March is hump month, the beginning of the second half of the vegetable growing season for cooler season crops and for tomatoes at latitude 20 degrees north. The Gardens at Plantation House look somewhat ragged as harvesting has created gaps throughout. The advancing sun brings longer and hotter days and shorter and warmer nights as we move into spring 2011 in the northern hemisphere, ushered in by a full moon in perigee on March 20.
In general, the main 2010/11 vegetable growing season has been good thus far despite the almost complete absence of rainfall. This, when combined with the persistent strong drying winds we have been experiencing, has warranted almost daily irrigation in order to keep our crops going. On the positive side however, our nights remain relatively cool thereby allowing our tomato plants to continue to flower and daytime temperatures also remain low enough which helps the new buds to stay on during the days after flowering. You should therefore expect to see local tomatoes on sale until well into the springtime, maybe as late as June.
With March being the “hump month” we are left guessing whether or not to put in more cool weather lovers like lettuce, kohlrabi, kale, turnip or to stick in second crops of the intermediates like beetroot, beans, corn and cucumber or to make a complete jump to heat lovers like okra, pumpkin and sweet potato. My guess is that we go for the intermediates as the weather seems to be playing fairer than normal thus far as have the lower than normal pest levels in our gardens.
At Plantation House the tomatoes, Florence fennel, Swiss chard, Tuscan kale, lettuce, mustard green, kohlrabi, radish, sweet pepper, pak (bok) choi, tatsoi, papaya, rosemary, basil (sweet, Thai, and purple), lemon grass, curry leaf and pimento leaf are in abundance now with corn, cucumber, courgette, cabbage, sprouting broccoli, expected to begin maturing during March and April.
As for fruit, the mango blooms have arrived 4-6 weeks earlier this season and you should expect to get tree-ripened fruit by as early as April. This is un-usual considering that May/June is normally when locally grown mangoes hit the shelves. Papaya, breadfruit, passion fruit, longan, rollinia (biriba), and custard apple (anon), sugar apple (sweetsop), bilimbi, guava, botler, naseberry (sapodilla), banana and plantain are also available at the moment. In addition, star-apple (caimito), java apple (white and red), java plum (white and sweet), grumichama, cherry of the rio grande, pitomba, camu-camu and jaboticaba are in bloom.
During the cooler months we do most of our pruning of the fruit, nut and spice trees, and ornamentals and 20 or so grapevines at Plantation House. This is the best time as most trees do grow slower (or become dormant) during the cooler months and there is less humidity around to promote fungal infection of the pruning cuts. All in all, pruning should be encouraged more in home gardens as it helps maintain better tree form, keeps fruit within reasonable picking heights and generally results in a healthier and more productive plant.
Another chore for this time of year is the harvesting of our mature compost cubes. We have 16 or so of these cubes around our gardens. These are simply made from four un-treated palettes screwed together. Into the cubes we throw our green waste and let it rot down on its own with the help of the many worms and the like that naturally will show up, but without turning, wetting or the addition of compost activators.
Until next time, happy gardening from all of us at Plantation House Organic Gardens here in Cayman.
25 Feb 2011
25 Jan 2011
Vegetable Gardening at Latitude 20 Degrees North – February 2011: What to do now and what’s happening
February is here and the vegetable growing season for “cooler season” crops such as beetroot, sweet pepper and lettuce is about at its mid-point. Also, locally-grown vine-ripened tomatoes are starting to hit the shelves and the Saturday morning Market at the Grounds in Lower Valley is a hive of activity.
Thus far, the 2010-11 season has been relatively very cool (by Cayman standards) with the exception of the mid two weeks of January when some day-time temperatures rose to the mid-to-upper 80’s with night time temperatures holding in the low-to-mid 70’s.
Some December 2010 nights, however, saw temps fall to the upper-50’s in our garden with day time highs barely reaching the low-70s. These temperatures did wonders for the growth of our Florence fennel, kale, and chard and promoted heavy tomato blooms. The downside to this cooler weather and high winds is the almost complete absence of rainfall as we seem to be heading into our driest “dry season” in many years.
Irrigation is now a daily requirement for most of our shallow-rooted crops and most vegetable plants will also now need some mid-season nutrition. Blood meal will keep the leafy crops like lettuce and cabbage going nicely whilst bone meal and a mixture of seaweed and fish emulsion will help your tomatoes and peppers to smile. Straight bone meal cultivated in gently around the roots of beet, radish and carrot will boost their productivity. There are minimal pests at this time for most organic gardeners to contend with as an abundance of ladybugs combined with the cooler weather and high winds has kept most of the whitefly and aphids in check with minimal Neem Oil required on peppers every 4-6 weeks, or so.
At Plantation House Organic Gardens there is an abundance of radish, daikon, breadfruit, tomatoes, eggplant, beetroot, kohlrabi, Florence fennel, sweet pepper, pak/bok choi, tatsoi, some fruit and a wide array of cut culinary and medicinal herbs. Also, crops such as sprouting broccoli, lettuce, cabbage, kale, and Swiss chard are just around the corner. All our mango trees (except East Indian and Mallika) are now in full bloom, some with the most amazing 18” flower spikes along with our peach, camu camu, cherry of the rio grande, and java apple trees, just to name a few.
Many herb plants are now available for planting out immediately, including basil (5 types), cilantro, dill, parsley (both flat and curly leaf), lemon grass, Cuban oregano (3 types), Cayman seasoning pepper (also called aji dulce, rocotillo, cachuca), scotch bonnet, cumin, etc. A wide range of fruit trees and some ornamentals continue to be available for purchase.
Until next time, Happy gardening from all of us here at Plantation House.
Thus far, the 2010-11 season has been relatively very cool (by Cayman standards) with the exception of the mid two weeks of January when some day-time temperatures rose to the mid-to-upper 80’s with night time temperatures holding in the low-to-mid 70’s.
Some December 2010 nights, however, saw temps fall to the upper-50’s in our garden with day time highs barely reaching the low-70s. These temperatures did wonders for the growth of our Florence fennel, kale, and chard and promoted heavy tomato blooms. The downside to this cooler weather and high winds is the almost complete absence of rainfall as we seem to be heading into our driest “dry season” in many years.
Irrigation is now a daily requirement for most of our shallow-rooted crops and most vegetable plants will also now need some mid-season nutrition. Blood meal will keep the leafy crops like lettuce and cabbage going nicely whilst bone meal and a mixture of seaweed and fish emulsion will help your tomatoes and peppers to smile. Straight bone meal cultivated in gently around the roots of beet, radish and carrot will boost their productivity. There are minimal pests at this time for most organic gardeners to contend with as an abundance of ladybugs combined with the cooler weather and high winds has kept most of the whitefly and aphids in check with minimal Neem Oil required on peppers every 4-6 weeks, or so.
At Plantation House Organic Gardens there is an abundance of radish, daikon, breadfruit, tomatoes, eggplant, beetroot, kohlrabi, Florence fennel, sweet pepper, pak/bok choi, tatsoi, some fruit and a wide array of cut culinary and medicinal herbs. Also, crops such as sprouting broccoli, lettuce, cabbage, kale, and Swiss chard are just around the corner. All our mango trees (except East Indian and Mallika) are now in full bloom, some with the most amazing 18” flower spikes along with our peach, camu camu, cherry of the rio grande, and java apple trees, just to name a few.
Many herb plants are now available for planting out immediately, including basil (5 types), cilantro, dill, parsley (both flat and curly leaf), lemon grass, Cuban oregano (3 types), Cayman seasoning pepper (also called aji dulce, rocotillo, cachuca), scotch bonnet, cumin, etc. A wide range of fruit trees and some ornamentals continue to be available for purchase.
Until next time, Happy gardening from all of us here at Plantation House.
3 Sept 2010
Vegetable Gardening at Latitude 20 Degrees North – September 2010: What to do now
By www.plantationhouse.blogspot.com
September is here and officially the vegetable growing season for cooler season crops and for tomatoes begins in earnest at latitude 20 degrees north. See our earlier e-article entitled “Vegetable Gardening at Latitude 20 Degrees North: Thinking Upside Down” for tips on how to navigate the conditions on tropical/sub-tropical islands.
This time is welcome reprieve for those who refuse to buy those mushy, gas-ripened tomato imports found in local supermarkets. Possibly, late-June was the last time that you tasted a tomato unless we travelled and had the opportunity to eat plump, sun-ripened tomatoes in other countries.
This summer in Cayman has been un-seasonably cooler than normal except for the last 2 or so weeks of August when the normal day-time highs have been between 94 and 96 degrees Fahrenheit. Even so, night-time temperatures have not consistently stayed in the 80’as they normally do during the months of August and September. This cooling, combined with the absence of hurricanes and an un-usually wetter than normal rainy season thus far, has allowed Plantation House Organic Gardens to grow cooler season crops such as beetroot, carrot and radish alongside warmer season crops like corn, okra, pumpkin (calabaza) and watermelon.
Notwithstanding this year’s special season, your vegetable beds should now have a couple or so inches of composted manure and mulch sitting on top, primed and ready for those first tomato and sweet pepper seedlings of the on-coming growing season. This will give the seedlings some time to strengthen before the heavy rains of October. If you are not ready to plant now I suggest that you wait until the first or second week of November when the heavy rains have died down before you put in more seedlings.
Other crops such as beetroot, carrot, cabbage, florence fennel, leek, kohlrabi and parsnips should be sowed directly towards the end of September to take advantage of the southward retreating sun which brings a general cooling of the soil, conditions necessary for sprouting these vegetable types. In addition, you will avoid the late-October heavy rains battering the seedlings. Don’t forget to stick in some marigolds, basil, thyme, scallions and rosemary to help create diversity, deter pests and attract beneficial insects such as ladybugs and bees.
At Plantation House Organic Gardens the Radish, Sweet Pepper, Pak Choi, Watermelon, Pumpkin, Okra, Rosemary, Basil (sweet, lemon, thai, and purple), Lemon Grass, Mint, Curry Leaf and Pimento Leaf are in abundance now with Corn, Cucumber, Butternut Squash and Courgette just around the corner. Hybrid tomato and sweet pepper seedlings are available along with many other vegetable and herbs for you cooler season plantings.
Most of the summer’s Mango crop is gone except for a few Lancetilla, Kent and Keitt that sometimes hang on well into November. There has been no real Avocado season thus far but it is hoped that the late croppers will do much better. Mamey Sapote, Yellow Sapote, Black Sapote, Green Sapote, Guava, Carambola/Starfruit, Bilimbi, Banana and Plantain are in abundance at the moment with Ackee, Breadfruit, June Plum, Ju Plum, Java Apple, Java Plum and Longan just around the corner.
Happy gardening!
September is here and officially the vegetable growing season for cooler season crops and for tomatoes begins in earnest at latitude 20 degrees north. See our earlier e-article entitled “Vegetable Gardening at Latitude 20 Degrees North: Thinking Upside Down” for tips on how to navigate the conditions on tropical/sub-tropical islands.
This time is welcome reprieve for those who refuse to buy those mushy, gas-ripened tomato imports found in local supermarkets. Possibly, late-June was the last time that you tasted a tomato unless we travelled and had the opportunity to eat plump, sun-ripened tomatoes in other countries.
This summer in Cayman has been un-seasonably cooler than normal except for the last 2 or so weeks of August when the normal day-time highs have been between 94 and 96 degrees Fahrenheit. Even so, night-time temperatures have not consistently stayed in the 80’as they normally do during the months of August and September. This cooling, combined with the absence of hurricanes and an un-usually wetter than normal rainy season thus far, has allowed Plantation House Organic Gardens to grow cooler season crops such as beetroot, carrot and radish alongside warmer season crops like corn, okra, pumpkin (calabaza) and watermelon.
Notwithstanding this year’s special season, your vegetable beds should now have a couple or so inches of composted manure and mulch sitting on top, primed and ready for those first tomato and sweet pepper seedlings of the on-coming growing season. This will give the seedlings some time to strengthen before the heavy rains of October. If you are not ready to plant now I suggest that you wait until the first or second week of November when the heavy rains have died down before you put in more seedlings.
Other crops such as beetroot, carrot, cabbage, florence fennel, leek, kohlrabi and parsnips should be sowed directly towards the end of September to take advantage of the southward retreating sun which brings a general cooling of the soil, conditions necessary for sprouting these vegetable types. In addition, you will avoid the late-October heavy rains battering the seedlings. Don’t forget to stick in some marigolds, basil, thyme, scallions and rosemary to help create diversity, deter pests and attract beneficial insects such as ladybugs and bees.
At Plantation House Organic Gardens the Radish, Sweet Pepper, Pak Choi, Watermelon, Pumpkin, Okra, Rosemary, Basil (sweet, lemon, thai, and purple), Lemon Grass, Mint, Curry Leaf and Pimento Leaf are in abundance now with Corn, Cucumber, Butternut Squash and Courgette just around the corner. Hybrid tomato and sweet pepper seedlings are available along with many other vegetable and herbs for you cooler season plantings.
Most of the summer’s Mango crop is gone except for a few Lancetilla, Kent and Keitt that sometimes hang on well into November. There has been no real Avocado season thus far but it is hoped that the late croppers will do much better. Mamey Sapote, Yellow Sapote, Black Sapote, Green Sapote, Guava, Carambola/Starfruit, Bilimbi, Banana and Plantain are in abundance at the moment with Ackee, Breadfruit, June Plum, Ju Plum, Java Apple, Java Plum and Longan just around the corner.
Happy gardening!
25 May 2010
How Much Shade is Too Much? Growing Vegetables and Herbs in Tropical to near Sub-tropical Lowlands
www.plantationhouse.blogspot.com
Tropical to near sub-tropical lowland climatic conditions such as that of Cayman not only offers an endless palette of year-round growing opportunities but it also produces two distinct growing seasons. These seasons may be classified as the cooler and drier season (November – April) and the hot and humid rainy season (May –October).
Cayman enjoys 300+ days of sunshine annually and reflected sunlight (particularly from driveways, terraces and houses) often times create micro-conditions whereby shady spots can be converted into vegetable and herb gardens for specific plants.
The dappled shade of tall trees also provide similar conditions around the tree bases that may be used for edible gardening instead of the obligatory impatiens, vincas, and calendulas that many landscaping companies quite readily offer up.
Such is gardening that general rules are always tempting to offer but hard to defend. Nonetheless, as a practical gardener, I am always seeking out rules to live by and rule to break, so here goes….
3 General Rules for Sunlight:
1. Vegetables that produce flower and fruit such as tomatoes and eggplant require full sun. Full sun is defined as greater than 6 hours of direct sunlight daily. Please note however that ‘ultra-tropical’ root-crop such as yam and cassava and Mediterranean leafy herbs such as rosemary and sage are notable exceptions.
2. Vegetables that produce root-crop such as beetroot and turnip can get by with 3-4 hours of direct sun daily. Actually, in our conditions they prefer dappled mid-day and afternoon shade.
3. Leafy vegetables such as lettuce and swiss chard are happy with 2-3 hours of daily sunlight (preferably morning sun).
Flower and Fruit: Tomato, Tomatillo, Cape Gooseberry, Eggplant, Melon, Pumpkin, Corn, Okra, Cucumber, Papaya (yes, it’s a herb and so are) Plantain, Banana and Botler, Squash/Zucchini/Courgette, Cassava, Yam, Sweet Potato, Sage, Rosemary, Thyme, Basil, Oregano, Marjoram.
Root-crop: Beetroot, Radish, Carrot, Turnip, Parsnip, Onion, Spring Onion, Leek.
Leafy: Lettuce, Swiss Chard/Leaf Beet, Arugula/Rocket, Spinach, Pak Choi, Bok Choi, Chinese Cabbage, Kale, Kohlrabi, Florence Fennel, Broccoli, Cabbage, Coco/Malanga/Taro, Parsley, Mustard Greens, Mint, Parsley, Celery, Culantro, Cilantro, Strawberry, Pea, Bush Bean.
Of course, for every set of general rules there are a set of caveats and every gardener will move to his/her own beat. Nonetheless, these generalisations might help those gardeners to get started who might not know what to plant where because they don’t know how much shade is too much.
Happy Gardening!
www.plantationhouse.blogspot.com
Tropical to near sub-tropical lowland climatic conditions such as that of Cayman not only offers an endless palette of year-round growing opportunities but it also produces two distinct growing seasons. These seasons may be classified as the cooler and drier season (November – April) and the hot and humid rainy season (May –October).
Cayman enjoys 300+ days of sunshine annually and reflected sunlight (particularly from driveways, terraces and houses) often times create micro-conditions whereby shady spots can be converted into vegetable and herb gardens for specific plants.
The dappled shade of tall trees also provide similar conditions around the tree bases that may be used for edible gardening instead of the obligatory impatiens, vincas, and calendulas that many landscaping companies quite readily offer up.
Such is gardening that general rules are always tempting to offer but hard to defend. Nonetheless, as a practical gardener, I am always seeking out rules to live by and rule to break, so here goes….
3 General Rules for Sunlight:
1. Vegetables that produce flower and fruit such as tomatoes and eggplant require full sun. Full sun is defined as greater than 6 hours of direct sunlight daily. Please note however that ‘ultra-tropical’ root-crop such as yam and cassava and Mediterranean leafy herbs such as rosemary and sage are notable exceptions.
2. Vegetables that produce root-crop such as beetroot and turnip can get by with 3-4 hours of direct sun daily. Actually, in our conditions they prefer dappled mid-day and afternoon shade.
3. Leafy vegetables such as lettuce and swiss chard are happy with 2-3 hours of daily sunlight (preferably morning sun).
Flower and Fruit: Tomato, Tomatillo, Cape Gooseberry, Eggplant, Melon, Pumpkin, Corn, Okra, Cucumber, Papaya (yes, it’s a herb and so are) Plantain, Banana and Botler, Squash/Zucchini/Courgette, Cassava, Yam, Sweet Potato, Sage, Rosemary, Thyme, Basil, Oregano, Marjoram.
Root-crop: Beetroot, Radish, Carrot, Turnip, Parsnip, Onion, Spring Onion, Leek.
Leafy: Lettuce, Swiss Chard/Leaf Beet, Arugula/Rocket, Spinach, Pak Choi, Bok Choi, Chinese Cabbage, Kale, Kohlrabi, Florence Fennel, Broccoli, Cabbage, Coco/Malanga/Taro, Parsley, Mustard Greens, Mint, Parsley, Celery, Culantro, Cilantro, Strawberry, Pea, Bush Bean.
Of course, for every set of general rules there are a set of caveats and every gardener will move to his/her own beat. Nonetheless, these generalisations might help those gardeners to get started who might not know what to plant where because they don’t know how much shade is too much.
Happy Gardening!
www.plantationhouse.blogspot.com
19 May 2010
Salt Tolerance of Various Tropical and Sub-tropical Fruit, Nut and Spice/Herb Trees: Putting the Right Plants in the Right Locations
www.plantationhouse.blogspot.com
Often times in conversation the topic of gardening under saline conditions comes up. This is especially important to home-owners in Cayman where not only can our soils and ground water be salty but on-shore winds bring salt spray as well.
Further complications such as salt water intrusion during hurricanes, the dry season and at very high tides can make the more determined gardeners throw up their hands in despair. Whilst there are things that can be done to reduce this threat such as growing natural windbreaks, utilising raised beds and adding soil amendments like compost and gypsum, it's best to choose the right plants for the right locations from the get-go.
Below is a salt tolerance listing that ranks various plants on a scale of 'Good to Poor'. This listing may be used as a guide but please bear in mind that it is 'work-in-progress' and your own experiences with your unique growing conditions needs to be considered at the same time.
Good
Carissa (Natal Plum)
Coconut
Coco-plum
Date Palm
Sea-grape
Tamarind
Tropical Almond (Indian Sea Almond)
Moderate
Ackee
Breadfruit
Bignay (Antidesma)
Black Sapote (Chocolate Pudding Fruit)
Egg Fruit (Canistel)
Fig
Governor's Plum
Guava
Guinep (Mamoncillo)
Imbe
Indian Jujube (Ju Plum, Downs, Dunks)
Jackfruit
Java Apple (Wax Jambu)
Java Plum (Jambolan)
Jelly Palm
Key Lime (West Indian)
Loquat
Mayan Breadnut
Monstera
Pineapple Guava (Feijoa)
Pomegranate
Prickly Pear
Pummelo
Red Cattley/ Strawberry Guava
Red Plum (Purple Mombin)
Rose Apple
Rosemary
Sapodilla (Naseberry)
Tangerine/Mandarin
Yellow Plum
Fair
Apple
Atemoya
Barbados Cherry (Acerola Cherry)
Bay Rum
Bay Leaf
Bilimbi
Biriba (Rollinia)
Cacao (Chocolate)
Chella Mella (Jimbilin)
Cherimoya
Cherry of the Rio Grande
Citrus (rootstock dependent)
Coffee
Custard Apple
Curry Leaf
Grumichama
Illama
Imbe
Kei Apple
Kumquat
Kwai Muk
Mamey Sapote
Miracle Fruit
Mulberry
Persimmon
Pineapple
Pimento
Pitomba
Sorrel (Roselle)
Soursop
Sugarcane
Sweetsop (Sugar Apple)
Surinam Cherry (Pitanga)
Wampi
White Sapote
Poor
Avocado
Banana
Blueberry
Botler
Cashew
Jaboticaba
June Plum (Golden Apple, Pommecythere)
Longan
Lychee
Macadamia Nut
Mango
Muscadine Grape
Nectarine
Papaya
Passion Fruit
Peach
Pear
Plantain
Raspberry
Star Apple (Caimito)
Star Fruit (Carambola)
Strawberry Tree (Panama Berry)
Information adapted from Rare and Exotic Tropical Fruits: Trees and Plants, Carl W. Campbell, Seymour Goldweber, Caloosa Rare Fruit Exchange, 1985, Florida Fruit, Lewis S. Maxwell and Betty M. Maxwell, 1995 and Field Trials/Observations at Plantation House Eco Site, Grand Cayman, 1992-2010.
www.plantationhouse.blogspot.com
Often times in conversation the topic of gardening under saline conditions comes up. This is especially important to home-owners in Cayman where not only can our soils and ground water be salty but on-shore winds bring salt spray as well.
Further complications such as salt water intrusion during hurricanes, the dry season and at very high tides can make the more determined gardeners throw up their hands in despair. Whilst there are things that can be done to reduce this threat such as growing natural windbreaks, utilising raised beds and adding soil amendments like compost and gypsum, it's best to choose the right plants for the right locations from the get-go.
Below is a salt tolerance listing that ranks various plants on a scale of 'Good to Poor'. This listing may be used as a guide but please bear in mind that it is 'work-in-progress' and your own experiences with your unique growing conditions needs to be considered at the same time.
Good
Carissa (Natal Plum)
Coconut
Coco-plum
Date Palm
Sea-grape
Tamarind
Tropical Almond (Indian Sea Almond)
Moderate
Ackee
Breadfruit
Bignay (Antidesma)
Black Sapote (Chocolate Pudding Fruit)
Egg Fruit (Canistel)
Fig
Governor's Plum
Guava
Guinep (Mamoncillo)
Imbe
Indian Jujube (Ju Plum, Downs, Dunks)
Jackfruit
Java Apple (Wax Jambu)
Java Plum (Jambolan)
Jelly Palm
Key Lime (West Indian)
Loquat
Mayan Breadnut
Monstera
Pineapple Guava (Feijoa)
Pomegranate
Prickly Pear
Pummelo
Red Cattley/ Strawberry Guava
Red Plum (Purple Mombin)
Rose Apple
Rosemary
Sapodilla (Naseberry)
Tangerine/Mandarin
Yellow Plum
Fair
Apple
Atemoya
Barbados Cherry (Acerola Cherry)
Bay Rum
Bay Leaf
Bilimbi
Biriba (Rollinia)
Cacao (Chocolate)
Chella Mella (Jimbilin)
Cherimoya
Cherry of the Rio Grande
Citrus (rootstock dependent)
Coffee
Custard Apple
Curry Leaf
Grumichama
Illama
Imbe
Kei Apple
Kumquat
Kwai Muk
Mamey Sapote
Miracle Fruit
Mulberry
Persimmon
Pineapple
Pimento
Pitomba
Sorrel (Roselle)
Soursop
Sugarcane
Sweetsop (Sugar Apple)
Surinam Cherry (Pitanga)
Wampi
White Sapote
Poor
Avocado
Banana
Blueberry
Botler
Cashew
Jaboticaba
June Plum (Golden Apple, Pommecythere)
Longan
Lychee
Macadamia Nut
Mango
Muscadine Grape
Nectarine
Papaya
Passion Fruit
Peach
Pear
Plantain
Raspberry
Star Apple (Caimito)
Star Fruit (Carambola)
Strawberry Tree (Panama Berry)
Information adapted from Rare and Exotic Tropical Fruits: Trees and Plants, Carl W. Campbell, Seymour Goldweber, Caloosa Rare Fruit Exchange, 1985, Florida Fruit, Lewis S. Maxwell and Betty M. Maxwell, 1995 and Field Trials/Observations at Plantation House Eco Site, Grand Cayman, 1992-2010.
www.plantationhouse.blogspot.com
12 Apr 2010
Newspaper Interview, April 2010
1. How did your interest in gardening begin?
It started with my father. Daddy was an avid grower and he practised traditional Caymanian ground provision farming on any plot of land to which he had access. Even if the land was only available during the time that he was constructing a home for someone he would plant and reap what was available during that time and then leave a “ground’ for the new homeowners.
2. Were you always interested in growing produce?
I recall having a garden at my Aunt Vida’s house in Spot Bay, Cayman Brac at age 5 or 6 and started using raised beds (now also called grow boxes) in the early-1970’s at our homes off Smith Road and Crewe Road in George Town. I ate limited amounts of meats while growing up and always yearned for fresh, locally grown product to supplement my meals.
3. What sparked your interest in organic/sustainable techniques?
Put simply, I ate the stuff that I grew and then later my children did the same so that made it an easy choice. Also, my gardens are located where I live so sustainable practices are paramount in my mind at all times.
4. Can you provide me with some examples of plant combos that seem to work well as natural pest deterrents?
Marigold and tomato. Rosemary and Spring Onion. Basil and Aubergine. Mint and Cabbage. The combinations are endless. However, in home gardens like mine where the full use of crop rotation techniques are limited (for many reasons), the key is to create a garden of diversity in plant types and heights, leaf size and textures, scents, and so on. Also, accept that some of your crops will be lost to pests, animals and diseases and make allowances for this in your plantings. Imagine eating something that pests don’t want…. If you stop and think of this… we do this most every day when we buy "perfectly" coloured and unblemished produce without knowing how it is grown.
5. A lot of people are hesitant about composting. What tips do you have for beginners?
Keep it simple. Forget activators, green/brown ratios, turning, wetting, covering, store bought gadgets, etc. Simply screw 4 un-treated wood pallets together (hardware store dumpsters are filled with these), dump your compostable waste in and leave it to rot with the help of the many organisms that will naturally inhabit the waste. Once this first bin is filled then build 2 other “bins” and repeat the process. Composting time will be in excess of a year but once you have 3 bins (or more) going all at the same time then you can reap mature compost every 4 months or so. This timing fits very nicely into typical vegetable growing cycles. As time permits and your success grows using this simple approach then you may step-up to more advanced add-ons like green/brown ratios, turning, and so on.
6. You’ve got a big family, do they help out with the work?
Unfortunately, not yet (smile).
7. How much land area do you have under cultivation, and do you have plans to expand?
We have just under 2 acres of lawn, ornamental, herb, medicinal, fruit, nut and spice plantings. We have no plans to expand for now but wish to share our experience with gardening in Cayman in limited growing spaces and to encourage others to do the same.
8. What is growing right now, and what types of things do you have in mind down the road?
At the moment we are in the middle of transitioning from “cooler season” crops like beet, carrot, tomato, florence fennel, kohlrabi and radish to warm season crops like cucumber, courgette, pumpkin, watermelon, okra and corn. The gardens at Plantation House currently reflect this transition. In addition, we grow aubergine, passion fruit, banana, plantains, botler and herbs/spices like lemon grass, rosemary, basil, bay, pimento and parsley all year round along with mango, avocado, limes/lemons, breadfruit, bananas and many others.
9. Can you go into the psychological or mental satisfaction you get from your passion?
Relaxation and balance. Mr. Mike Simmons, a friend of my Dad’s and later a friend of mine once said something while he walked around my yard that has stuck in my head. I quote, “with gardens like these to come home to Walton, no one can mess with you head”. That sums it up best for me.
10. What has been the response from local buyers?
In two words: “unbelievably positive” from the individual consumer and the restaurants, albeit we get a somewhat milder response from supermarkets, but that too is understood.
It started with my father. Daddy was an avid grower and he practised traditional Caymanian ground provision farming on any plot of land to which he had access. Even if the land was only available during the time that he was constructing a home for someone he would plant and reap what was available during that time and then leave a “ground’ for the new homeowners.
2. Were you always interested in growing produce?
I recall having a garden at my Aunt Vida’s house in Spot Bay, Cayman Brac at age 5 or 6 and started using raised beds (now also called grow boxes) in the early-1970’s at our homes off Smith Road and Crewe Road in George Town. I ate limited amounts of meats while growing up and always yearned for fresh, locally grown product to supplement my meals.
3. What sparked your interest in organic/sustainable techniques?
Put simply, I ate the stuff that I grew and then later my children did the same so that made it an easy choice. Also, my gardens are located where I live so sustainable practices are paramount in my mind at all times.
4. Can you provide me with some examples of plant combos that seem to work well as natural pest deterrents?
Marigold and tomato. Rosemary and Spring Onion. Basil and Aubergine. Mint and Cabbage. The combinations are endless. However, in home gardens like mine where the full use of crop rotation techniques are limited (for many reasons), the key is to create a garden of diversity in plant types and heights, leaf size and textures, scents, and so on. Also, accept that some of your crops will be lost to pests, animals and diseases and make allowances for this in your plantings. Imagine eating something that pests don’t want…. If you stop and think of this… we do this most every day when we buy "perfectly" coloured and unblemished produce without knowing how it is grown.
5. A lot of people are hesitant about composting. What tips do you have for beginners?
Keep it simple. Forget activators, green/brown ratios, turning, wetting, covering, store bought gadgets, etc. Simply screw 4 un-treated wood pallets together (hardware store dumpsters are filled with these), dump your compostable waste in and leave it to rot with the help of the many organisms that will naturally inhabit the waste. Once this first bin is filled then build 2 other “bins” and repeat the process. Composting time will be in excess of a year but once you have 3 bins (or more) going all at the same time then you can reap mature compost every 4 months or so. This timing fits very nicely into typical vegetable growing cycles. As time permits and your success grows using this simple approach then you may step-up to more advanced add-ons like green/brown ratios, turning, and so on.
6. You’ve got a big family, do they help out with the work?
Unfortunately, not yet (smile).
7. How much land area do you have under cultivation, and do you have plans to expand?
We have just under 2 acres of lawn, ornamental, herb, medicinal, fruit, nut and spice plantings. We have no plans to expand for now but wish to share our experience with gardening in Cayman in limited growing spaces and to encourage others to do the same.
8. What is growing right now, and what types of things do you have in mind down the road?
At the moment we are in the middle of transitioning from “cooler season” crops like beet, carrot, tomato, florence fennel, kohlrabi and radish to warm season crops like cucumber, courgette, pumpkin, watermelon, okra and corn. The gardens at Plantation House currently reflect this transition. In addition, we grow aubergine, passion fruit, banana, plantains, botler and herbs/spices like lemon grass, rosemary, basil, bay, pimento and parsley all year round along with mango, avocado, limes/lemons, breadfruit, bananas and many others.
9. Can you go into the psychological or mental satisfaction you get from your passion?
Relaxation and balance. Mr. Mike Simmons, a friend of my Dad’s and later a friend of mine once said something while he walked around my yard that has stuck in my head. I quote, “with gardens like these to come home to Walton, no one can mess with you head”. That sums it up best for me.
10. What has been the response from local buyers?
In two words: “unbelievably positive” from the individual consumer and the restaurants, albeit we get a somewhat milder response from supermarkets, but that too is understood.
23 Mar 2010
Plantation House Ecotourism Site – A Brief History and March 2010 Update
In early 1987, my father Japheth L. Walton, Cert. Hons., began farming the land on which the Plantation House Ecotourism Site is now located. Prior to this the site was a maiden plum forest with 4 mango trees (2 Cayman Long and 2 Cayman Round). There was also a massive bee-hive in one of the Cayman Round mango trees. This hive was burnt by back-hoe driver and my school mate, Leonard Yates, because each time he started the machine to dig a cistern hole the bees would swarm him. Luckily the bees moved to another of the mango trees and remain there until this day. They have become a vital part of the success of many of my fruit crops, most notably passion fruit, as they help with pollination.
Daddy tended traditional ground provisions including cassava, yam, sweet potatoes, pumpkin (calabaza), and banana suckers. He also planted the very first fruit trees on the site, including the “Grandpa Nell” Naseberry (sapodilla) and “Cayman Brac Soursop” which both remain productive to this day. My father suffered many setbacks, including the destruction of his crops by roaming cattle, wild parrots and most notably, drought, as there was no irrigation system on the site during the earlier years and he had to hand-water all of his crops.
The main house was completed in 1992 and my family moved in during June of that year, Daddy and Mummy having moved back to Cayman Brac a couple years earlier. After more than 3 years of de-stumping the land and trucking in top soil I started to develop a fruit, nut and spice collection in 1995 and some of the trees still standing on the site are from those earlier years. Over the years several hurricanes inflicted some damage on the vegetation but Hurricane Ivan in September 2004 devastated most of the trees from my early collection, some of which are not replaceable due to the current heightened restrictions on legal plant importation into the Cayman Islands.
During the re-development of the house and orchard after Ivan I added a plant nursery to hold the excess trees left over from the re-planting of the site. This also gave me another opportunity to re-plan the site and to move and re-plant trees in natural groupings based on their families and geographic origins.
Vegetable production began in earnest in August 2007 with the opening of the weekly farmers/artisans market at “The Market at The Grounds” and with heightened interest from restaurants in locally-grown produce. The shade-house area was once a Futsal field and the various stonewalls were built during 2008-2009 by Lloyd Beckford. My grandfather Linell Walton (Grandpa Nell) was a stonemason and I developed a love for his dry-packed walls from a very young age. The ponds, reflection pool, waterfall and stream were developed during 2007-2009 to help create a diverse environment to attract wildlife, to rear tilapia, and to provide a platform to support a planned hydro-phonics project.
The second floor porches on the main house (previously unused rooftops), the back terraces, gazebo, decks and outdoor kitchen (in addition to a Caboose built in 1995) were added during 2008-09 to provide additional seating and new entertaining areas. The Garden and Coffee Shop and additional restrooms will be completed by November 2010 by converting a part of the house. These will form part of the opening of Phase 2 in November 2011 along with the completed waterfall, stream and pond and its attached hydro-phonics planting area.
22 Mar 2010
Plantation House Phase 1 Soft Opening - Finally!!
Approximately 60 persons attended our Phase 1 soft opening on March 20, 2010. We had enormous help from my friends at The Brasserie in Cayman, 3030 Ocean in Fort Lauderdale, Simsek Pala and Miss Susan, Miss Anne, Gaston Maloney, Mackie Powell, Kirkland Nixon, Miss Marva and Dr. Jackman, and from Alan Markoff and the Slow Foods group whose questions have stimulated my curiosity to try news ideas in the Gardens during the spring/summer growing season. A big thanks to all. Phase 2 next!!
18 Feb 2010
Mangoes 2010
www.plantationhouse.blogspot.com
Mangoes are in full bloom on most parts of Grand Cayman and some trees (like Edwards and Nam Doc Mai) are already holding 30-day old fruit. The mango ripening season will therefore start earlier this year than is normal and some persons have asked why?
Generally, in temperate climates it is stress through chilling temperatures that stimulate fruit tree flowering. In tropical climates, it is often drought that creates that stress, albeit similar conditions may be simulated through pruning and ferlisation regimes.
Well, the past 3 months in Cayman have been a bit unusual as we have had a "wetter than normal" December 2009 followed by a long "cool snap" in January. It is these conditions, when combined, that have likely forced early mango blooms.
The typical mango fruiting cycle is that blooming will follow after about 45-60 days of drought. For those of you that have Bougainvillea in your lawns with automatic sprinklers in place you will understand better why you often envy those beautiful blooms in the drier parts of the Islands where the natural "rainy-drought-bloom cycle" is not interrupted by watering. Bougainvillea are similar to mango in this regard...
Mangoes are in full bloom on most parts of Grand Cayman and some trees (like Edwards and Nam Doc Mai) are already holding 30-day old fruit. The mango ripening season will therefore start earlier this year than is normal and some persons have asked why?
Generally, in temperate climates it is stress through chilling temperatures that stimulate fruit tree flowering. In tropical climates, it is often drought that creates that stress, albeit similar conditions may be simulated through pruning and ferlisation regimes.
Well, the past 3 months in Cayman have been a bit unusual as we have had a "wetter than normal" December 2009 followed by a long "cool snap" in January. It is these conditions, when combined, that have likely forced early mango blooms.
The typical mango fruiting cycle is that blooming will follow after about 45-60 days of drought. For those of you that have Bougainvillea in your lawns with automatic sprinklers in place you will understand better why you often envy those beautiful blooms in the drier parts of the Islands where the natural "rainy-drought-bloom cycle" is not interrupted by watering. Bougainvillea are similar to mango in this regard...
26 Jan 2010
Caymanian Farmer Q&A: Joel Walton of Plantation House
Caymanian Farmer Q&A: Joel Walton of Plantation House
January 22, 2010 · Reprinted from www.thegenuinekitchen.com
Taste of Cayman 2010 Sunday Morning's Island Style Organic Demo participants: Fisherman King Flowers, Chef Dean Max, Chef Brad Phillips, Chef Sara Mair, Chef Paula Desilva, Chef Michael Schwartz, Chef Cindy Hutson, and Farmer Joel Walton of Plantation House
Before we left for Cayman, we posted a poll asking readers what they were most curious to find out about on the island. Guess what? The most votes went to learning more about local products and producers. As we say in the back of the house: “Heard dat!”
We finally had a chance to catch up with farmer Joel Walton, a Cayman Brac native (one of the smaller islands,) whom we met at Sunday’s “Island Style Organic” demo poolside at the Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman. He gave a great presentation, while the chefs pictured above prepared dishes using ingredients from his farm, Plantation House. Not to worry if you couldn’t be there, because below he offers many interesting details about Cayman farming and cooking cultures, and also gives a peek into the unique things he is doing in his operation.
If you would like to stay in touch with Joel and what he’s planting and eating in the future, check out his Plantation House Eco Site blog. And big thanks to Chef Dean Max of The Brasserie for spilling the beans on his sources for our benefit!
How long have you been farming?
From childhood but really I ‘m just a hobby gardener (:
Has a movement toward eating locally-grown products taken root yet in the Cayman Islands?
It was the tradition prior to the 1970’s and now slowly but steadily taking root again.
Where is your farm located?
My farm (gardens) are at my house at #35 Doubloon Drive, South Cayman Palms, Bodden Town District. I have integrated my vegetable gardens, fruit, nut and spice trees in amongst my ornamentals and medicinals.
How big is it and how many people do you have working for you?
Just under 2 acres and 4 persons working for me.
What are you currently growing?
Tomatoes (many types, sizes and shapes, mostly heirlooms), sweet pepper, malabar spinach, regular eggplant, Japanese eggplant, Thai eggplant, pumpkin/calabaza, rosemary, sweet basil, lemon grass, parsley, dill, cilantro, culantro, sage, green onions, pak choi, Chinese cabbage, carrots, beetroot, radish, kohlrabi, Florence fennel, sugarcane, sweet potato, bananas/plantains, and 200+ types of fruit, nuts and spices.
Of those products, what are favorites of the Caymanians and why?
Starches such as sweet potato, breadfruit, plantains/bananas and pumpkin because the Caymanian diet was historically based primarily on locally grown foods traditionally found here (ie, prior to the massive economic development, commencing in the 1970’s.)
Your growing season is like it is in Miami, right? All year round? Describe it, please.
Very similar to Miami – starts in earnest in the late summer/early autumn and runs until late spring. Caymanians have historically tended year-round “grounds” filled with the traditional starchy crops including cassava, yam, sweet potato, pumpkin, and banana/bottler/plantain suckers. Other crops including seasoning pepper, hot pepper, papaya, watermelon and coco-yam were also grown side-by-side. Not-so-traditional crops such as tomatoes, cucumber, peanuts and corn were often times grown at the “best times” by the more adventurous farmer. Vegetable gardening of the more “non-traditional” crops such as beetroot, turnip and leek in raised beds in backyards or on allotments (starting every spring) was not popular for Caymanians but for some of our new residents who hail from temperate climates, this has been their tradition. Many of these new persons to our Islands are from strong gardening cultures but are used to far different conditions than that found at 20 degrees north. We can successfully grow many of the same vegetables here as are grown farther North with some notable exceptions being asparagus, globe artichoke and rhubarb. In exchange, we have many more growing options such as okra, aubergine, watermelon, true sweet potato plus the usual suspects including tomato, cucumber, sweet pepper, cabbage, carrot, radish, and beetroot. This is a benefit of Cayman being located smack in between the Tropics and Subtropics – our growing palate is seemingly endless. I enjoy growing peach and strawberry and leek and mizuna as much as I do mango and naseberry and okra and tropical spinach. All are possible here at 20 degrees north.
Do you sell only to restaurants or to consumers directly, like at a farmer’s market?
To restaurants, at the farmers’ market and directly from my gardens.
How often are you harvesting and doing deliveries?
Harvest every 2 days and deliveries 3 times per week.
What are traditional island favorites that can be made with what you’re growing now?
Fried plantains (maduros), mashed sweet potatoes, fried breadfruit, boiled breadfruit, roasted breadfruit, breadfruit salad, pumpkin soup, boiled pumpkin, pumpkin dumplings, mashed pumpkin, to name a few.
What is best just eaten raw, without any cooking or seasonings added?
For me, fruit or vegetables are best enjoyed raw or slightly steamed in the case of vegetables – for breakfast I love freshly picked, uncooked young okra and raw spinach leaves.
Do you cook at home and if so what is your favorite dish to make?
My favourite dish is vine riped tomatoes, fresh basil, sea salt, balsamic vinegar and E-V Olive oil. Sometimes I add fresh oregano, goat cheese, or whatever is at hand – if cook, I love fresh fish rolled in pimento (allspice) leaves, based in butter and stuffed with thyme, onion and a family heirloom hot pepper and seasoning pepper steamed on a grill for 5-7 minutes. oooooh, I forgot – with pumpkin/calabaza soup, my recipe!!
When you eat out at a restaurant you sell to, what is it like to see the products you grow end up on the plate?
If I tell you that I would blush endlessly (:
What’s the most unexpected preparation by a chef that you’ve seen with one of your products?
Pumpkin/calabaza ravioli.
What is your favorite ethnic or world cuisine?
Hard to say, torn between many really.
Are there new fruits and vegetables you’d like to grow which you currently aren’t?
I try to push the limits of growing here in Cayman – got peaches this year for the first time and Florence fennel last year for the first time – enjoy them both.
Anything else you’d like to share?
My perfect day – awake to watch the sun rise, work the day in my gardens, show visitors around, spend evenings cooking and enjoying the produce from the gardens with family and friends – maybe with a cigar and some aged rum in there somewhere (:
January 22, 2010 · Reprinted from www.thegenuinekitchen.com
Taste of Cayman 2010 Sunday Morning's Island Style Organic Demo participants: Fisherman King Flowers, Chef Dean Max, Chef Brad Phillips, Chef Sara Mair, Chef Paula Desilva, Chef Michael Schwartz, Chef Cindy Hutson, and Farmer Joel Walton of Plantation House
Before we left for Cayman, we posted a poll asking readers what they were most curious to find out about on the island. Guess what? The most votes went to learning more about local products and producers. As we say in the back of the house: “Heard dat!”
We finally had a chance to catch up with farmer Joel Walton, a Cayman Brac native (one of the smaller islands,) whom we met at Sunday’s “Island Style Organic” demo poolside at the Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman. He gave a great presentation, while the chefs pictured above prepared dishes using ingredients from his farm, Plantation House. Not to worry if you couldn’t be there, because below he offers many interesting details about Cayman farming and cooking cultures, and also gives a peek into the unique things he is doing in his operation.
If you would like to stay in touch with Joel and what he’s planting and eating in the future, check out his Plantation House Eco Site blog. And big thanks to Chef Dean Max of The Brasserie for spilling the beans on his sources for our benefit!
How long have you been farming?
From childhood but really I ‘m just a hobby gardener (:
Has a movement toward eating locally-grown products taken root yet in the Cayman Islands?
It was the tradition prior to the 1970’s and now slowly but steadily taking root again.
Where is your farm located?
My farm (gardens) are at my house at #35 Doubloon Drive, South Cayman Palms, Bodden Town District. I have integrated my vegetable gardens, fruit, nut and spice trees in amongst my ornamentals and medicinals.
How big is it and how many people do you have working for you?
Just under 2 acres and 4 persons working for me.
What are you currently growing?
Tomatoes (many types, sizes and shapes, mostly heirlooms), sweet pepper, malabar spinach, regular eggplant, Japanese eggplant, Thai eggplant, pumpkin/calabaza, rosemary, sweet basil, lemon grass, parsley, dill, cilantro, culantro, sage, green onions, pak choi, Chinese cabbage, carrots, beetroot, radish, kohlrabi, Florence fennel, sugarcane, sweet potato, bananas/plantains, and 200+ types of fruit, nuts and spices.
Of those products, what are favorites of the Caymanians and why?
Starches such as sweet potato, breadfruit, plantains/bananas and pumpkin because the Caymanian diet was historically based primarily on locally grown foods traditionally found here (ie, prior to the massive economic development, commencing in the 1970’s.)
Your growing season is like it is in Miami, right? All year round? Describe it, please.
Very similar to Miami – starts in earnest in the late summer/early autumn and runs until late spring. Caymanians have historically tended year-round “grounds” filled with the traditional starchy crops including cassava, yam, sweet potato, pumpkin, and banana/bottler/plantain suckers. Other crops including seasoning pepper, hot pepper, papaya, watermelon and coco-yam were also grown side-by-side. Not-so-traditional crops such as tomatoes, cucumber, peanuts and corn were often times grown at the “best times” by the more adventurous farmer. Vegetable gardening of the more “non-traditional” crops such as beetroot, turnip and leek in raised beds in backyards or on allotments (starting every spring) was not popular for Caymanians but for some of our new residents who hail from temperate climates, this has been their tradition. Many of these new persons to our Islands are from strong gardening cultures but are used to far different conditions than that found at 20 degrees north. We can successfully grow many of the same vegetables here as are grown farther North with some notable exceptions being asparagus, globe artichoke and rhubarb. In exchange, we have many more growing options such as okra, aubergine, watermelon, true sweet potato plus the usual suspects including tomato, cucumber, sweet pepper, cabbage, carrot, radish, and beetroot. This is a benefit of Cayman being located smack in between the Tropics and Subtropics – our growing palate is seemingly endless. I enjoy growing peach and strawberry and leek and mizuna as much as I do mango and naseberry and okra and tropical spinach. All are possible here at 20 degrees north.
Do you sell only to restaurants or to consumers directly, like at a farmer’s market?
To restaurants, at the farmers’ market and directly from my gardens.
How often are you harvesting and doing deliveries?
Harvest every 2 days and deliveries 3 times per week.
What are traditional island favorites that can be made with what you’re growing now?
Fried plantains (maduros), mashed sweet potatoes, fried breadfruit, boiled breadfruit, roasted breadfruit, breadfruit salad, pumpkin soup, boiled pumpkin, pumpkin dumplings, mashed pumpkin, to name a few.
What is best just eaten raw, without any cooking or seasonings added?
For me, fruit or vegetables are best enjoyed raw or slightly steamed in the case of vegetables – for breakfast I love freshly picked, uncooked young okra and raw spinach leaves.
Do you cook at home and if so what is your favorite dish to make?
My favourite dish is vine riped tomatoes, fresh basil, sea salt, balsamic vinegar and E-V Olive oil. Sometimes I add fresh oregano, goat cheese, or whatever is at hand – if cook, I love fresh fish rolled in pimento (allspice) leaves, based in butter and stuffed with thyme, onion and a family heirloom hot pepper and seasoning pepper steamed on a grill for 5-7 minutes. oooooh, I forgot – with pumpkin/calabaza soup, my recipe!!
When you eat out at a restaurant you sell to, what is it like to see the products you grow end up on the plate?
If I tell you that I would blush endlessly (:
What’s the most unexpected preparation by a chef that you’ve seen with one of your products?
Pumpkin/calabaza ravioli.
What is your favorite ethnic or world cuisine?
Hard to say, torn between many really.
Are there new fruits and vegetables you’d like to grow which you currently aren’t?
I try to push the limits of growing here in Cayman – got peaches this year for the first time and Florence fennel last year for the first time – enjoy them both.
Anything else you’d like to share?
My perfect day – awake to watch the sun rise, work the day in my gardens, show visitors around, spend evenings cooking and enjoying the produce from the gardens with family and friends – maybe with a cigar and some aged rum in there somewhere (:
21 Jan 2010
Vegetable Gardening at Latitude 20 Degrees North: Thinking Upside Down
www.plantationhouse.blogspot.com
Caymanians have historically tended year-round “grounds” filled with the traditional starchy crops including cassava, yam, sweet potato, pumpkin, and banana/bottler/plantain suckers. Other crops including seasoning pepper, hot pepper, papaya, watermelon and coco-yam were also grown side-by-side. Not-so-traditional crops such as tomatoes, cucumber, peanuts and corn were often times grown at the “best times” by the more adventurous farmer.
Vegetable gardening of the more “non-traditional” crops such as beetroot, turnip and leek in raised beds in backyards or on allotments (starting every spring) was not popular for Caymanians but for some of our new residents who hail from temperate climates, this has been their tradition. Many of these new persons to our Islands are from strong gardening cultures but are used to far different conditions than that found at 20 degrees north.
We can successfully grow many of the same vegetables here as are grown farther North with some notable exceptions being asparagus, globe artichoke and rhubarb. In exchange, we have many more growing options such as okra, aubergine, watermelon, true sweet potato plus the usual suspects including tomato, cucumber, sweet pepper, cabbage, carrot, radish, and beetroot. This is a benefit of Cayman being located smack in between the Tropics and Subtropics – our growing palate is seemingly endless. I enjoy growing peach and strawberry and leek and mizuna as much as I do mango and naseberry and okra and tropical spinach. All are possible here at 20 degrees north.
But there is one simple challenge and often times I get asked the question: why is it that my tomatoes do not bear fruit? In response to this question I will often ask: when do you plant them? Not surprisingly, 9 times out of 10 the response is “I planted them in the spring and summer”.
Thinking upside-down, Rule 1 of 2: Our main vegetable growing season for “non-traditional” crop starts in the autumn and not in the spring or summer. Please note that there are many more reasons for this other than cooler days and nights but that discussion is for another article.
Now on to Rule #2.
Our soils are in the main, very alkaline, shallow, salty (in many cases) and devoid of organic content: classic conditions for composting? Sure, and this is strongly encouraged, particularly in raised bed systems where soils can be modified and developed over a period of 2-4 years to almost perfect growing conditions. Hurricanes also provide an endless supply of green materials which can be readily mulched and used as soil amendments as well.
Compost (either purchased or homemade) and mulch are both natural ways to lower your soil’s ph (most vegetables prefer a ph of around 6.8), increase its organic content; water holding capacity, aeration and its depth. Another naturally occurring mineral, gypsum (which incidentally was the primary basis for the development of the Little Cayman Railroad) will reduce soil saltiness whilst simultaneously reducing soil compaction and providing additional calcium for the soil.
Compost is one of nature’s best mulches and soil amendments and you can use it instead of commercially manufactured fertilisers. Compost also loosens clay soils and helps sandy soils retain water. Adding compost improves soil fertility and stimulates healthy root developments in plants. The organic matter provided in compost provides food for micro-organisms, which keeps the soil in a healthy balanced condition. The 3 main plants nutrients: nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus will be produced naturally by the feeding of micro-organisms, so few if any soil amendments will need to be added once a healthy balance has been achieved.
Gardening at 20 degrees north, Rule 2 of 2: Spend more time at the beginning feeding the soil and less time treating the plant disease symptoms afterwards.
www.plantationhouse.blogspot.com
Caymanians have historically tended year-round “grounds” filled with the traditional starchy crops including cassava, yam, sweet potato, pumpkin, and banana/bottler/plantain suckers. Other crops including seasoning pepper, hot pepper, papaya, watermelon and coco-yam were also grown side-by-side. Not-so-traditional crops such as tomatoes, cucumber, peanuts and corn were often times grown at the “best times” by the more adventurous farmer.
Vegetable gardening of the more “non-traditional” crops such as beetroot, turnip and leek in raised beds in backyards or on allotments (starting every spring) was not popular for Caymanians but for some of our new residents who hail from temperate climates, this has been their tradition. Many of these new persons to our Islands are from strong gardening cultures but are used to far different conditions than that found at 20 degrees north.
We can successfully grow many of the same vegetables here as are grown farther North with some notable exceptions being asparagus, globe artichoke and rhubarb. In exchange, we have many more growing options such as okra, aubergine, watermelon, true sweet potato plus the usual suspects including tomato, cucumber, sweet pepper, cabbage, carrot, radish, and beetroot. This is a benefit of Cayman being located smack in between the Tropics and Subtropics – our growing palate is seemingly endless. I enjoy growing peach and strawberry and leek and mizuna as much as I do mango and naseberry and okra and tropical spinach. All are possible here at 20 degrees north.
But there is one simple challenge and often times I get asked the question: why is it that my tomatoes do not bear fruit? In response to this question I will often ask: when do you plant them? Not surprisingly, 9 times out of 10 the response is “I planted them in the spring and summer”.
Thinking upside-down, Rule 1 of 2: Our main vegetable growing season for “non-traditional” crop starts in the autumn and not in the spring or summer. Please note that there are many more reasons for this other than cooler days and nights but that discussion is for another article.
Now on to Rule #2.
Our soils are in the main, very alkaline, shallow, salty (in many cases) and devoid of organic content: classic conditions for composting? Sure, and this is strongly encouraged, particularly in raised bed systems where soils can be modified and developed over a period of 2-4 years to almost perfect growing conditions. Hurricanes also provide an endless supply of green materials which can be readily mulched and used as soil amendments as well.
Compost (either purchased or homemade) and mulch are both natural ways to lower your soil’s ph (most vegetables prefer a ph of around 6.8), increase its organic content; water holding capacity, aeration and its depth. Another naturally occurring mineral, gypsum (which incidentally was the primary basis for the development of the Little Cayman Railroad) will reduce soil saltiness whilst simultaneously reducing soil compaction and providing additional calcium for the soil.
Compost is one of nature’s best mulches and soil amendments and you can use it instead of commercially manufactured fertilisers. Compost also loosens clay soils and helps sandy soils retain water. Adding compost improves soil fertility and stimulates healthy root developments in plants. The organic matter provided in compost provides food for micro-organisms, which keeps the soil in a healthy balanced condition. The 3 main plants nutrients: nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus will be produced naturally by the feeding of micro-organisms, so few if any soil amendments will need to be added once a healthy balance has been achieved.
Gardening at 20 degrees north, Rule 2 of 2: Spend more time at the beginning feeding the soil and less time treating the plant disease symptoms afterwards.
www.plantationhouse.blogspot.com
4 Nov 2009
October/November 2009 Plantings
The October/November rains are here and our vegetable plantings for the "cooler growing season" are now in. This year, we planted our usual beds of carrot, radish, beetroot, turnip, leeks, parsnip, spinach, kohlrabi, Florence fennel, chinese cabbage and pak choi. Cucumber, eggplant, spring onion/scallion, watermelon, pumpkin, sweet basil, rosemary, lemon grass and okra continue to be harvested from our summer plantings. All of our tomato (many varieties), sweet pepper (3 varieties), watermelon and various salad leaves have been planted out. Some fruits and vegetables continue to also be harvested including cucumber, eggplant, spring onion, breadfruit, watermelon, pumpkin, papaya, june plum (golden apple, pomme cythere), bilimbi, chella mella, and ju plum.
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