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OHIA IN BLOOM
At the end of 2008, I made a commitment to myself and to NaBloPoMo (National Blog Posting Month) to do 30 posts in 30 days. I wasn’t too sure I could actually do that, but yesterday was my 30th day! I did it – and it was fun!
Today is a little extra one thrown in to satisfy my need to tidy up, balance everything out, and make it a full month. So since there are 31 days in January, here’s the bonus post.
Several friends have asked what plants I do have, so I did a little calculating about what kinds of edible plants I have on my acre. I thought maybe my readers were curious, too, especially since my posts have been a little scattered on exactly what I have here. Most of these plants are either in containers or in raised beds. A few I have placed in a hole in the lava with some of the good rich soil I’ve made. This is only the beginning.
Starting tomorrow (February 1) I will be back to doing a longer post on Sundays. I just might do a short post mid-week, but I’m not promising more than Sunday right now.
Enjoy the list! I will expand the list as I plant more things.
FRUITS/VEGGIES
peanuts
figs
bell peppers
yams
arugula
tomatoes
beets
mustards
collards
string beans
chard
kaleNOT BEARING YET
gooseberries
apricots
blueberries
bush cherry
lime tree (still very small)TROPICALS
Pineapple
coffee
bananas
lilikoiHERBS
cilantro
marjoram
oregano
parsley
chives
mint
rosemaryANIMALS
Hens for eggsPLANTS THAT DIDN’T MAKE IT
Sage
Fennel
Dill
Kabocha squash
Papaya
Dear Lucy Lee Jones,
I have followed your Blogs for the past month with interest. Congratulations, you made it. You did not say how the Swiss Chard tasted. My Father grew and ate Swiss Chard and beet greens, which to my child taste, were awful. I too have ventured into neither growing nor eating them as an adult. My gardening has been “amature” compared to yours, extending only to perennial flower borders, to growing vegetables for the farmers’ market, and very labour intensive. During our farming years, 1987 to 2001, we visited Hawaii, staying mostly at Poipu on Kauai. In 1991 we had visited the “Big Island”, renting a condo in Kona, and exploring around the Island. In 2005 we returned to Kauai for two weeks, renting at “SurfSong” on Baby Beach.
My husband is now retired from his engineering business and is now finishing up the trim carpentry on our house. We plan on selling and moving to Vancouver Island this Summer, where we are looking forward to a longer gardening season than we have here.
Sincerely, Heather Hall
Thank you so much for your beautiful comments, Heather! Sometimes when we do something for ourselves (like posting daily for 30 days!) we are never sure if anyone else is enjoying it as much as we are! The chard was wonderful – almost like spinach only a little more firmness and I actually like it better. I never cook my spinach anyway, but use it raw. I love all kinds of greens from beets, mustards, collards, turnips, and now chard! 🙂 Fortunately, I live in a part of the world where I can have something green growing all the time. Vancouver Island is beautiful – and yes, you should have a longer growing season there. I have to say that I never miss being in the cold and snow, although I grew up in Illinois and have lived in Alaska and Rhode Island, as well. That was enough!
Again, thank you for supporting my blog! It’s nice to know people really do read it! 🙂
Aloha,
Lucy
HI Lucy,
I am enjoying your pictures. I actually started out on your brothers website. I followed a link that I thought was going to be from you about pizza but it was all these these lava gardens in Hawaii and that beautifull pond. That is incredible. I guess it’s in ocean view.
Do you actually grow apricots there? What elevation are you at? I found it surprising that you had problems with things that grow well at my house like papayas dill, and fennel, and are growing some things I never heard of being grown in Hawaii.
Aloha,
Deborah
Just stumbled across your blog and love it! Your ‘ohia lehua is absolutely beautiful. Mine doesn’t even compare. I live in Mililani, Oahu. It’s so nice to see how other Hawaii gardeners are doing.
Thank you so much! I’m glad you stumbled on the site! We’re just now getting some rain after long long drought conditions! Everything should start looking better now. I love my big old trees!