fern acres, grow papayas, avocados, pine?

[Ccat]

(yes, i am a 2018 lava refugee)

I am thinking of moving out of lava zone 1.   

Can you grow papayas, avocados, pineapple, ie real food in Fern Acres?

Or is it too cool and rainy up there?

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

Ccat,
I can give you a partial answer - - in Volcano at 4000’ elevation I have seen avocado bearing fruit but don’t know the varieties.  Also bananas.  Haven’t seen papaya or pineapple.

[kalakoa]

Bananas are viable to about 1500' elevation per "the banana guy" (he's in Kopua Farm Lots, which is above Fern Acres). I grew pineapple at 1250', no luck with avocado or papaya but that was probably a drainage issue, they don't do well if the roots stay wet. Citrus, coffee, persimmon all worked well. Apple and cashew are possible with some effort. There are some varietals of blueberry which work.

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

Bananas are viable to about 1500' elevation per "the banana guy"

That’s what I thought too until I met “the Volcano Banana Guy.”  He’s at 4000’ and gets about 1500 pounds a year.  I was shocked the first time I saw them growing there. Bearing fruit on the stalks.

[kalianna]

Not to be confused with bananahead I hope.

[Olohana 1790]

Fern Acres is above 1200'. and prob is too wet and cloudy for good pineapple, papaya, banana, mango
unless you have wide-open areas with cinder.
I have many great avocado trees that produce 300-500 per yr total... , but my soil is not normal its brought to my property by the river that cutdown from Mauna Loa to Shipman beach area..... ie the bridge across SKulani Rd at beginning of FA and HA is same river.
...
maybe try grow our endemic 'blueberry/huckleberry/cranberry' ie our Ohelo berries, same nutrition......
if you want dark purple ones go to north side Mauna Kea, if you want the red or yellow or swirl kine go to saddle or HVNP/Kau desert area if you want insipid red ones try grow wet forest tree kine Ohelo found all over upper Puna above about 2K'especially up at the prison/Kulani cone area

also try endemic strawberries that are found wild upon the saddle. I have all of these at my place in HA 1,100' elev

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the banana guy is bananahead
he is ALSO 1 expert on all endemic chit... and the natural history of Owhyhee