hello from Japan

Kuri and Kona
Kuri and Kona Posts: 177 ✭✭✭

Hello, I am Kuri and am living in Japan! I am brand new to the forum, and also pretty incompetent in gardening, but I am trying to get better.

Anyone else here in Japan?

Comments

  • water2world
    water2world Posts: 1,177 ✭✭✭✭

    @Kuri and Kona Welcome! I would love to visit Japan. My son spent a summer there and can't wait until he can go back. Thank goodness he took lots of pictures!

  • LaurieLovesLearning
    LaurieLovesLearning Posts: 7,573 admin

    @Kuri and Kona Welcome to the TGN forum!

    I'm not from Japan, but instead, from cold & snowy Canada. Actually, all of our snow in my area is finally melting. The buds on the trees are swelling. Maple syrup should start to run in my area shortly.

    Our family was very involved in competitive Judo. I was not the adrenaline seeker, but the rest of my family was (and still is). It is one of my favorite sports to watch. Correct that...it is my favorite! Needless to say, we only know words relate to Judo, including basic counting.

    Gardening can be started with one plant or one type of plant and you can improve your skills from there. We were all beginners at some point.

    Are you in an apartment (with or without a balcony) or do you have access to an outdoor growing space? What are you interested in trying to grow?

    Even though we may not be from Japan, I'm sure we can help at least a little bit! 😄

    In the meantime, we would love to hear more about your beautiful customs & country. That's part of the colorful beauty of this forum is getting to know about other people from around the world.

  • Kuri and Kona
    Kuri and Kona Posts: 177 ✭✭✭

    @water2world Hello, and thank you for your comment. What part of Japan did your son visit? There are many regions that are lovely places for tourists to visit.


    @LaurieLovesLearning Thank you for the welcome. I am in zone 9b myself, so I always enjoy hearing about people gardening in colder climates. Speaking of warmer climates, our cherry blossom trees are starting to bloom.

    I should clarify that I am not from Japan originally, but have lived here a long time. While I live in an apartment, there is a modest sized garden out back. I am allowed to plant anything in it except `big trees.` My first two years gardening, I mostly bought seedlings from the local nursery. Many of my plants did okay, but I never was able to get the pumpkin or the zucchini plants to fruit. This year, I am trying to start everything from seed. It is amazing how many silly mistakes I have made so far! I knew a lot less about gardening than I thought I did. My goal is to grow as much of my own food as is realistic in my situation. I also have a number of culinary/ medicinal herbs that have bravely grown on for two years (rosemary, oregano, lavender, mugwort, sage, and thyme). The major challenges are our rainy season (heavy rain almost every day for more than a month) and also the pests (particuarly the slugs).

    Anyway, thank you again for the warm welcome, and I look forward to learning!

  • Torey
    Torey Posts: 5,679 admin

    Welcome to TGN's forum @Kuri and Kona. Your climate must be similar to the southwest corner of BC and Vancouver Island. Lots of rain and humidity; it is rare for them to get much snow and it only occasionally goes below freezing. I'm in Central BC so a lot drier and very much colder.

  • Lisa K
    Lisa K Posts: 1,935 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Welcome @Kuri and Kona! I am in So. Calif but Japan is definitely one of the locations I want to visit, I love all of the gardens I have seen!

  • Michelle D
    Michelle D Posts: 1,465 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Kuri and Kona we are glad that you are here! This is the perfect place to increase your knowledge of growing your own food. I wish you tons of success!

    I am in a bit colder climate than you. We just started seeing spring weather a few days ago. I can't wait to see the blossoms on the cherry trees!

  • JodieDownUnder
    JodieDownUnder Posts: 1,483 admin

    @Kuri and Kona hello & a big warm welcome to TGN from Australia. At the moment it’s wet & humid where I live but autumn is starting, its a bit cooler in the evenings & early mornings. Japan is on my bucket list of countries to visit in the next few years!

    You will enjoy being involved in the TGN forums, so much info, guidance & love. It’s a wonderful thing to grow your own. All the best to you, enjoy the ride.

  • Linda Bittle
    Linda Bittle Posts: 1,518 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Welcome! I live in Missouri, in the middle of the USA. I think you will find lots of helpful people and information here. I've found that starting is the hard part. Some thinks do well for me, but others not so much. I like that you have started with some herbs!

  • water2world
    water2world Posts: 1,177 ✭✭✭✭

    @Kuri and Kona My son worked at the naval base at Yokosuka teaching swim lessons for a summer. He made sure to have the time to climb to the top of Mount Fuji. The people that he met, graciously showed him around, not only to Tokyo, but to places off the "tourist track". It was a great experience for him--and I loved the pictures he took!

  • Kuri and Kona
    Kuri and Kona Posts: 177 ✭✭✭

    @torey Yes, I think my climate is similar to what you describe; we seldom go below freezing, and don`t get very much snow. Summers are long and humid.

    @Lisa K Hi, Lisa. I have only been to California when I have been to airports, so I wouldn`t mind seeing California, myself!

    @Michelle D Thank you for all of your kind words. We are supposed to be in the 60s-low 70s F later on this week.

    @JodieDownUnder Thank you! I would love to visit Australia someday! It is not that many hours away by plane.

    @Mary Linda Bittle, West Plains, Missouri I am originally from the US myself, but I never had an opportunity to visit Missouri. I have planted many things besides herbs in my two years of gardening, but many plants, even perennials, have not made it. The herbs were hardy enough to keep on going. Let`s hope that this is the year that things change!

    @water2world It sounds like your son had a fantastic time. Wonderful!

  • Cornelius
    Cornelius Posts: 872 ✭✭✭✭

    Welcome from Virginia in USA! Maybe part of the issues is water-logging from the rainy season? Containers with well draining soil might work?

  • Kuri and Kona
    Kuri and Kona Posts: 177 ✭✭✭

    @Cornelius Yes, I have almost everything in containers, for that very reason. Also, I use umbrellas or other structures to give a shield to plants that hate wet feet. Still, a month plus of pounding rain is hard on the garden. I think the biggest problems are just general lack of knowledge on my part. I don`t think I fertilize correctly, and lots of other things. Also, the slugs and other pests are absolute terrors to the garden.

  • jowitt.europe
    jowitt.europe Posts: 1,465 admin

    @Kuri and Kona welcome also from me. I am sure we will have a lot to talk about gardening also when I am not in Japan. I am in Austrian Alps. As my garden in 800 m above sea level, I can grow many vegetables and fruit. And the winters are relatively mild, although we do have frost and snow. I start my gardening this week. Until now it was impossible because of the frozen soil. I am sure you will find quite a few members from your climate zone.

  • Kuri and Kona
    Kuri and Kona Posts: 177 ✭✭✭

    @jowitt.europe Thank you for your kind words. I am looking forward to learning from many people with more experience than myself. Please help me understand, is 800 m. above sea level considered to be quite high? Thank you!