HotSauceBoss
12-28-2006, 03:46 AM
Aloha to all from sunny Kealakekua. I just joined today.
I live in Hawaii on the Big Island, Kona side. About a year and a half ago I planted a lime (not sure what type) and a Eureka lemon tree. I don't know a thing about growing citrus or some of the other exotic plants I've started but I thought this would be a great place to at least learn about citrus. It's pretty dry here and insects are very active year around. I'd be willing to post pics of my lime tree to help you help me identify the type.
I've already enjoyed some fruit from my trees and they are delicious.
We have an irrigation system but sometimes the weeds (read: jungle!) grow over the sprinkler heads and we don't really notice a change until the trees start showing signs of strees from low water. Fighting back the jungle is practically a daily activity.
Also, I am constatnly fighting whitefly, mealy bug and ants (and therefore aphids). I've used Neem oil to fight off the leaf insects and tangle foot to control the ants. The tanglefoot is working well but the mealy bug and whitefly problem is a constant battle. There's also something nibbling at the ends of the new shoots on the lime tree. I haven't seen it yet so I suspect it is most active at night.
The lemon tree is kind of spindly but it has a lot of competition for sunlight. However, of te two trees, it also has the most fruit on it. I read somewhere that you need to prune top branches and shoots to encourage a fuller tree. Any thoughts?
Any advice on fertilizers would be helpful. My landlord is a certified organic coffee farmer here in Kona and I'm trying to limit the amoount of commercial chemicals I use here at the house (the house is not on the coffee farm so no concern there) but realize I occasionally have to use them. I have added some organic fertilizer to the base of the trees a number of times as well as a trace element mix of magnesium, sulfur, copper, iron, manganese and zinc. The blossoms usually burst out when I use it. Could I be forcing the trees too much by using this mix? I've only used it 3 or 4 times in the last year and I only used about 3/4 lb for both trees. Just a few handlfuls for each tree each time.
Glad to be here and I look forward to reading more. Much Aloha to all.
I live in Hawaii on the Big Island, Kona side. About a year and a half ago I planted a lime (not sure what type) and a Eureka lemon tree. I don't know a thing about growing citrus or some of the other exotic plants I've started but I thought this would be a great place to at least learn about citrus. It's pretty dry here and insects are very active year around. I'd be willing to post pics of my lime tree to help you help me identify the type.
I've already enjoyed some fruit from my trees and they are delicious.
We have an irrigation system but sometimes the weeds (read: jungle!) grow over the sprinkler heads and we don't really notice a change until the trees start showing signs of strees from low water. Fighting back the jungle is practically a daily activity.
Also, I am constatnly fighting whitefly, mealy bug and ants (and therefore aphids). I've used Neem oil to fight off the leaf insects and tangle foot to control the ants. The tanglefoot is working well but the mealy bug and whitefly problem is a constant battle. There's also something nibbling at the ends of the new shoots on the lime tree. I haven't seen it yet so I suspect it is most active at night.
The lemon tree is kind of spindly but it has a lot of competition for sunlight. However, of te two trees, it also has the most fruit on it. I read somewhere that you need to prune top branches and shoots to encourage a fuller tree. Any thoughts?
Any advice on fertilizers would be helpful. My landlord is a certified organic coffee farmer here in Kona and I'm trying to limit the amoount of commercial chemicals I use here at the house (the house is not on the coffee farm so no concern there) but realize I occasionally have to use them. I have added some organic fertilizer to the base of the trees a number of times as well as a trace element mix of magnesium, sulfur, copper, iron, manganese and zinc. The blossoms usually burst out when I use it. Could I be forcing the trees too much by using this mix? I've only used it 3 or 4 times in the last year and I only used about 3/4 lb for both trees. Just a few handlfuls for each tree each time.
Glad to be here and I look forward to reading more. Much Aloha to all.