My Seeds

Part of the fun of having a garden is all the planning involved on it. Being able to decide what we would grow next and where it would go is very exciting. One of my favorite parts is choosing among the infinite varieties of plants to grow.

My seeds box

I always get carried away imagining how it would be to grow this and that, and I always want to add a new plant to my garden. The only problem is that here in my little garden in Japan, we only have the very restricted space a balcony garden can provide.

Of course, this didn't stop me when getting seeds. Adding the ones I brought from Mexico and the ones I got here, now I have ended up with way more of what I would be able to have. I really doubt I can fit even a quarter of all this in my little garden. So, I am sure there will be very tough decisions to make next year, when I would have to choose what to sow.

I like to keep my seeds in jars instead of envelopes

Here is a peek into my seeds box for this year. That way you can help me decide.

• Chives. I just got this ones, I will sow them this week, hopefully they still can catch the season.


• Thyme I cave in to my impatience and I bought the plant, so probably I won't need these after all.


• Alyssum I have the plant too, but I doubt it will stand the winter, so they are my back up plan.


• Cactus A little bit of Mexico's flavor, but I have three bags, so I will give some away.

Komatsuna, Cilantro and Chile de arbol

• Chile I have chile serrano, chile ancho, chile guajillo, chile pasilla, chile poblano, chile de arbol y chipotle. It will be impossible to pick only one.


• Zempasuchitl The Mexican marigold, with a much stronger scent, I like this flower and it is very good for the garden, so this one is a keeper.


• Epazote An annual herb, good for condiments.

Alyssum, Cactus and Lettuce

• Komatsuna The one I am growing now is doing very well. So I think it can be a keeper for next winter as well.


• Cilantro Must have for Mexican food.


• Beans The beans I had this year didn’t do well. Even when they flower they did not got fruit. I brought some from Mexico, hopefully they can do better.

Chamomile, White flower and Beans

• Lettuce Another of my winter vegetables that is going great.


• Chamomile This one might go well on a planter with the Epazote, It would be a nice addition to the herb corner.


• Unidentified white flower I picked this one up from a sidewalk in shibuya, no idea what it is.

Beside all of this, I want to grow some pumpkin, some tomato, possibly blueberries. Also, I know there will be more plants that I won't be able to resist next year.

It is definitely too much for me, anybody want some extra seeds?

My new herbs

I have been having a crave for herbs lately. So, this weekend I made a quick trip to the garden center and got a load of new herbs to go with the ones I already have.

It all started when I was reviewing online about how to grow the thyme seeds I brought from Mexico. I learned that thyme usually grows slow at the beginning, that together with the fact that I need to sow my seeds until spring and also since I am a bit of an impatient gardener, made me decided on getting a grown plant for the winter.

Then this Friday, when I was taking a stroll at the supermarket's gardening section, I saw they have a bunch of herbs for sale. I could not resist and bought a lemon thyme there, and definitely wanted more. So, I made a plan to get some new herbs and also took a trip to Tokyo to buy some wooden pots I know would fit the herbs perfectly. Then yesterday got the new herbs.

My new herbs with their planters

They had a great selection, and it was sure hard to pick which ones to buy. In the end of course, I ended up buying more than I should have, but no regrets.

The new herbs I got in my little garden in japan

From left to right in the photo above

• Dill No idea how to cook with this but I love the flowers


• Oregano For pasta, and for some Mexican sauces


• Lemon balm For some good tea


• Lavender I have always wanted a lavender


• Rosemary This one is still blooming


• Aloe I got this one from Mexico, more about that other day


• Lemon Thyme Its smell reminds me of my lemon tree back at home


• Cool Peppermint A nice addition to my current mint collection


• Thyme The one that started all

I hope they will grow nicely, I still have to set them up in their planters, but I can do that over the week when I have time. There is much to do in my garden, and they are so many new plants.

I also got a much needed rack to hang some of the planters up the rail, because I already run out of space on the floor. I choose to put there the planter that used to have the strawberries and now has lettuce and kalanchoe sprouts. Today I set it up and it works like a charm.

My new rack all set up with the lettuce seedlings

More seeds!

Ok, I just come from the store and I got a new batch of seeds, now it is definitely official, I cant sow all these. A giveaway will be a must, so keep on touch!

This is the complete collection so far!

Here is what I got this time

• Chile Ancho Thick red 15 cm chilly pepper also a must on Mexican food.


• Chile Pasilla Another chilly variety, good for sauces and stews.


• Chile Guajillo Yet another cilly, this one is for red sauce, and mole.


• Chile Serrano This chilly is used on the green sauce, along with green tomatoes.


• Alyssum I think I could get this one in japan, but I haven't seen it much. Plus seeds here are a lot cheaper. I just love the scent of this flower cloud on the morning.


• Camomila Good for teas, in Mexico we are also aware of its medicinal properties.


• Thyme Another herb for the kitchen, good for cooking with meat. This will go along the little herb patch I have.

I am worried about the seeds being only adapted for Mexican climate, but I think they will grow very good in Japan, my area has a very nice weather for growing plants. My other concern is if they will take them away at customs, but it should be ok too.

My time in Mexico is coming to an end, I don’t think I will be able to work deeply in the garden, I only pruned a little of the Bougainvillea, and took out some weeds, but that garden is really in need of a makeover. Maybe next time I come, probably in six months.

I really wish I could have had time to introduce much more of what we have here in Mexico, it is really a cornucopia of nature. Hopefully, next time I come I won't have so many things going on and I can give a relaxed tour for gardening. Also I am planning on going to south Mexico for next time, and if I have that chance, that will be quite something.

Still, I will do one post to introduce the plants we have around the garden before I leave, it's not much, but I really like them. Hope you guys will enjoy as well.