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We're now leaning toward Orchid Land (3 Acres for $50K...how can you say no!) At this elevation, and with this amount of rain, are their things that would have trouble growing at Orchid Land Estates?
My dream is a large tropical fruit orchard and veggie garden. I know the veggies will do just find. What about all the usual and exotic fruit trees?
Jimmy
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Thanks, Carey! Just knowing that they will grow there is fine for now! I understand that coconuts will even grow up to 700 feet or so. That surprised me.
One of the debates we're having here at home as we select our lot is about the importance of mature plantings. I like the idea of buying a place with some large trees already in place. My SO says that trees grow so fast in Hawaii that we can buy a cleared lot with a good view and then plant what we want. The thinking is that we'd have tall trees in a few years. I'm not so sure that things grow that fast, even in Hawaii.
Any thoughts?
Jimmy
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Palm trees do grow fast here but they still take about 10 years to get to their full potential height. Also I don't know of anything here that grows 700 feet tall.
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A 70+ story high-rise under construction, maybe?
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I hope you get an all dirt lot if your looking to just set all these plants in the ground. My lots in Orchidland are about 1 inch of top soil and then rock. Rock so hard it takes about 3 hours to punch out a hole with a steel rod, the size of 18"x3 ft deep.
Get to know where to get dirt, your going to need it. Lots and lots of truck loads of dirt for an "orchard" of any decent size is required. I guess I'm in that "finger of sunshine" that runs thru ainaloa and into HPP to the shore and we can't wait to develop the lots.
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We are on 39th at 600' (the same as Pahoa.)
You have to work with what is available on your lot. We hand cleared most of ours. We plant in the cracks and make raised beds. Much of our property is forested and has limited areas of full sun. We adjust accordingly.
So far the only failure is mango. Too much rain.
Buy dirt, cinder and get mulch from the dump. Fertilize often, since the rain washes it away.
Veggies are a problem for us because the chickens tear into them. So we built a shelter to keep the chickens out.
Jerry
Art and Orchids B&B
http://www.artandorchids.com
