How is everyones plants doing

[violet]

My plant has been inside for a good while, we've already had dips into the 30's in the mid-atlantic states. It had been looking poorly, but I repot into a 5 gallon bucket and got some decent lights on it now and it is quickly sprouting healthy looking new leaves/stalks at almost every point. It looks like it is going to come back very nicely and perhaps even thrive under indoor lighting. I think I may add a tent to help with the humidity.

 

[Roaddog]

There's a place here in Maine that grows tomatoes year round. http://www.backyardfarms.com/how-we-grow/our-greenhouse
I wonder if any of their practices would work for kava? Given that with kava, it's the root we're after, makes a huge difference, but as far as environmental replication, it could be done. I'm picturing deep rows of thick humus rich soil, with plenty of root room...

Tomatoes, by far are my biggest cash crop. Also tomatoes, can put off 2 large flushes in less than 5 months. So a tomato, investment would be far more profitable. Especially in a market, during the winter months, when the value of a good ripe tomato, almost doubles. One must keep in mind, that Kava is a large bush, that requires 5 or 6 years to mature. Add that to the factor that its the roots, and stump, that can be harvested, and I just don't see the profitability in it. I could be wrong. Much Love. Roaddog....

 

[Roaddog]

My plant has been inside for a good while, we've already had dips into the 30's in the mid-atlantic states. It had been looking poorly, but I repot into a 5 gallon bucket and got some decent lights on it now and it is quickly sprouting healthy looking new leaves/stalks at almost every point. It looks like it is going to come back very nicely and perhaps even thrive under indoor lighting. I think I may add a tent to help with the humidity.

Yes, I believe this could work. I would use a air cooled 600 watt Metal Halide light. If I was to take on such an endeavor. Metal Halide light better mimics summer, spring sun light. Which means it has far more blue in its spectrum. Where as High Pressure Sodium Lighting, mimics a plants fruiting conditions, Fall, also using more red spectrum. I would put the light on for 18 hours on, and 6 hours off, using a light timer. Much Love. Roaddog....

 

[StinkWeed]

I was a big fan of the ceramic metal halides, with high pressure sodium as a pair. Pretty outstanding results. Just keep the hps off till its time to fruit and I can't think of a better combo.

 

[Roaddog]

I was a big fan of the ceramic metal halides, with high pressure sodium as a pair. Pretty outstanding results. Just keep the hps off till its time to fruit and I can't think of a better combo.

Ya, I like the switch over switch. But also am a big fan of T5 lighting. Also there doing great things with LED. I mean the technology is still young, but they use only a portion of the power, the other lights use. Now remember we are talking Kava here. . Much Love. Roaddog....

 

[violet]

I'm using T5's, 4 x 65w. They are all 10,000K. I could have sworn I had them mixed with 6,500's but I think the straight 10,000K will be just fine, if not a little better. Timers too . This is the first time I've ever used artificial supplemental lighting with a terrestrial plant, and I'm giddy seeing the kava plant putting out such fast growth again.

 

[Gourmet Hawaiian Kava]

Hi Guys, just a note on the growing lights for kava. I used to grow kava under lights and I did find out that is does work but it will come to a point that the plants will need light from the far red spectrum so make sure that the lights you use cover the far red spectrum too. Aloha.

Chris

 

[Roaddog]

Hi Guys, just a note on the growing lights for kava. I used to grow kava under lights and I did find out that is does work but it will come to a point that the plants will need light from the far red spectrum so make sure that the lights you use cover the far red spectrum too. Aloha.

Chris

Yes, I would assume you would want to memic the seasons. Much Love. Roaddog....

 

[kavadude]

Alright can someone explain a lighting setup to me as you would to a child? I've never grown, ahem, indoor plants before so I don't know jack about it.

 

[Roaddog]

Alright can someone explain a lighting setup to me as you would to a child? I've never grown, ahem, indoor plants before so I don't know jack about it.

Well that's a tough one. I there is so much that goes into lighting, and the application being used. Here is a standard run of the mill T5 lighting set up. I would think this would be a nice starter light. I think one could use this light for at least the first year or two. Amazon product Much Love. Roaddog....

 

[Poivrier]

So...how is everyones plants doing ? How did the kavas pass the winter ?
I am so jealous of you all !

 

[Deleted User01]

Well we recently posted all that and none of it was that good. My Moi' died a violent death in the greenhouse. My other kava grew like a weed which arose my suspicions. Chris checked it out and, yes Virginia, it is an ornamental. I wills say this, I have 100s of plants and many tropical plants. Out of all of them, the Moi was the most troublesome. So unless you live in Hawaii or Vanuatua, I guess it ain't gonna happen.

 

[kavadude]

Mine is on life support but I think it might make it.

 

[Poivrier]

Sorry for your loss, Deleted User01 it was such a nice plant ! Any idea what happened, precisely ?
Kavadude, i am knocking on wood for you, don't make any sudden moves lol

 

[August West]

Well I have bad news as well. I left my plant on my end table over night near a lamp, and my son snapped it off at the soil line. After nurturing it for easily six months, it's a gonner. And it just started branching out from three separate bracts. I'm super bummed out..

 

[Poivrier]

Maybe there is still a living stump ? Try to make some cuttings with the nodes ?

 

[August West]

It was a tender plant to begin with. No woody stems yet. It was still fleshy and green. The plant I got it from is growing in a Victorian style greenhouse. It's easily 40+ years old. The only thing the guy knows is that it came from Fiji a long time ago. Needless to say, I'm going back to ask for a few more cuttings. The dude told me, " that damn plant is invasive, I'm constantly cutting back the suckers that pop up everywhere. The roots even grow out of the greenhouse and sprout up everywhere outside."
And he's right. There's little one foot tall suckers popping up out of the ground easily 10-15 feet away from the plant. Even on other sides of the concrete walkways. I'll take pictures next time. Hopefully Chris can help with identifying it.

 

[kavadude]

I might betray my lack of botany knowledge here, but I'd be surprised if that's Piper Methysticum.

Could it be this? http://dlnr.hawaii.gov/hisc/info/species/false-kava/

 

[August West]

I'll make sure to get over there soon to take pictures. I really hope it's not false kava.

 

[Poivrier]

Well, if it is indeed Piper auritum you could cook with the leaves yum !
I noticed that the few online vendors of live kava plants usually sell Piper auritum as kava...