good job of feeding and warming the soil overwinter, so I might not even need to dig, as long as put down more top-dressing of compost through the growing season.