November In The Tropical Garden
The Abundance of NovemberThe abundance of the garden here in Hawaii never seems to stop. Here we are, deep into fall and the garden is filled with squash, beans, chard, kale, green onions, pac choi, kalo, sweet potato, and SO many other crops. But how do you get a garden started? It's really not that hard. Just play the long game. In year 1, you can prepare your soil by smothering the ground with mulch and growing cover crops. While you wait for your soil to improve in year 2, you can construct pathways, install water-harvesting earthworks, and plant some of those larger trees and shrubs. In year 3 you can add in layers like the groundcovers, root crops, and vines. The key here in Hawaii is organic matter. You either bring it in from off-site in the form of mulch, compost, or manure or you grow your own in the form of Nitrogen Fixers. In fact, during year 2, I'd plant a lot of nitrogen-fixing plants compared to edible plants. A 10:1 ratio is good if you lack soil. As your garden matures, you can change that ratio to 1:10. If you need any more tips like these, set up a Consultation with me. We can either do it remotely by Zoom or if you live in East Hawaii, I can come visit your site personally. The Fruit Tree Nursery Is Now OpenAre you looking for Fruit Trees to grow in your tropical food forest? The best way to get plants is to grow your own, but the second best way is to buy Fruit Trees from local growers, like me and my son. Together we've been planting seeds so that we can provide trees to our community. We want to see food growing in EVERY yard. Our trees are grown in 1 Gallon Pots from seed or airlayer. Some are grafted, some are not. Each tree sells for $12 or you can get 2 for $20. We have:
And more!! Upcoming Events What Would YOU Like To See in the Monthly Newsletter?I'm curious about what you, the reader of this newsletter, would like to see in the newsletter. Do you like:
Anything else? If you have ideas I'd love to hear them, send me an email to info@homesteadinhawaii.com. Free ResourcesHomesteadin' Hawaii YouTube Veggie Varieties for the Tropics Shade Plants for a Tropical Garden 100 Income Ideas for the Off Grid Homesteader Bamboo Foundations Picture Book |
Homesteadinʻ Hawaii
September In The Tropical Garden Homesteadinʻ Hawaii Starting A Garden When All You Have Is Rock The question I get asked most has to be this one, "How do you start a garden when all you have is rock?" I figure that I may as well take a moment and try and explain how to do it. You see, much of Hawaii Island has shallow soils, in fact, a lot of it is just rock. (If you're one of those blessed by soil, you can snicker and move on) So how do you grow in soils that are so rocky? There are a few...
September In The Tropical Garden Homesteadinʻ Hawaii Cool Season Crops are IN this Time of Year You may not think Hawaii has seasons, but it does. The daylight hours are getting shorter, rains are picking up and the temperature is just a little bit cooler.Last month I mentioned you could start some cool season annuals such as beans, peas, Kale, chard, and more.Now is an even BETTER time to do it. So start sowing some seeds.Hawaii Seed Growers Network is a great place to find locally adapted...
August In The Tropical Garden Homesteadinʻ Hawaii It's Never Too Early To Get Ready For Fall! I know, I know. I'm a little late sending this newsletter out. But better late than never! First off, let's bow our heads in silence for our brothers and sisters in Lahaina. That fire was tragic. I pray the survivors find strength to heal from it and rebuild. They will need our help even more so in the years to come. I guess you could think of August as a time of change and regrowth. Towards the...