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Does anyone here know how salt tolerant tomatoes, pineapples and Hawaiian chile peppers are? Our best gardening space is about 30' from the cliff and that bluff is about 60 feet above the water. We get some salt spray (only when really windy)and while I know the citrus will tolerate it, I would like to be able to put some tomatoes in there too. If not, I can do them closer to the house, but I would rather have them down there. There is a wall and some foiliage that would protect them from direct spray there. We do have really good soil there. We are in Hilo and also get plenty of rain if that makes a difference.I appreciate any advice!
devany
www.myhawaiianhome.blogspot.com
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Don't know about the others you mentioned yet, but pineapples go nuts at my place. They are very happy. I do nothing (obviously) and yet they thrive. Approximately 400 feet from the cliff. The bluff is about 29 feet, and we definetely get some sea spray on the wind.
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when we lived on o'ahu in kailua, one block fromt the beach, we didn't have any problems growing tomatoes and chili peppers. the biggest problem was the birds eating everything. they love them chilies!
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Devany:
My seat-of-the-pants approach to gardening in my location is - try it all and see what works here for me. One of the things I am sold on is composting. I have both traditional compost bins (2 bins each being 4'x4'x4' and may build a few more) as well as vermiculture (I have a worm colony I am nurturing in a 4x4x1 box and i feed my little darlings food scraps a few times a week). Composting will save big bucks in that you won't have to make runs to Walmart to buy soil and fertilizers for your plants.
I have planted the following with great success: Bok Choi, Green poll beans, radishes, avocado, pineapple & Hawaiian chilis.
I have planted the following with mediocre success: cherry tomatoes & papayas.
I have planted the following with little success: beefsteak tomatoes, beats & cucumbers.
I have planted the following and am awaiting the results: coffee trees.
I have a long list of other things I will try in the future as well as to try again on some of the above failures.
Through all of this I learn a little here and a little there and try a different approach next time if it didn't work out. The point is you should plant your tomatoes, pineapples and Hawaiian chili peppers and see how they do. Go for it!
Hoping all your gardening adventures turn green and bountiful,
Andrew
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Thanks everyone! I appreciate the help and suggestions.
Is there are preferred time of year to plant tomatoes here? It is so strange,because there is no real winter here, but since they are selling the starts now, I figure it is a good time to at least experiment.
Andrew, I would love to hear more about your worm colony. Do you make worm tea to use for fertilizer? Our soil here is pretty rich, has lots of big worms in it already. I do compost too, but waiting for our container to get here so I can use my paper shredder for the pile.
devany
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Thanks Damon,
I know who Richard Ha is, as he is also famous in N. CA for his tomato expertise! I should get together with him to talk story. Thanks for the reminder about him.
Aloha au i Hawai`i,
devany
Devany Vickery-Davidson
East Bay Potters
www.eastbaypotters.com
www.myhawaiianhome.blogspot.com
www.travelingfork.blogspot.com
