Hi everyone, I thought I would talk about some of what I do to grow some really great kava. There are many ways of growing kava and some involve a lot of work and some not as much work. Some of these different ways of growing kava also play a roll on the quality and potency of the kava. For example, we know that test results have shown that kava grown in full sun is higher in kavalactones that those in total shade. This means that the more sun, the more kavalactones.
Test results have also shown that cultivated kava is higher in kavalactones than wild kava that is 100 years old or more. This means that kava likes to eat and if you give kava the food it needs then you get higher kavalactones.
When I first start my kava plants and all the way up to 2 years old I will use a soil/compost that I make. I use certain things like mac nut husks and other natural things like that. I plant the kava in mounds of this soil or what the Hawaiians call "Lepo Ola" or "Healthy dirt"
I will mound more of the Lepo Ola over the course of 2 years, after that the kava is well established and will grow fine on its own.
I will not plant the kava close together, I like to give them room to grow to there full stature, there are also benefits from this way of planting, it ensures healthy plants by having space enough so that the kava will not be a vector for pests and problems. If I spot a problem then I can take care of it before it spreads.
I was told a long time ago by a family friend who grew Hawaiian plants that you never want to clear the land to plant. He said you plant where the land will let you plant. I kind of do my planting like this in the way that I do not plant in fields that have been cleared for planting kava. I plant where it is natural and where kava has been known to naturally grow. For example planting in a grove of Kukui nut trees will prevent the need for weeding around the kava and will help with shade, it also provides food for the kava by way of the Kukui nut husks. I do this instead of plowing a field and planting kava and then having to keep the weeds under control and deal with pests and other things. It is not uncommon for my plants to get very big, some of the long internode varieties will get over 20 feet tall. This is just a small picture of what I do to ensure high quality kava. Please enjoy some of the pictures to help explain what I have said.
This first picture is of a high maintenance area. If I were to clear this, I would have to keep it from growing back.
This next picture shows a kava plant that I am growing at my home so it is not a problem to take care of, but I do have to keep the wild from encroaching on the kava plants.
This next picture shows a kava plant in more of a garden like setting, it helps to encourage locals in Hawaii to plant 'Awa in there yards as a ornamental plant.
The next picture shows an area that I will be planting very soon, it is an ideal natural area for planing kava.
This next picture shows that done the right way that the kava plant will thrive and get very large. This is just one big kava plant, a Mahakea.
This picture is for size reference, you can see me in the picture next to the same Mahakea.
This is the other side of the large Mahakea.
This shows how big the kava leaf is. That is one big Mahakea leaf.
This picture shows how big and thick the stock of the Mahakea is.
This is a cutting I brought back, it is one stalk that is 17 feet long, the longest stalks on this plant is about 20 feet tall.
How would you like to see a few close up pictures,
I hope you all enjoyed this little look into how I grow the special kava that you drink. Aloha nui loa.
Chris
Test results have also shown that cultivated kava is higher in kavalactones than wild kava that is 100 years old or more. This means that kava likes to eat and if you give kava the food it needs then you get higher kavalactones.
When I first start my kava plants and all the way up to 2 years old I will use a soil/compost that I make. I use certain things like mac nut husks and other natural things like that. I plant the kava in mounds of this soil or what the Hawaiians call "Lepo Ola" or "Healthy dirt"
I will mound more of the Lepo Ola over the course of 2 years, after that the kava is well established and will grow fine on its own.
I will not plant the kava close together, I like to give them room to grow to there full stature, there are also benefits from this way of planting, it ensures healthy plants by having space enough so that the kava will not be a vector for pests and problems. If I spot a problem then I can take care of it before it spreads.
I was told a long time ago by a family friend who grew Hawaiian plants that you never want to clear the land to plant. He said you plant where the land will let you plant. I kind of do my planting like this in the way that I do not plant in fields that have been cleared for planting kava. I plant where it is natural and where kava has been known to naturally grow. For example planting in a grove of Kukui nut trees will prevent the need for weeding around the kava and will help with shade, it also provides food for the kava by way of the Kukui nut husks. I do this instead of plowing a field and planting kava and then having to keep the weeds under control and deal with pests and other things. It is not uncommon for my plants to get very big, some of the long internode varieties will get over 20 feet tall. This is just a small picture of what I do to ensure high quality kava. Please enjoy some of the pictures to help explain what I have said.
This first picture is of a high maintenance area. If I were to clear this, I would have to keep it from growing back.
This next picture shows a kava plant that I am growing at my home so it is not a problem to take care of, but I do have to keep the wild from encroaching on the kava plants.
This next picture shows a kava plant in more of a garden like setting, it helps to encourage locals in Hawaii to plant 'Awa in there yards as a ornamental plant.
The next picture shows an area that I will be planting very soon, it is an ideal natural area for planing kava.
This next picture shows that done the right way that the kava plant will thrive and get very large. This is just one big kava plant, a Mahakea.
This picture is for size reference, you can see me in the picture next to the same Mahakea.
This is the other side of the large Mahakea.
This shows how big the kava leaf is. That is one big Mahakea leaf.
This picture shows how big and thick the stock of the Mahakea is.
This is a cutting I brought back, it is one stalk that is 17 feet long, the longest stalks on this plant is about 20 feet tall.
How would you like to see a few close up pictures,
I hope you all enjoyed this little look into how I grow the special kava that you drink. Aloha nui loa.
Chris
