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  • #1

    Hello from Hawaii

    I live at 3,000 feet (914 meters) elevation on the southwest slopes of Mauna Loa on the island of Hawaii. The climate where I live is very dry, because the mountain blocks the prevailing, moisture-bearing winds.
    I've lived in Hawaii for five years, and I've learned that volcanic soil is not necessarily rich in nutrients. However, I am remedying the soil here by cycling it through my outhouse. And the plants really love the resulting soil.
    I grow papaya, coffee, avocado and cherimoya, but most of my plants are still too young to bear fruit. I also grow Norfolk Island Pine trees for their beauty. The predominant wild tree here is Ohia (Metrosideros).
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  • #2
    Hi Ranger Smith and welcome. Hawaii, well that sounds nice.
    I am suffering the dry weather atm. Bit fed up with it this week. Keeps looking like rain just to get my hopes up and then goes off elsewhere.

    I'm growing veg, was hoping for better production this season but it's not going to be our best I fear. It's a good start, but no where near as much as I'd like. We are doing organic and permaculture.
    We're also trying to reveg some of our farm. Tis a lot of work, but keeps me sort of fit.
    Ali

    My blog: feral007.com/countrylife/

    Some days it's hardly worth chewing through the restraints!

    One bit of old folklore wisdom says to plant tomatoes when the soil is warm enough to sit on with bare buttocks. In surburban areas, use the back of your wrist. Jackie French

    Member of the Eastern Branch of the Darn Under Nutter's Club

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    • #3
      Hello Ranger and Welcome! I'm always interested in hearing about what people grow in other parts of the world - especially when they are such exotic crops as yours - plants I can only experiment with, with little hope of a worthwhile result!

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      • #4
        Welcome to the vine RS, I have no idea about the things you are growing but sounds very interesting.
        sigpic“Gorillas are very intelligent, but they don't have to be as delicate as chimps -- they can just smash open the termite nest,”
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        Official Member Of The Nutters Club - Rwanda Branch.
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        Sent from my ZX Spectrum with no predictive text..........
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        KOYS - King Of Yellow Stickers..............

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        • #5
          Hello, and welcome to the Madhouse!
          All the best - Glutton 4 Punishment
          Freelance shrub butcher and weed removal operative.

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          • #6
            Hello and welcome to the vine RS
            Location....East Midlands.

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            • #7
              HELLO RS,welcome to the vine,is nice to hear from peeps around the world,look forwaed to hearing more about what sort of veggies grow in your part,
              sigpicAnother nutter ,wife,mother, nan and nanan,love my growing places,seed collection and sharing,also one of these

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              • #8
                Reply to veggiechicken

                Hi Veggie! : )
                Well, you never know, until you try. The things I grow here won't survive outside in Britain, BUT, if you have a coldframe or a greenhouse, you can always try. Of all the things I mentioned, papayas are the toughest. Seeds that come out of a ripe, store-bought papaya, germinate very easily, so give it a try. Papaya plants might survive in Britain outside in the summer, and it seems possible that it would make it through then winter inside a coldframe.

                Originally posted by veggiechicken View Post
                Hello Ranger and Welcome! I'm always interested in hearing about what people grow in other parts of the world - especially when they are such exotic crops as yours - plants I can only experiment with, with little hope of a worthwhile result!

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                • #9
                  I'm always trying anything with a seed in - kiwi, cherimoya, pomegranate etc but I haven't tried papaya yet! I'll buy one and give it a go - Thanks

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                  • #10
                    Hi Lottie. : ) Where I live, I can theoretically, successfully grow warm season crops year-round. That is corn, tomatoes, beans and squash. But I wouldn't bother here with cool season crops like broccoli or peas, because the heat would make the plants small and short-lived.
                    But I don't have a lot of experience or success with veggies as of yet for a variety of reasons. 1. The soil is too poor here to grow much. Not ALL types of volcanic soil are good for plants. 2. The microclimate I live in is too dry to grow much, and I don't have piped-in water nor a well. 3. Hawaii is FULL OF PESTS. I have stopped growing bell peppers and even jalapenos, because any pepper that is large and fleshy will be attacked by bugs that lay eggs inside the fruits and they turn into worms and then the fruit rots. So I grow only small, hot peppers now, suitable only as seasonings.
                    When I grew corn, the plants were relatively small and the ears were poorly filled, despite a dense grouping of plants. And this was likely due to poor soil. I'll try corn again after I've improved the soil.

                    One thing I've learned about Hawaii is that you can only grow what your specific location will LET you grow. So, I've lost much interest in veggies and I am concentrating on tree fruits.

                    And not that I have any of the plants, but my neighborhood is a commercial growing area for proteas and banksias.
                    Originally posted by lottie dolly View Post
                    HELLO RS,welcome to the vine,is nice to hear from peeps around the world,look forwaed to hearing more about what sort of veggies grow in your part,

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                    • #11
                      Aloha! Can't believe I'm the first!

                      Did you meet Elvis when he was there?

                      Welcome to the vine ranger smith.....we look forward to hearing of your successes and booboos!

                      Pics! (photographs) please!

                      Loving my allotment!

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                      • #12
                        Aloha, welcome to the vine! I love Hawaii - we went there for our honeymoon. Am planing on taking my family back when they're old enough to learn to surf

                        I'd love to move out there!

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                        • #13
                          Fancy being able to grow your own coffee!!!! Am a bit well, jealous actually! Coffeeeee Welcom btw
                          You may say I'm a dreamer... But I'm not the only one...


                          I'm an official nutter - an official 'cropper' of a nutter! I am sooooo pleased to be a cropper! Hurrah!

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                          • #14
                            Hi Ranger...

                            Gosh...should have read this thread first before asking q's in the other. I rarely venture in here.

                            I was reading out loud your posts about growing to my husband. Gobsmackingly, he was very knowledgeable about micro climates in Hawaii! Apparently there was a really good documentary about Hawaii a few years ago and he has remembered it all.

                            Welcome!
                            Jules

                            Coffee. Garden. Coffee. Does a good morning need anything else?

                            ♥ Nutter in a Million & Royal Nutter by Appointment to HRH VC ♥

                            Althoughts - The New Blog (updated with bridges)

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                            • #15
                              Hi RS, I'm pleased to hear it's not getting you down about the things you can't grow due to your climate. I would love to grow mangoes and pineapples but don't think they'd work for me, how would you get on with those?
                              Remember it's just a bad day, not a bad life 😁

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