Here you can find what plants I’m growing and some information about them. I may eventually build a quartz website with more in-depth information on how to germinate, care for, and harvest the plants that I am growing. I do extensive research into figuring out what is and what isn’t invasive here, as well as what is on the noxious plants and banned lists for where I live. Plants that do live on that list stay strictly indoor to avoid spread, while the rest may eventually be introduced as container indoor/outdoor plants.
In general, I prefer to grow plants that are more functional than ornamental. I like plants that have medicinal value, or food crops that can be used to enhance my diet. I especially like food plants that are uncommon the Western cuisine and may not be possible to shop for where I live (edible chrysanthemum, otherwise known as tong hao, as an example). That being said, I do have some ornamental plants because how could I not?
Seeds & Starters
Plants that I have seeds or starters (cuttings, rhizomes, etc) for. I’ve separated these out based on where I ordered the seeds so I can also include my thoughts about the vendor as well.
Annie's Hierloom Seeds
I was looking for a handful of very specific herbs when I found this website, and I've been very pleased with them thus far. Everything I've attempted to plant from them has not only done well, but has fully flourished. All of my plants from them have been absolutely thriving, save for the Saint John's Wort, which is the fussiest seed I've attempted to germinate thus far. They have a wide variety of seeds and a nice website to peruse.
Ordered: May 5th, 2023
Received: May 11, 2023Products Ordered: 1x Apothecary Garden Kit, 1x Mugwort Perennial
Seeds Included:
• Angelica
• Anise Hyssop
• Bee Balm
• Borage
• Catnip
• Cayenne Pepper
• Chia
• Chinese Plantain
• Cumin
• Echinacea
• Evening Primrose
• Fenugreek
• Feverfew
• German Chamomile
• Glorious Gleam Nasturtium
• Heal All
• Holy Basil/Tulsi
• Horehound
• Korean Licorice Mint
• Lavender Vera
• Lemon Balm
• Lemon Bergamot
• Love in a Mist (Nigella)
• Mugwort
• Marshmallow
• Mullein
• Pacific Beauty Calendula
• Pennyroyal
• Peppermint
• Red Garnet Amaranth
• Sage
• Saint John’s Wort
• Skullcap
• Stinging Nettle
• Valerian
• Yarrow
So far I have planted: feverfew, heal all, mugwort, marshmallow, mullein, valerian, yarrow, and Saint John’s wort. All but the Saint John’s have sprouted and are absolutely flourishing! I plan to plant catnip for the kitties, the korean licorice mint, and then spearmint. I have a friend that lives a few hours away that wants as much mint as I’m willing to give her, so I plan on propogating a chocolate mint cutting for her, and give her some spearmint. I hadn’t realized that I had received the licorice mint and anise hyssop with this pack so that will be a surprise for her since she loves mint plants as much as I do. :)
Rare Seeds
I found this company while on the hunt for edible chrysanthemum seeds. They offer hard to find or unusual plants, including rhizomes for a blue Turmeric plant that I'm keeping an eye open for to order. I have yet to receive my order from them but I am excited to try some new leafy greens and plant what my friend has affectionately labeled "goth tomat" this year to add some variety to the kitchen this year. This is also the only website of the three that have Turmeric and ginger rhizomes/fingers, so definitely worth keeping an eye on!
Ordered: April 12th, 2024
Shipped: April 16, 2024Received: April 23, 2024
Products Ordered:
• 1x Komatsuna Seeds Spinach Mustard, "Old Tokyo"
• 1x Mizuna Seeds, 605 Summer
• 1x Mizuna Seeds, Japanese Pink
• 1x Sweet Pepper Seeds, Shishito
• 1x Arugula Seeds, Red Dragon
• 1x Lemon Balm Seeds, Limoncello
• 1x Tomato Seeds, Black Beauty
• 1x Surprise Gift: Radish Seeds, Japanese Wasabi
All of these were bought with the intention of growing to eat. I plan to keep these primarily indoors to cheat the growing seasons since half of these seeds are Japanese plants and would struggle with the area that I live in due to differences in climate. This will be my first time trying to grow peppers so I hope that goes well. I saw them down in Texas on my last trip and was interested in them, so I hope they do well. I'm also rather excited for the tomatoes because tomatoes always do incredibly well where I live, and now that I work from home I can really be sure to baby them and make sure they get enough water so they flourish in the hot summers here. Very, very excited to get started on all of these plants. :>
Ordered: May 3rd, 2024
Shipped: May 08, 2024Received: May 11, 2024
Products Ordered: 1x Turmeric Plants, Yellow (3 Plants)
Turmeric is a plant that we use with cooking quite a bit and I thought it would be nice to try to grow some and propogate it year after year. It feels very difficult to find plants that can deal with the harsh, hot summers here, so when I saw that I could get turmeric and grow it I was rather excited to do so. I hope that they do well here and just flourish. :>
Terroir Seeds
I found this company while on the hunt for edible chrysanthemum seeds. They are who I ended up ordering my seeeds from, as they had the medium leaf variety that I wanted and had while I was visiting Texas. Their "about us" page impressed me: they take a multiple pronged approach to provide good seeds to those who wish to garden or grow food, and have an active interest in restoring the grasslands and soils. I can't comment on their claim to cultivate seeds using the best taste and hardiest plants, but we shall see how their seeds hold up.
Ordered: April 5th, 2024
Received: April 13th, 2024Product Ordered: 2x Edible Chrysanthemum Seeds
My interest in this plant stems from a trip to Texas that I took to visit a friend. They introduced me to another friend, and all three of us went out to hot pot. It was my first time so I was mostly just trying to figure out how all of this worked, and my new friend grabbed some leafy green that looked like it could be wild rocket arugula, but ended up being this delightful plant instead! I am SO excited to grow a plant large enough to start cooking with it! These seeds started sprouting within 4 days of being planted, so I am already very pleased.
Germination Station
These are the plants I have sown seeds for that I’m attempting to sprout. :> I also have a hydroponic system that I will use to sprout seeds, though these also eventually make it to pots rather than saying in a water system. (At least for now - I would like to scale out and do a DIY hydro system, but it is not my top priority right now.)
None right now! :>
Outdoor Plants
These are plants that I am growing outdoors! I have to pick plants that are rather heat tolerant to grow outside as our summers get very hot and humid. I’m hoping to find some good winter plants so that I can start growing outside all year. :) All plants are grown in containers as the soil at my house is not good and any attempts to correct it ends up being eroded away due to seasonal flooding. I’d love to eventually build some large raised beds for growing, but I am not in a place to do that at this time.
Turmeric
Latin Name: Curcuma longa L.
Planted: May 20, 2024
Potted: Outside (indoor over winter)
Turmeric is a plant that we use in cooking enough to justify buying it and giving growing it a real shot. Our winters are unfortunately run the risk of being too cold to keep it in ground all year around, so it will have to be pulled in each winter, but that’s fine. It will give us the opportunity to harvest the turmeric and use home grown turmeric in our cooking instead of store bought, and isn’t that just the dream? I’m so incredibly excited to see how this does this year, and that will dictate if I get the blue variant in the future. We’ve hit our first frost of the season so I’ve temporarily moved these guys inside.
Radish, Japanese Wasabi
Latin Name: Raphanus sativus
Planted: April 20, 2024 🌿
Sprouted: April 22, 2024
Potted: April 26, 2024
Pot: 6" nursey pot
Type: Soil sow in a grow tray on heating pad
I currently have 4 cells of these, all which have sprouted at time of publishing. These were the gift seeds from Rare Seeds for ordering >$10 on an order, and I was so delighted to see these as I had considered ordering these as well as everything else. The flavor of this radish is said to be close to that of wasabi or horseradish root. I ended up planting tehse outside and it’s coming up on the time to harvest them. :>
Hydropnic Plants
I have a small hydro setup. I’d like to expand into this more in the future, but it’s pretty small right now.
Edible Chrysanthemum (Tong Hao)
Latin Name: Chrysanthemum coronarium -> Glebionis coronaria
Planted: April 13, 2024
Sprouted: April 16, 2024
Potted: April 22, 2024
Pot: Hydro
Type: Soil sow in grow tray on heating pad
I currently have four cells that I am attempting to germinate. Three of four cells have cotyledons popping up and are flourishing! I have a friend who will likely take at least one of these plants once large enough. :> All of the seeds are sprouting and I’m having to keep pulling out extra sprouts to ensure hardy young plants - a problem I’ve never had before! I am super excited for these. They are growing well thus far. :>
Sweet Pepper, Shishito
Latin Name: Capsicum annuum
Planted: April 20, 2024 🌿
Sprouted: April 26, 2024
Potted: May 15, 2024
Pot: Hydro
Type: Soil sow in a grow tray on heating pad
A Japanese variety of peppers that are typically sweeter and very mildly spicy. I have two cells that I am currently trying to sprout. They are doing very, very well and I am currently waiting for them to be strong enough to move to a large enough pot for them.
Indoor Plants
These are plants that I keep indoors. At this time I keep all of my plants in post with soil, but if I start up my hydroponics again, I will note it. At this time, most of them are living on a wire shelf with ziptied grow lights. I have a little bit of overflow so there are some plants additionaly on the floor with a stand grow light on them to make sure they receive enough light. I plan to pick up another set of shelves with lights.
Aloe Pepe
Latin Name: Aloe descoingsii x haworthioides
Type: Perennial
Potted: March 2024
Pot: 6" nursery pot
I typically stay away from succulents because my growing environment tends to be on the chilly end and I just have had poor luck with succulents in the past, but this little guy stood out like a sore thumb. It is a dwarf succulent that grows regular leaves like aloe, but on the leaves are white teeth that give it a jagged, toothed appearance. The teeth are soft to the touch rather than spiny like a cactus, so it’s quite fun to run your finger along and feel. Very funky little guy, and once I found out this particular cross was called ‘Pepe,’ I was in love. Very excited to have this funky little guy in my collection.
Catnip
Latin Name: Nepeta cataria
Planted: April 17, 2024
Sprouted: April 26, 2024
Potted: May 21, 2024
Pot: 6" nursery pot
Type: Soil sow in grow tray on heating pad
I currently have one cell that I am attempting to germinate. I hope the kitties appreciate all that I do for them. 😭 One initially sprouted, and then a second sprouted and I carefully moved it to one of the failed cells for the St. John’s Wort, so now I have two that are growing! I plan to give one of these plants to my friend, so I am waiting for one of them to grow strong enough to travel. :> This is absolutely flourishing.
Chocolate Mint
Latin Name: Mentha piperita
Type: Perennial
Potted: March 2024
Pot: 12" terracotta pot (outside glazed)
I just love mint, okay? It’s a problem. This will be kept in a container since mint is such a prolific spreader, hah. Once it’s big enough I will transplant it to a large container and move it outdoors because it does so well here and the bees like the flowers. :>
As with all mint plants, if you wish to grow this, I very highly recommend container growing or growing in a raised bed. Mint has a huge tendency to take over entire beds or back yards if not careful, and can choke out other plants because of their tendency to spread.
Christmas Cactus
Latin Name: Schlumbergera
Type: Perennial
Potted: March 2024
Pot: 6" nursery pot
Mine is most likely from the buckleyi group, the “true” Christmas cactus with more lobed leaves, as opposed to the truncata group that typically blooms closer to Thanksgiving and has pointed leaves. Growing up, my mom kept one of these from the truncata group with the red flowers that I have typically seen on these plants. While I was visiting Texas, I saw this one on the shelf and was shocked to see peach flowers on it - not the normal white ranging to red that I’m accustomed to. I had to leap at the opportunity to pick it up and bring it home!
Heal All
Latin Name: Prunella vulgaris
Type: Perennial
Potted: January 2024
Pot: 6" nursery pot
This plant can easily become invasive, so if you wish to grow it please check your state or country’s department of agriculture to ensure they are not considereed a noxious weed or otherwise need quarantine.
Heal-all is another member of the mint family, with pretty purple flowers. This plant was one of the first of my January seeds to sprouted, but it has been one of the slowest growing of all of them since then. It has been doing better since getting more consistent lighting and more even watering and temperature, so I think that I will see it really start to take off with the new shelf system I have. I look forward to seeing the flowers on this one. :>
Jade Plant
Latin Name: Crassula ovata
Type: Perennial
Potted: June 2023
Pot: 12" terracotta pot
This plant was a gift from my dad when I told him that I wanted to start growing plants, and has definitely been there with me from the start. I love this slow-growing plant very much and have enjoyed working with it from day one. It has helped teach me a lot about patience as well as how to prune to promote new growth and fullness in the plant. I hope to keep it for many years to come. :>
Juniper Bonsai
Latin Name: Juniperus chinensis
Type: Perennial
Potted: March 2024
Pot: Bonsai pot
I found this bonsai while I was down in Texas visiting a friend. I am not one that often impulse buys plants because I admittedly do not keep the best environment for plants, but this is one that just really spoke to me. I have been going out of my way to make my growth area hospitable towards it so that it will thrive.
This will be hands-down the most difficult plant I have to take care of. Juniper bonsais are notorious for being near-impossible to take care of indoors, which is where I am caring for it. This is due to complications about how it is a tree that is pot-bound and requires regular repotting or transplanting to replenish nutrients in the soil, as well as their strict light, humidity, and temperature requirements. People also typically use soil that retains far too much water and can cause root rot or other issues. I will be leaving it in its current pot for the year, and will begin looking for a larger pot for it near the end of this year to transplant it early spring next year.
Komatsuna, Spinach Mustard “Old Tokyo”
Latin Name: Brassica rapa var perviridis
Planted: April 20, 2024 🌿
Sprouted: April 22, 2024
Potted: April 26, 2024
Pot: 12" terra cotta
Type: Soil sow in a grow tray on heating pad
A member of the brassica family (cabbages and mustards), this was one of those plants that just sort of caught my eye. I currently have one cell that I am attempting to sprout and grow since I’m not sure what to really expect with this plant. A food veggie that I really just wanted to grow and try out. Depending on the size of the leaves, I hope toa dd this to salads. :>
Mizuna, 605 Summer
Latin Name: Brassica nipposinica
Planted: April 20, 2024 🌿
Sprouted: April 22, 2024
Potted: April 26, 2024
Pot: 6" nursey pot
Type: Soil sow in a grow tray on heating pad
Another interesting green that I found while browsing the Rare Seeds website. I have two cells that I am attempting to grow so that I have plenty of greens to make salads out of this year. :D This variety is intended to be more water and crisp, perfect for eating in the hot summer! This has been a WONDERFUL addition to our salads - I plan to grow more next year!
Mizuna, Japanese Pink
Latin Name: Brassica juncea
Planted: April 20, 2024 🌿
Sprouted: April 22, 2024
Potted: April 26, 2024
Type: Soil sow in a grow tray on heating pad
I found this alongside the 605 seeds. I have two cells that I’m attempting to grow so that I have plenty of greens to make salads out of this year. :D This variety has plenty of antioxidants and is a so-called “superfood”. This has been a WONDERFUL addition to our salads - I plan to grow more next year!
Mugwort
Latin Name: Artemisia vulgaris
Type: Perennial
Potted: January 2024
Pot: 6" nursery pot
This plant can easily become invasive, so if you wish to grow it please check your state or country’s department of agriculture to ensure they are not considereed a noxious weed or otherwise need quarantine. Because of how fast this plant grows and how invasive it is, this plant should really be grown in a container to avoid unwated spread.
This lovely flowering plant is commonly used for beer making, and may also help to treat things such as anxiety, digestion, irregular periods, and other things.
Mullein
Latin Name: Verbascum densiflorum
Type: Biennial
Potted: January 2024
Pot: 6" nursery pot
This plant requires open ground to germinate and is thus not typically very invasive, but if you live in a plains area or anywhere with wide-open area, please consider checking with your state or country’s department of agriculture to ensure they are not considereed a noxious weed or otherwise need quarantine. (Fun fact: each plant can produce 100,000-240,000 seeds!)
I’ve seen pictures of this plant but I still didn’t expect it to be so fun! The leaves are broad and very, very fuzzy - a general joy to touch. This plant has been EXPLODING with growth lately, so I am going to need to find a nice big pot to put it in. These guys grow to be 2-7 feet tall, and 1-3 feet wide, so I have my work cut out for me, hah. It is a very happy plant.
String of Turtles
Latin Name: Peperomia prostrata
Type: Perennial
Potted: March 2024
Pot: Hanging pot from store
I’ve always wanted one of these plants because I find them to just be the cutest things on the face of the planet and I’ve always, always, always wanteed one. I have it hanging in my office window where it gets moderate sun and a lot of indirect light. We’ll see how it fares with the cats, and I’ll move it if I have to. (So far the cats haven’t seemed to view it as a toy, so that’s a huge bonus.)
Valerian
Latin Name: Valeriana officinalis
Type: Perennial
Potted: January 2024
Pot: 6" nursery pot
Valerian is a plant that I’ve seen without know what I was looking at, and I’m rather excited to grow it and see it flower. I’m sure that the variety I have is a white valerian, but gosh I’d love to have gotten a pink or red variety - maybe in the future! This is another one that has been growing a lot more slowly than I expected, but it’s still chugging along and doing well despite my general nervousness.