Posts: 121
Threads: 48
Joined: Jan 2007
I live in Eden Roc in Mountain View, elevation approx. 1800 ft. I've been trying to grow some veggies, and am finding several problems... mushrooms and mold on the soil, cukes and squash dying while producing blossoms, even lettuce croaking, and these were in pots under the lanai to avoid all the torrential rains. I was hoping to grow veggies year-round here. Am also trying beans (most didn't germinate) and one cuke plant and some peas out in the open ground, and they're doing OK, but not great. I know we haven't seen much sun lately (I'm getting a little pale myself!!) and wonder if that's the main problem and if it's just an El Nino year, or what? I started some carrots and onions in a large pot, and they're doing alright so far, but even that got mold on the soil (using a mix of Super Soil from Home Depot and cinders and some purchased chicken manure). I realize I may need to revamp my concept of the word "veggie" and also "year-round" but would appreciate any advice, especially from folks who live at this altitude (Glenwood, included, Pam Lamont!). Have recently planted out orange, tangerine, mountain apple, longan and they seem alright, but don't know how well they will produce. Lime and Meyer lemon are in pots, as is purple passionfruit, and the lime is blossoming right now (smells luscious!).
Advice? Encouragement?
Katie
Wherever you go, there you are.
Wherever you go, there you are.
Posts: 274
Threads: 25
Joined: Nov 2003
About 2 weeks ago I had a garden to die for. Sugar pumkins, lettuce, zucchini, peas,carrots, chinese broccolo. I harvested a few squash before I left for a trip to Maui, and they were great, along with lettuce, and my pumpkins were the size of large softballs. I came back 5 days later, and after the heavy rain deluge, and everything had wilted and rotted. What a bummer. Even the lettuce withered up and turned brown. I attribute it to too much rain, and perhaps acid rain. The only thing that didn't croak was my cilantro, and carrots, and radishes seem to be inching along. I'm in Mountain View at 2100 feet. I had put in a one foot cinder base underneath the soil originally to drain off the water. My fruit trees and strawberries still seem happy though. Angela
Posts: 315
Threads: 28
Joined: Oct 2006
It seems to be a real struggle to have "normal" veggies growing out in the open. I believe the humidity and deluging rain are the main culprits, with many things rotting before they can ripen. In the past, we've had good luck with greens in a bin in the greenhouse, and tomatoes in large tubs as well. Cukes in a tub trellised. This year we are trying a cloche over the raised outdoor beds to try to get additional heat and lower humidity, and control the deluges of rain.
We have neighbors who have a large hoop-style greenhouse and it keeps them in all sorts of veggies year-round. The general air is drier, and they can control the water volume, so are quite successful.
The other thing is to look for vegetable varietites that are designed for our conditions and day-length. For instance, a friend suggested I try mexican corn varieties because they are selected for short day lengths. I planted corn this last spring (the hawaii seed co. sweet variety), and it tassled at only a foot high, and only produced tiny little ears. I wasn't unhappy when the ducks ate them!
What has worked other years? The small pimento-size peppers, hawaiian hot peppers, strawberries, poha berries, citrus, passionfruit, pak choi, broccoli, carrots, hawaiian sweet potatoes. What do we have problems with at 1060' elevation? Bananas; even the stalks rotted. Mountain Apples -- got hit by the erethrina gall wasp. Papaya -- rot before they ripen. We've moved our bananas to a hotter, drier area. Trying papayas in a hotter drier spot as well.
Anyway, you're not alone in struggling for vegetables! Don't give up!
Posts: 243
Threads: 6
Joined: Oct 2005
Hi Katie,
Some suggestions--sounds like you have a fungus/mold that is taking over. There is a fungus amongst us~
What you need for improving the situation is air movement, drier conditions, more sun and warmth to deter its growth.
I would grow most anything that struggles in one and grow the other things that are suggested that do well in your area outside it in a garden there.
In addition to here you might check in to gardenweb.com, there is a Hawaii section there too, if you want more imput.
The suggestions of doing a hoop house sound good. Lots of good instructions to build them are found in google. Easy to do out of pvc pipes. You'll also find green houses on garden web.
Mele Kalikimaka me ka Hau'oli Makahiki Hou - Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Lucy
Having another Great day in Paradise, Wherever that Maybe!
Lucy
Having another Great day in Paradise, Wherever that Maybe!
Posts: 1,727
Threads: 29
Joined: Feb 2006
Drainage is really important. I use raised beds for some things to keep them from melting.
We are also about a week before the Winter Solstice so now is about the most difficult time to grow a garden. As soon as the Solstice is over we will start getting more sunlight each day and then things will grow better.
I planted out five different types of lettuce seed. Manoa, anuenue, black seeded Simpson, green sails and some seed collected from some lettuce plants in Waimea. The only ones which sprouted and is growing is the Manoa and some of the seed collected in Waimea.
Green beans and lima beans are doing well, the tomatoes are growing slowly but getting along. Carrots are doing fine. Squash has melted. Dill, basil and marigolds are happy.
Try replanting in a month after the Winter Solstice and pick a sunny dry spot if possible. Although by summer time, it might be hotter and drier than the plants want, but by then they should have some leaf cover to keep the ground moist.
"I like yard sales," he said. "All true survivalists like yard sales."
Kurt Wilson
Posts: 121
Threads: 48
Joined: Jan 2007
Thank you both for your replies... sounds like we'll have to try some sort of greenhouse for most things... I have found that things under the lanai (it's 7 feet high so lots of space for plants) are doing OK - lots of parsley, rosemary, basil limping along... so seems the answer is to limit the rainfall. Jane, what type of cloche are you using? I've thought of plastic water jugs with the bottoms cut out and leaving the lids off...this would be for some stuff left out in the open. Amazingly, tho, the one cuke plant that I planted out in the dirt is the only one that has so far survived. I used a banana leaf under it as a mulch since the rain was splashing up so much mud, and it seems to be doing much better since then... we'll see if we actually get any cukes, tho. I have tatsoi and mizuna (greens) in small pots that are doing well, so will focus on that rather than lettuce. Our banana trees are doing really well, and pineapple starts (just the tops cut off) are also doing well, but the proof will be in the puddin' ... we'll see if we actually get fruit. Thanks so much for the accounting of what has worked in the past. And also what hasn't... gee, sugar pumpkins would be soooo good! Hopefully we can keep each other apprised of what's working....
Katie
Wherever you go, there you are.
Wherever you go, there you are.
Posts: 121
Threads: 48
Joined: Jan 2007
Hotcatz and Lucy, thanks for the advice! Hotcatz, where are you located that you talk about a "hot and dry location" to plant in!!!! It's COLD up here in Mountain View lately! Good reminder about the solstice. And Manoa lettuce....I'll try that. The black seeded Simpson was a favorite of mine, always reliable, but you're right - it just melted. Maybe the Manoa will do better here...like I said, the tatsoi and mizuna greens are doing alright, so maybe I just have to continue to try new things. Thanks for the info about the websites, too... I think a small greenhouse will be in our future, for sure.
Carrots....what kinds are doing well for you, and are they planted out in the open? I am trying some of the baby carrots (small kine) in a pot to see if they'll survive. I can't imagine the seedlings would have ever survived the recent rains out in the open, but would like to know what works out in the open.
Thanks again. I needed to hear some "green" talk from some folks who've had success. I feel encouraged now to keep trying.
Katie
Wherever you go, there you are.
Wherever you go, there you are.
Posts: 589
Threads: 20
Joined: May 2006
quote:
Hotcatz and Lucy, thanks for the advice! Hotcatz, where are you located that you talk about a "hot and dry location" to plant in!!!!
I was just thinking the same thing. It would be really useful to note your location and approx. elevation when you provide your growing experiences for reference. Since the microclimes in Puna can be quite different, one person's "wet" or "hot" can be entirely different for someone else.
Posts: 2,189
Threads: 295
Joined: Sep 2004
We have lost a lot of veggies this last season and it appears to be the excessive vog we have received here in addition to excessive rain deluges.
Otherwise, we find that the seasons still matter a bit. Spring is still spring, even in Hawaii....
Just another day in P A R A D I S E !!
I want to be the kind of woman that, when my feet
hit the floor each morning, the devil says
"Oh Crap, She's up!"
Posts: 325
Threads: 54
Joined: Jun 2007
It sounds like a little greenhouse might be a good way to go. What do these cost and where do you buy them on the BI? Also, do they sit on the ground or is a foundation needed?
I know this is probably a dumb question, but on this issue I am truly an idiot!
|
