IronWood Needles?

[Mitzi M]

I've also heard that they fix nitrogen, and that gives them the big advantage in nitrogen poor coastal soils. That's cool that other stuff is already growing in the soil, Susan! It will be good to know how it works out with the new plants.

[Menehune]

Aloha kakou!

Mahalo to all who have replied.

I had no idea that "ironwoods" were a "serious invasive coastal pest" and "alien species". I have seen them all over the Islands and the tourist guide books talk about them in glowing terms.

Les C - the sound and the stillness beneath the canopy is quite pleasant but after reading the info. posted here, at hear.org and other sites - they have got to go.

Mitzi M - I won't use the needles as mulch and since I will be "selectively clearing" they will be "slowly replaced".

Kapohocat/Mitzi M: I appreciate the soil info.

wjbillock/Mitzi M: I'm having a hard time whittling the blowguns. I'll try making a paste out of the needles and spreading it on the nearest frog I see/catch.

Tolleys: Please keep me informed of your "growing" progress.

KathyH: I am sure the neighbors would enjoy the toil of my labor. I sure hope they do not "sucker and return". Since, I plan on digging a well and the last thing I want to do is add poison or pesticides to the ground water. Where do I find the "guerilla's".

So they have to go and I have questions concerning how, etc. Should I continue with this posting or start a new topic. I'm new to this forum thing and trying to get the "etiquette" down.

'O wau no me ka mahalo


Joey "O"

[Mitzi M]

It's good to hear about the blow gun progress!;>
Since I last posted on this thread I heard of a great use for the ironwood needles from an expert on permaculture - she uses them to mulch pathways where you wouldnt want anything to grow. Apparently they work pretty well. I went over to DNLR's Arbor Day plant sale on Friday, and to my great chagrin, lurking amongst all the cool native trees and interesting fruit and landscape trees were - (gasp!) - little baby ironwoods for sale! It was pretty crowded by then and the nice people working at the counter didn't really know why specific plants were included in the sale... I know they have been used in forestry applications in the past as erosion control, windbreak and fast shade in coastal places where the native vegetation is gone - I just can't believe they're still being planted here - especially with the blessing of DNLR. Maybe it was an unintentional mistake.

Edited by - mitzi m on 11/03/2007 11:17:52

[MarkP]

There are a handful of varieties but the two most common ones here in Hawaii are casuarina equisetifolia (beach she-oak) and casuarina cunninghamiana (river she-oak). I asked someone from the state who told me that the ones on the beach are the really invasive ones. A year ago you could still buy the river she-oaks from the state arboretum. The guy with the state said they were not really invasive. So, I guess it makes a difference which one you are talking about.

[JWFITZ]

It is worth considering as well that one could hardly use a more flammable tree as a wind break. They scare the hell out of me.

I could use some ironwood for my canoe project, however, and would be more than willing to tip a few over for you and limb them up, assuming you're in the neighborhood now.

[Chuysmom]

So if the needles are toxic, that would probably be a bad thing to put on a pineapple patch to keep the weeds down, yeah?

Carrie Rojo

http://www.carrierojo.etsy.com


"Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek." Barack Obama

[oink]

Jay, what would you use them for? My experience with the wood is that although it is pretty, it splits badly as it cures.

Pua`a
S. FL
Big Islander to be.

[JWFITZ]

The answers are lots of PEG. Same goes for ohia. The ironwood I use for rubstrakes.

[MarkP]

Sorry, what is PEG?

[JWFITZ]

polyethelyne glycol. Commonly used by woodworkers to stabilize unstable woods. It displaces moisture in the cell structure.

In fact, if anyone knows of a local source I could use some more and can't seem to find it. Antifreeze is a poor substitute but works.