Pruned trees

Over the past couple weeks we have pruned back the tips of the tallest trees. 

The a Rollinia in the front yard took the biggest cut, about 4-5 ft off the top, and trimmed some precarious long side branches as well. Trimmed the Marang and tallest Ulu to try to balance the apex growth. Trimmed back the lawn avocado and the two largest lime trees. Hacked off a large south pointing limb of the orange tree to balance the tree a little better with the "ti corridor" in front. 

New trees planted

Yesterday and Tuesday , planted out two rollinia from 1 gallon pots. (4h). Planted one in former "fern grotto" near site where we lost a mangosteen. Planted other in spot near mauka pond where we formerly cut a guava. Had to dig out the remaining guava roots first. Rollinia were from Garden Exchange and cost $10 each. 

Today, purchased two 3 gal ulu from Home Depot. ($32.95 each). A bit more expensive than Plant It Hawaii's tree sale would have been, but I was eager to get the last two in the ground, bringing total ulu to 12. The two new ones were labeled "Samoan Ulu" and branded "NG: Novelty Greens". Took about 3h to prep and plant the ulu. 

All four were planted with the weed block and hoop technique. This time, two perpendicular layers of weed fabric were layed down (with a slot cut halfway across each for the tree trunk). A hog wire hoop about 3-4' tall was secured atop the fabric using scrap wood stakes pounded into the ground, tied to the hoop with shoelaces or wire. A small amount of black cinder (0.75-2 cu ft) was poured atop the fabric, inside the hoop, under the tree's bottom most leaves, to hold down the fabric and provide more light block. Some perennial peanut stolons were planted in the cinder to assist with weed blocking eventually. 

Tree sizes update

Breadfruit and marang are growing fast. Second smaller row of ulu needs fertilizer soon-- leaves are looking pale but they are growing. 

Rollinia has nearly doubled in size in the past six months. 

Driveway trees have developed nicely since July. 

Fertilizing fruit trees

Tried mixing in some crushed charcoal this time. Mix was:

Charcoal (3/4 cup?)

Triple-16 (1 cup)

Chicken manure (2 cups)

Ag lime (1/3 cup)

Fertilized: all driveway trees, rollinia, pomplemousse, calamansi, lawn avocado, Tahitian lime. Also fertilized #1 and #3 ulu as their leaves were looking a bit yellow. 

Total time about 1 hour. 

Noted that the fig was bearing four fruits. Decided to remove fruit since the fig needs to concentrate on growth. 

Planted four ma'afala 'ulu

Planted four 2 gallon ulu in the orchard, including 26" wire protectors and shade cloth.

No geotextile underneath. Instead, culled perennial peanut form the sod cut from the planting hole, and carefully replanted that on top of each tree's soil. Also mulched a bit with dry avocado leaves.

Planted mangosteen

Planted mangosteen in previous " fern grotto" near peninsula entrance (45m). Place shade over Tahitian ulu wire guards.

Noticed that perennial peanut flowers are turning from yellow to pale white and shriveling.. Could be they're turning to seed.

Planted two, 3-gal 'ulu

Planted out two "Tahitian" ulu in the orchard, near gulch, along same line as previous ulu. (4h)

Potted with a mix of ag lime, cinder, compost, chicken manure, phosphate, and charcoal.

Used 28" "garden wire" from HD instead of hog wire. Hope this is sufficient to deter pigs.

Still need to attach shade cloth to wire later.

Plant It Hawaii spring sale purchases

Picked up multiple ulu and replacements for lost mangosteen and vanilla.

Ma'afala ulu: 4 (2gal, $30 each)
Tahitian ulu : 2 (3 gal, $45 each)
Vanilla vine (1 gal, $22.50)
Mangosteen (2 gal, $25)
~ $270 total

Daily diary

Stored tractor and whacker, including clean, lube, fuel (2h). Shut off field water at top valve.
Pulled weeds near shed (30m). Repotted turmeric and peanut flats (45m). Repotted small cacao from back 40, and potted two Spanish limes in larger pots (1h).
Rained long last night but hot and dry today. Mulch from mowing makes field look brown.

List of current ulu varieties

In order starting from house side:

Apuapua Ulu (Plant It Hawaii)
Ma'afala ulu (Garden Exchange/Plant It Hawaii)
Tahitian ulu (Home Depot/Plant It Hawaii)
Marang (Plant It Hawaii)
Ma'afala (from Pahoa charter school)

Fertilized lawn trees and ulu row

Used about 1/2-1 lb of triple-16 mixed with water. Fertilized all the ulu, the marang, and the lawn area citrus and avocado. Need to do driveway trees and rollinia next.

Plant Ma'fala; pig protectors

• Planted the smaller Ma'afala ulu (obtained from Pahoa charter school at the 2012 Ulu Festival) in the pasture near the Marang (1/2 hour)
• Built simple wire enclosures around the small Ma'afala and the Rollinia.  Pigs have been grubbing around heavily near the Rollinia, possibly because of heavy moisture and decaying organic matter in the soil. (1 hr)
• Cut down junk trees at gulch edge (3 hrs).  The used, smaller Stihl chainsaw we bought from Mike & Carol has proven very handy for quickly dropping numerous smaller trees.  Needs a new 16" chain (or sharpening)
• Planted some perennial peanut seed around ulu and key lime bases (where we did not plant seed previously).  The perennial peanut around the fruit trees along the driveway has already sprouted, though some has been torn up by foraging pigs.

Today's Activities

Today:

• Finished painting peak of shed roof (finally!)
• Planted ulu: "Samoan" (Ma'afala),   Apuapua, and "Tahitian" (variety TBD)
• Bought ($18) and planted 1/2 gal "Mexican thornless lime" / "Key lime" along driveway
• Saved 5 gal topsoil from driveway digging
• Noted significant pig rooting along driveway and edge of pasture
• Used standard 1/2 bag Niu black cinder, 1/2 bag Niu chicken manure, 2 scoops imolizer, 1/2 cup 10-30-10 gaviota, 1 cup tropical ag lime  for planting trees

Planted First Tree in Pasture

Planted Marang from Plant It Hawaii in the pasture: the first tree to be planted in the main body of the orchard!  Used the standard Plant It Hawaii potting mix for soil.