03-14-2011, 05:50 PM
Hi there,
Glad to find another Punatic who loves 'Ohi'as.
So here's the bad news - root damage really messes them up and since they are used to such a nutrient poor soil, fertilizer is generally not recommended for the ones growing in the wild.
I think your best shot might be with a vitamin B formula such as Superthrive and/or a diluted compost tea made of chicken manure, ripe compost, kelp meal, bat guano or any combination thereof. For the tea, I'd put say 1# of composted chicken manure, at least a brick sized glob of really done compost and/or a couple cups of kelp meal/bat guano and stick them in a 5gal or larger bucket of water. If I have it I add maybe a cup or 2 of milk and some beer - half a bottle will do. Stick it in the sun and wait 24 hours. You should see lots of little bubbles. Use 1 part of this tea to 5 parts water and drench the roots. The vitamin B solution can be added into this as well. If you have the water, additional irrigation when it's dry might help as well.
Also - 'Ohi'as do not do well if the level of the surrounding soil is at all raised or lowered, or the soil is compacted. If you piled rocks or firewood or brush against their trunks - even just a foot high it will probably hurt them. If their roots were exposed even a few inches that will be detrimental as well. I wish you luck.
As for your planted 'Ohi'a, you can fertilize them with half strength dose of whatever you use - they do like organics and the compost tea. The planted ones will grow fairly rapidly if you feed them, but keep in mind too much rapid growth produces a lot of soft wood at once and can cause the tree to be more prone to insects and diseases, so try and pace it.
Hope your trees make it!
Glad to find another Punatic who loves 'Ohi'as.
So here's the bad news - root damage really messes them up and since they are used to such a nutrient poor soil, fertilizer is generally not recommended for the ones growing in the wild.
I think your best shot might be with a vitamin B formula such as Superthrive and/or a diluted compost tea made of chicken manure, ripe compost, kelp meal, bat guano or any combination thereof. For the tea, I'd put say 1# of composted chicken manure, at least a brick sized glob of really done compost and/or a couple cups of kelp meal/bat guano and stick them in a 5gal or larger bucket of water. If I have it I add maybe a cup or 2 of milk and some beer - half a bottle will do. Stick it in the sun and wait 24 hours. You should see lots of little bubbles. Use 1 part of this tea to 5 parts water and drench the roots. The vitamin B solution can be added into this as well. If you have the water, additional irrigation when it's dry might help as well.
Also - 'Ohi'as do not do well if the level of the surrounding soil is at all raised or lowered, or the soil is compacted. If you piled rocks or firewood or brush against their trunks - even just a foot high it will probably hurt them. If their roots were exposed even a few inches that will be detrimental as well. I wish you luck.
As for your planted 'Ohi'a, you can fertilize them with half strength dose of whatever you use - they do like organics and the compost tea. The planted ones will grow fairly rapidly if you feed them, but keep in mind too much rapid growth produces a lot of soft wood at once and can cause the tree to be more prone to insects and diseases, so try and pace it.
Hope your trees make it!
Uluhe Design
Native Landscape Design
uluhedesign@yahoo.com
Native Landscape Design
uluhedesign@yahoo.com