Western Garden Book

[Lokahi]

First of all thank you Rob and Nancy for this important and wonderful resource. Another reason Puna is so luring and attractive...the generous, diverse (or since we are talking horticulture should that be varigated?) people who thrive and florish there!
I was about to buy the new and improved (?)
Western Garden Book by Sunset Magazine. Used it for many many years here in California as a ready reference and guide for gardening. At first blush it does include 2 growing zones now for Hawaii. I am wondering if anyone has had opportunity to peruse the book more closely and if you all thought it may be a useful tool in Hawaii gardening? Thanks forward for your insight.

[Hotzcatz]

I think there is a copy of that book at the used book store on Leilani street as you head towards Hilo dump. Dunno if it is the newest version or not, though.

I have a copy of it, but don't seem to reference it all that much. Probably because most of gardening in Hawaii is trying to slow things down instead of encouraging them to grow.

There are also some nice websites which cover loads of Hawaii gardening information. One of the major ones is: http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/ctahr2001/

That's the Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources. More information that you can soak up in a week. For tropical fruit trees, these folks have good information:
http://www.plantithawaii.com/
They also have good sales twice a year.

The Western Garden Book is handy though since you can read it without the computer.

[leilaniguy]

I brought an older copy when I moved here in 1999 but haven't used it in years. A lot of the plants here have different growing habits than on the mainland. I get most of my info. locally or online.

[emorata]

you might want to check out the garden web forums www.gardenweb.com. there is a hawaii forum, one on tropical plants and subtropicals....there are also alot of other forums that specialize in each species. i think this may be more up to date than the garden bible....

noel

[mella l]

Lokahi,

My 2001 edition of the Sunset Western Garden Book has two new pages in the temperate zone chapter showing Zones H1 and H2. Theses pages have a map of all Hawaiian islands and the temperate zones of each island.

Many of the plants in this edition now carry the H1 and H2 designations. I learned which palms do well below 2,000 foot elevation and which survive above that elevation. Also tropical fruits and plants by elevation requirements.

Perhaps you might look at a book store for an old copy as I'm positive the 2001 is out dated now. See if you think it will benefit you. I will definitely bring mine when we eventually relocate.

mella l

[Lokahi]

thank you all plenty for your valuable insight