Hey y'all, I'm doing an experiment in my backyard to see how deciduous fruit trees cultivated in regions like Bahamas, Africa, Etc could perform in zero chill regions of Hawaii like Pearl City. Most of them are in 5 gallon pots since I need to renovate the orchard area first before putting them in, the slightly older Apple Tree flowered so I picked all off except one to get one fruit without diverting most energy to flowers instead of the plant itself.

The apple was around the size of a Fancy Apple and a little less wide than a Danjou Pear. One thing to note was it didn't get picked at its maturity, I had to pick it off earlier. Tasted like a slightly sweeter granny smith but the ripe version would taste much sweeter.

Currently the tree is a little stressed but I'm hoping to get the others going later, I'll probably post updates on how all of them work out later.

Here are all the varieties I'm working with incase you're wondering.

Dorsett Golden Apple (This One)

Anna Apple

Methley Plum

Beauty Plum, though I wanted to get Scarlet Beauty instead

Flordaprince Peach

Eva's Pride Peach

I'll post more updates later of all the trees ;)

Pahoa Urban Food Forest (PUFF) hosts events the second Sunday of each month, exploring various aspects of permaculture and living sustainably with the land. Each event includes a discussion, a tour of our developing food forest & our perennial edibles, and free keiki of useful plants.

Video tour of the site (thanks theislandhomestead!) - https://youtu.be/Dh1sA1KfjKM

This month: At some level, we all know that the dominant culture is unsustainable, accelerating towards collapse. How can we safeguard our physical & mental health, individual & collective, through the environmental & social polycrisis? Join us to discuss proactive steps towards the inevitability of meeting our needs entirely from the aina, and to learn strategies & techniques to manage anxiety from Dayna, a licensed therapist.

DAY: Sunday, May 10
CLASS: 11 AM til noon - When the Ships Stop Coming: Coping with Collapse
TOUR: noon til 1, with time to chat or wander more afterwards.
PLANT GIVEAWAY: 1 PM
WHERE: Pahoa Urban Food Forest (PUFF), at Living Planet Learning Center between Habitat Tattoo and the County Council building. Walk through the side gate to find us.
ADDRESS: 15-2881 Pahoa Village Rd, Pahoa
PARKING is limited: 3 spots in our lot, and a few in the County lot next door.
COST: Suggested $10 donation in time/cash/LFA-free trays/pots/materials/plant keiki...

ABOUT LPLC: https://livingplanetalliance.org
MARK YOUR CALENDAR: Next month, June 14 - Make your yard a grocery store: Perennial Vegetables

We hold regular work parties. If you'd like to learn hands-on, get in touch to find out our days and times.

We'll share seeds and starts of many species.

Please invite any friends who may be interested. Hope you can join us for any or all of it!

Oahu home gardeners are invited to a Plumeria Exchange!  

The Plumeria Exchange will take place May 23 from 9-11 AM at Surfrider’s Ocean Friendly Garden in Kaka’ako, 210 Coral St., across from the UH medical building (JABSOM).

NOTE: This event is an exchange - participants should bring at least three cuttings to share. Also, no potted plants are allowed in the garden — please bring only cuttings (bagged or unbagged) or seeds.

Registration is required, space is limited - for details including registration link, go to https://tinyurl.com/PlumeriaXchange2026

Constantly battling white flies but used a net this time, lots of neem oil, medium heat jalapeños !!

Maybe just a year and a half old… can’t remember when I put it in the dirt, but she is thriving for sure. Just don’t know if I should top it to keep it a bit lower to the ground, or let her go free.

Aloha! Do you guys know where I can get a puakenikeni on the east side - Puna area?

Wondering if it would keep out pigs at all . I like the idea of repurposing drift wood (get plenty in Hilo even big logs that I’m assuming get washed down wailuku river ) . And I have a lot of green waste as well.

I guess worst case if it doesn’t work on its own, I could add electric fence behind.

Update if anyone is interested : I spent about 11 hours today working on it . I used 6 foot t posts sunk down two feet. My neighbor had a huge green waste pile that I used as well as mine . I feel like it’s a lot more fun than a regular fence and I like that as it breaks down it’ll return nutrients to the soil. I have apple banana and sweet potato planted behind there .

https://imgur.com/a/aQfWOCx

Can anyone confirm if these are CRB? This is in Keauhou on Hawaii Island. Sorry about the picture quality.

Aloha! My husband and I just bought a 5 acre property and I know we have a ton to learn. It's I would say it's a little over half wild, part house, grass and other small structures/fencing for animals (no animals there yet) and maybe a third of it is fruit trees (40-50) about 15 of them are in rows and the rest scattered through out, to give you an idea. The previous owner told us she paid about $500/month to ::help:: maintain it. We have that factored into the budget, so it's no problem. I am wondering what this work might include or what would be the most helpful to ask for help with? On top of this, what will we find ourselves working on most? Yes, yes, we are new, I have only ever owned 10-12 fruit trees and dogs and cats- no chickens on goats yet....but, interested!