I found this layin' around, it's 15 - 30 - 15 ... would this work? Should I alter the directions on the box to make it weaker ? Thanks.
Real Live Kava Plant
- Thread starter Ed!
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Alia
'Awa Grower/Collector
I honestly see no way this could burn...but do a slightly weaker "shower" ... it should show greener signs soon.
Alia
'Awa Grower/Collector
He looks familiarLooks like you can get them nice and established even in just the moss tray, eh? @Alia
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Most people who are good at growing things have a green thumb, well, notice the gloves he is wearing, that is to cover up his awa leaf green "Hands" I bet he could take those dead Moi cuttings you have and he could make them grow.Looks like you can get them nice and established even in just the moss tray, eh? @Alia
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Aloha.
Chris
Mid-August update: After a couple weeks of safety from insects chomping my precious little leaves, I noticed a new leaf emerge and unfold from behind my main leaf. As soon as this new leaf unfolded...CHOMP. Eaten immediately. Not only that, it chomped my main leaf back even more, there is hardly anything left. It's remaining resilient though, so far anyway, I see a tiny new sprout coming out of my first little green internode and I see another little beginner micro-leaf at the bottom near the original cutting. Hopefully these leaves grow and open quickly, because I have no full leaves left.
I've sealed up my netting/shade better by adding 100's more staples and put in all new moss, in case there was a bug living in the old stuff. A couple weeks ago, I only had one single tiny root growing, now there are several root threads that gripped the surrounding moss. At least that's good.
I did give it some Miracle Grow and we had a couple weeks of hot high humidity weather, which it liked.
I've sealed up my netting/shade better by adding 100's more staples and put in all new moss, in case there was a bug living in the old stuff. A couple weeks ago, I only had one single tiny root growing, now there are several root threads that gripped the surrounding moss. At least that's good.
I did give it some Miracle Grow and we had a couple weeks of hot high humidity weather, which it liked.
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kasa_balavu
Yaqona Dina
Thanks for the update. We're all rooting for your lil baby kava.
for your lil baby kava.
Update: The chewed up leaf popped off, but the little stalk remained green and erect. It had two little starter sprouts that I hoped would open up into leaves quickly. Eventually the stalk got limp, I assumed it was because it had no leaf, but when I investigated today, I found little clear larvae/worms of some kind crawling around on the cutting. Despite making my netting nearly impenetrable, something was apparently small enough to fit through the weave and wouldn't you know it, that thing loves to live on kava cuttings.
R.I.P little Maha's, you died too soon
kasa_balavu
Yaqona Dina
Sorry to hear that
@Alia @Gourmet Hawaiian Kava How long can these stay in a 5 gallon bag or big pot until needing to be put in a 20+ gallon or in the ground ?
- How long does it normally take, in it's natural climate conditions, for the branches to harden/thicken and be more bamboo-like?
- How long does it take for the plant to grow 5+ branches?
- In the last picture, is that all kava roots in there?
- What's the highest altitude/lowest temps 'awa plants have been grown on the Big Island...like up the side of Mauna Kea or something, is there any data on that?
- Is it safe to assume that "hardier" kava cultivars like Mahakea or even more so, Isa, would be more likely to survive living slightly outside their native climate zone ?
Alia
'Awa Grower/Collector
Over here I have 'awa plants in 5 gallon pots for up to and just over 1 year;@Alia @Gourmet Hawaiian Kava How long can these stay in a 5 gallon bag or big pot until needing to be put in a 20+ gallon or in the ground ?
Thanks
- How long does it normally take, in it's natural climate conditions, for the branches to harden/thicken and be more bamboo-like?
- How long does it take for the plant to grow 5+ branches?
- In the last picture, is that all kava roots in there?
- What's the highest altitude/lowest temps 'awa plants have been grown on the Big Island...like up the side of Mauna Kea or something, is there any data on that?
- Is it safe to assume that "hardier" kava cultivars like Mahakea or even more so, Isa, would be more likely to survive living slightly outside their native climate zone ?
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Even then they probably could go longer but I prefer to plant them out;
Right at this moment I have about 100 'awa plants in 1 gallon pots for a bit less than 3 months and they really want to be in the ground.
Hope to get them planted for a friend who has property nearby very soon since I do not wish to upgrade to larger pots.
This time of year the stalks harden up quick, like less than 2 months;
Depending on cultivar- 5 stalks or more in 3 months (short, stout like Papa'Ele'ele branch quicker);
Elevation is detailed in the Hawaiian 'awa book page 72 but, general rule- East Hawai'i- 8 -9 hundred feet;
West Hawai'i Island much higher with famous 'awa growing areas above 2,000;
"Hardier cultivars?" Maybe could.... and Dr. K. Winter did theorize (pg. 38) Kumakua can be interpreted as- 'Stands in the Mountains" .
Yes, that looks to be all 'awa roots in the picture.
Isa is very tough grower. Not saying I recommend drinking it!
Thanks, if you ever get a chance, I'd love to see some pictures of 'awa plants at different stages, like 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, 1 year...
I just looked it up and see that 2,000ft is right where the transition takes place from what's considered low elevation(“coconut palm belt") and high elevation("cool volcano slopes", 2000ft-5000ft) gardening...they say above 2,000ft will dip into the 40s at night, which is promising.
So is Kumakua the variety grown in that 2000ft region of west Hawai'i? Do you have any Kumakua cuttings growing?
I might be in Kaua'i in a couple months, are agricultural inspections necessary for inter-island mailings?
I know all about Isa's infamy and possible downsides, but I think it's worth finding out if it is uniquely resilient enough to live in Southern California or the more humid southern states...maybe Louisiana, south Georgia or Fla. I definitely wouldn't mind drinking diluted FRESH home grown Isa sometimes instead of $70 bags of bitter sawdust. But it would be great if Kumakua also proved to be as tolerant.
Alia
'Awa Grower/Collector
3 month old Mahakea from single node cutting. Photo taken today, Aug. 1, 2018..
I'll also try and post an interior shot of my shade-house today with (mostly 3 to 4 month old) approx. 100 'awa plants.
Yes, I have Kumakua plants both here in shade-house and in ground.
Ag. inspections are required even inter-island due to fire ant.
Yes the Kumakua was prevalent in the upper regions of Kona in Old Hawai'i.
The area around Amy Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden in Capt. Cook was a famous 'awa growing region.
Beautiful, thank you.
Are those plants under the shade in the background the same age as the one on the ladder ?
Do you water them all individually every couple days or does it rain regularly enough that the water dripping through the shade screen is enough for them?
Also, what percentage of sunlight would you say they are getting in there? I'm currently keeping mine under a solid patio roof, so they're almost entirely in shade, but it's open on all sides so there is a lot of light bounding around still...should I be giving them more sunlight ?
Ricardo Piquant
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Look at all those babies!
Alia
'Awa Grower/Collector
60% shade-cloth. All sides . 40% sun, I suppose.
I water by overhead sprinkler and/or hose attachment with liquid fertilizer.
If we get more than 1/2 inch of rain at night they are fine without extra irrigation.
Here are some pictures of some cuttings that I got on July 11th. Then some pictures of them in the moss today August 1st. The last picture I took one cutting out of the moss and you can see it has 1 root. How about some 'Awa root? 
I hope you enjoy them.
How about some 'Awa root? I hope you enjoy them.
Palmetto
Thank God!
My first time around, 2 winters ago, I had a few awa plants survive into the mid forties or slightly below. Some of them hated 45 degrees in pots. Some were burnt, but okay at 44 or 43. I believe 40 would kill most potted awa plants in the Southeastern US. I had around 7 Hawaiian cultivars at the time. Some survived indoors but struggled until finally giving up the ghost late spring. Too dry probably. If I recall, Honokane Iki and Hiwa survived cold longer than Papa Ele ele, Papa elel ele puu puu, papa kea, nene, and some others. But limited experience, of course.
This time around, I am trying new growing methods perhaps better suited for survival here. I'm not fooling myself into growing them yearround outdoors without some major protection. Might take a greenhouse. Anyway, these need to be potted up soon. If I can actually keep them alive a few years, I can't wait to try fresh Borogu and Hanikapi Ai.
@shakas I don't share your love for Isa, despite having cuttings of it and an old pound sitting in my fridge. I went through a phase of drinking only heavies, but I am well out of it for good. I don't enjoy dragging through the day with a clouded head. And heavy kavas make your muscles resistant to working out. That was probably a liability in battle years ago for cultures that battled often, like the Polynesians. I do think that Isa has value as an anti cancer medication, but it is no cure all on its own. But it doesn't really matter whether or not you believe in it.
This time around, I am trying new growing methods perhaps better suited for survival here. I'm not fooling myself into growing them yearround outdoors without some major protection. Might take a greenhouse. Anyway, these need to be potted up soon. If I can actually keep them alive a few years, I can't wait to try fresh Borogu and Hanikapi Ai.
@shakas I don't share your love for Isa, despite having cuttings of it and an old pound sitting in my fridge. I went through a phase of drinking only heavies, but I am well out of it for good. I don't enjoy dragging through the day with a clouded head. And heavy kavas make your muscles resistant to working out. That was probably a liability in battle years ago for cultures that battled often, like the Polynesians. I do think that Isa has value as an anti cancer medication, but it is no cure all on its own. But it doesn't really matter whether or not you believe in it.