Our quest to find a vivero (plant nursery) over the weekend led us north of the city along the Periférico (the large highway that circles Mérida). Driving west on the Periférico, between highway 178 (to Motul) and 261 (to Progresso), we were suddenly in vivero heaven, with about a dozen of them dotting the highway.
Based on a discussion board thread we read at Yolisto, we decided to go directly to a vivero called La Flor de Xochimilco, named after the UNESCO World Heritage site Xochimilco located in Mexico City.
The vivero did not disappoint. If it grows in Yucatan, they’ve got it. We even found fresh oregano and thyme, staples we’ve been missing since moving to the city.
In addition, they sold dirt, which comes in two varieties: standard and premium. Although we didn’t quite catch what the difference was, we opted for premium as it cost only six pesos more than standard.
In total, a bag of premium topsoil (approximately two cubic feet) cost us $38 pesos. We purchased 90 bags. Another $100 pesos for same-day delivery (schlepped from the truck to our garden by three rather strong employees) and we’ve got the start of our garden.
Now all we need to do is lay out the new soil, add water and start growing.
