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Next year we are moving to Eden Roc, and I HAVE to have my garden. What grows here. Love my tomatoes, peppers, cukes, etc. And along those lines what do I need to do improve my soil. I am of the organic persuassion and really don not want to help DOW make record profits. Any advice from you guys and gals would be greatly appreciated.[
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dick wilson
dick wilson
"Nothing is idiot proof,because idiots are so ingenious!"
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First of all, do you "have" soil? Seems to me everyone I know in Eden Rock is on lava. That means you compost, compost and compost.
There is much discussion about getting rough compost from the Hilo Landfill. Many say it is not good to use, but I do without event. You simply get a few big truckloads of it (see Punakiteman for fair delivery) and let it "cook" under tarps for 4 to 6 months. When it comes out it is well decomposed. You will know it is ready when it has earthworms in it.
You will need a screened in greenhouse for mos of what you mentioned as the fruit flies will lay eggs, "stinging" the fruits and ruining them.
All that said, I can't imagine much you can not row in Eden Roc. It is a wonderful place for all...
Good Luck. Once you are here, talk to everyone. You will get lots of information and advice. You will sort through it, pick what you think is best and just give it a whorl!
Check with me, for example, once you are here. I have deep soil on my property and we can dig up some to put with your compost to give it some body. We all share what we can here.
Aloha, Pam
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Pam; Thanks a million for the post. We have about 4" of "soil" on the property. I figured I would have to compost, which I've been doing here for years, I do have a question about covering the coarse compost from Hilo, Don't you need to turn it? I turn mine here about once a week and it sure speeds things up. This is the kind of info I'm ooking for, the is just no substitue for talking to a gardener in the area. Again many thanx. Dick
PS. I read the posts on geting compost delivered and his price seems very reasonable to me. specially when you factor in gas.
dick wilson
dick wilson
"Nothing is idiot proof,because idiots are so ingenious!"
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Dick,
Turning a compost pile is ideal but not necessary. I cover it with a black or silver tarp, leave it in the sun and it just cooks down in 6 months or so. For very large amounts of compost this is the way to go; not so labor intensive. Even if it takes a year, so what? Just let it o and use it later.
On the other hand, I have a pick-up truck and whenever I go to town and don't have to haul back anything else, I try to get a load of stuff from the Hilo Landfill. I just dump it in a pile, cover it and put it in rotation for use around my fruit trees, etc... It is an ongoing process for me.
My friends swear by newspaper and cardboard around their trees. They just put it out there and let it weather into some version of soil. Sure keeps the weeds down around the fruit trees and if banana production is any indicator, it is healthy!
Good Luck. Have fun.
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It seems to me the biggest problem with gardening here is the bugs! I have never had to deal with so many different types of bugs. The trick is figuring out when and what to spray. Also everything needs triple the amount of fertilizer since the rain washes it away. Pam is right the best thing to do would be build a green house.
Jade
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Oh I forgot. If you do decide to plant in the ground make sure you use cinder as a base then put the dirt on top of that. You will need the cinder for drainage.
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Pam & Jade; Sounds like I need to re-learn some gardening techniques for Puna gardening. Thats why guys like you are so important. When you say a greenhouse, are we talking a screen house to keep out the hungry critters, or a full scale green house with glass or plexi windows and ventilation? Good to know before I have final plans approved by County. Also, what about growing pineapple and coffee there, don't know enough to know if its possible or if there are reasons not to even consider it. Again Thanx.
Jade, also is it possible to get enough fertilization organiclly or am I going to be forced into chemicals?
dick wilson
dick wilson
"Nothing is idiot proof,because idiots are so ingenious!"
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Coffee and Pineapples? YEAH MAN! They will do great.
Fetilizer....pigies and chickens.... the best!
Just another day in P A R A D I S E !!
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Great Pam, You've made my day. Organic fertilizer is always the best, and what better way to get it than to have fresh eggs and bacon thrown in as a bonus. Also great to know the cofee and pineapples are possible. Now what about habanero peppers, got to have the hot to go with the other?[
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dick wilson
dick wilson
"Nothing is idiot proof,because idiots are so ingenious!"
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A screen house would work great.
As far a fertilizer Pam is right that would work great. Provided you get enough from the animals consistently. I have chickens and goats and they provide a good amount.
I have coffee cherries and pineapples on my plants right now so they do great here. Bananas too. Although you can be inadaded with them but I like to share with all of my neighbors.
Your biggest problem will be the bugs. I haven't been able to go organic because I have to spray for bugs[
!] but if you do a screen room that would help. I have citrus trees and something is alway trying to eat them whether it's mites or catepillers, catydids it drives me crazy trying to stop them.
As far as what you can grow here check out the local nurseries:
http://www.plantithawaii.com/ http://www.gaiayoga.org/nursery/prices_hawaii.html
Plant it hawaii always has two sales open to the public. One in November and one in May. There are other nurseries too but these are the one I go to. I am sure someone else here can drop a few names.
I also go to Rosettes nursery which is in Hawaiian Paradise Park.
I find it the best way to see what grows is visiting your local nursery.
