As the lazy days of summer wind down, activities for gardeners, landscapers, farmers and ranchers are gearing up. An Oahu conference and a Kohala ranching event this week can add to your knowledge and offer some interesting culinary experiences. A
As the lazy days of summer wind down, activities for gardeners, landscapers, farmers and ranchers are gearing up. An Oahu conference and a Kohala ranching event this week can add to your knowledge and offer some interesting culinary experiences. A local conference focusing on water conservation is scheduled for the following week.
The Landscape Industry Council of Hawaii is holding its annual green industry conference and trade show on Thursday at the Blaisdell Exhibition Hall in Honolulu. This “Back to the Basics” conference is worth the trip to Oahu if you want to learn about the latest developments in landscaping. Landscape designers, maintenance workers and anyone involved in the green industry will find many informative topics offered. With an excellent group of speakers, homeowners, gardeners and growers may also find the event valuable. Four different tracks will run simultaneously offering a plethora of choices.
The tracks include talks from experts in fields including turf, soil fertility, irrigation, landscape design, native plants, invasive species, new nursery plants and tree care. Several speakers will also address green industry business issues like best hiring practices and working with government contracts.
In addition to informative presentations, several hands-on workshops will be offered in the trade show demonstration area during the three breaks. Learning about designing low-impact landscapes, growing organic herbs and veggies, landscaping with bromeliads as well as turf planting techniques will be possible during the vendor-conducted sessions.
Most of the presenters have worked in the green industry in Hawaii for many years. Well-known Oahu arborist, Steve Nimz, will share his tree knowledge. Tom Witten, who holds a degree in landscape architecture from the University of California at Berkeley, will offer his consulting expertise after 35 years of experience in Hawaiian landscapes. The Big Island’s Garrett Webb has been encouraging professionalism in the local landscape industry for many years and will inform on the latest certification programs. Oahu’s Martin Miyashiro has worked in landscape irrigation for more than 30 years and will present the latest water conservation techniques at the conference. Amanda Skelton from CGAPS on Kauai will share the latest information on invasive pest species. And these are only a few of the experts who will be in attendance.
Registration for the conference begins Thursday at 7 a.m. LICH current president, Chris Dacus, and in-coming president, Webb, will open the conference followed by Witten’s presentation on growth and development directions in the green industry. Two morning sessions precede lunch and three follow lunch. At 4:35 p.m., comedian Frank De Lima will add levity to the proceedings with his take on “Diversity in the Workplace.” A social mixer with drinks and a heavy pupu offering ends the day. Festivities end at 6:30 p.m.
The conference, including lunch and the evening mixer, is offered to LICH and related organization members at $125 and to nonmembers at $155. More information and registration opportunities for the conference are available at www.hawaiiscape.com/conference or by calling Madeline Shaw at 946-7055
Consider returning home after the conference so that you can experience the ever-expanding fruits of our Big Island range. With more than 30 Hawaiian restaurants and chefs participating, the assortment of recipes, ingredients and flavors offers a taste treat, as well as a learning experience for attendees to Mealani’s 20th annual Taste of the Hawaiian Range. The event is from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday. At $45 in advance or $60 at the door, the event offers lots of food as well as a no-host bar and many informational booths on the produce and products grown on the Big Island.
This year, the event is going digital. Bring your smart phone to connect to exhibit booths for online product discounts, coupons and links for educational resources. The 20th anniversary celebration will also honor longtime participants and supporters.
The tastes offered incorporate a variety of local meats and produce. Recipes made with pasture-raised lamb, goat, mutton, pork and many cuts of beef are offered. Also, don’t miss the opportunity to try the special “mauka oysters” that are featured annually. Go early and go hungry prepared for a tasty and fun evening. Visit https://www.tasteofthehawaiianrange.com for more information and to purchase tickets for this year’s event.
Tropical gardening helpline
Daniel asks: My lettuce has stopped growing and seems to be rotting in place, what is the problem and is there anything I can do about it?
Answer: Our wet Kona summers present challenges for growing tender greens. Your problem is not unique. You might have noticed that grocery stores are having trouble stocking local greens right now as well. This last month has been especially rainy and these pounding, flooding rainstorms are deadly to many types of greens, especially tender lettuces. The wet soil encourages diseases that cause rotting in leaves that are close to the ground.
The short answer is don’t attempt to grow lettuces during our summer rainy season. You may have better success with heartier greens like kale, chard or arugula. The key is to have the leaves of the crop well above the soil so they don’t get soggy. Another solution is to grow your greens in pots and under cover where you can regulate the water supply and keep the lower leaves well-trimmed. Commercial growers often resort to growing greens aquaponically to avoid having them sit on wet soil.
Sadly, many other veggies are adversely affected by the kind of extremely wet weather and flooding we are having. Finding ones that do well with lots of water will help you keep your edible garden producing during our wet summers.
Email plant questions to konamg@ctahr.hawaii.edu for answers by certified master gardeners. Some questions will be chosen for inclusion in this column.
Diana Duff is a plant adviser, educator and consultant living on an organic farm in Captain Cook.
Gardening events
Farmers markets
Wednesday: Hooulu Farmers Market, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Sheraton Kona Resort & Spa at Keauhou Bay
Wednesday: Sunset Farmers Market, 2 p.m. to sunset at the north makai corner of the Kmart parking lot
Saturday: Keauhou Farmers Market, 8 a.m. to noon at Keauhou Shopping Center
Sunday: South Kona Green Market, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Amy B. H. Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden in Captain Cook
Monday to Saturday: U-Pick greens and produce, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tropical Edibles Nursery in Captain Cook
Plant advice lines
Anytime: konamg@ctahr.hawaii.edu
Thursday: 9 a.m. to noon at UH Cooperative Extension Service in Kainaliu, 322-4892.
Monday, Tuesday and Friday: 9 a.m. to noon at UH CES at Komohana in Hilo, 981-5199 or himga@hawaii.edu.
