Menu
What's new
By:
Filters

raising a little baby kava plant :)

S

starsofclay

Kava Enthusiast
I searched hi and low for a kava plant for sale on the internet, and let me tell you it is impossible to find one. NO one is selling them. I've bought plants on the internet before and even some rare ones like purple passion flower are findable with enough research.

well anyhow there is ONE. count it. ONE person on ebay selling a baby kava plant, of moi variety, from his personal nursery, and i plan on winning that bid!
I live in florida so, i think i can take care of it. the winters don't get too cold but they can be kept in deep pots so i could always bring it inside in the winter if i need to.

Now to my question: each kava adapts to its climate and the effects are therefore altered, correct? It may start as moi but alter some properties over time and become different? I'm just curious about this, and if anyone has any ideas on this let me know.
I wonder if there are certain things i could do like change soil type, fertilizer, ect to steer it to more of a certain type of kava that i would like.

also it seems easy to clone these from stem cuttings or replanting some of the roots, so i may start me a little house farm :)
 
kavalover

kavalover

Outsider
That's a very good question, I will be moving down to Florida with my family in the near future and growing kava down there has been on my mind ever since the decision was made. I have no experience with growing kava so, I can't be of much help here. However I'm very interested in this, keep me posted. Oh and hey, it wouldn't hurt to contact Hawaiian kava center for questions, they actually sell kava plants (only if you live in Hawaii :(((((( ) and I'm sure would be of assistance to a personal grower. Or any vendor who actually grows kava for that matter, they're probably your best shot here.



Anyway, best of luck on the bidding. I've been searching for a plant as well, I'd love to grow some kava for personal fascination and one day use. However most growers are very protective over where kava grows which is why it's so difficult to find a baby plant without having a sort of inside hook up.



I doubt it will but, if you find yourself in the middle of a bidding war and can't afford to keep going I'd be happy to lend you some mulah through paypal or whatever to get you through it. So long as I can have a cutting or two when I move down to Florida ;)
 
S

starsofclay

Kava Enthusiast
hey, yeah i decided not to go over 30 on my part... and i think the seller is up bidding it on a different screen name.. but there's only an hour left so i will see.



u could def have a cutting!



where to and when are you moving to florida?



if i don't win a bid, i found one more spot on a nursery website that has moi and its only 16.99 but the shipping is 45 dollars! yikes. so if you wanted to go in together on that if i lose the ebay then we can work something out and i'll get to making a cutting asap :)
 
kavalover

kavalover

Outsider
Yeah the shipping for my baby coffea plants were close to that, it's crazy. We are moving to either Tampa or Miami area, it's up to my wife in the end lol and I still have a little while to complete the rest of my courses, we're hoping to be out there by mid next year.



but yeah, keep me posted on bidding/nursery status, we could definitely work something out
 
S

starsofclay

Kava Enthusiast
woo hoo i got if for 38 bucks total. where exactly do you live? you could start growing it now as long as you bring it indoors whenever the temp gets below 55 for three consecutive days. i would keep it in a very deep pot to let the roots have room to grow.

lol i love how after i just won this bidding war, he immediately has another one for sale for 9.99. i'm gonna wait out the 6 days and bid on it the last minute
 
kavalover

kavalover

Outsider
Nice!!!



I don't know man, I live in Southeastern Washington state. I'm sure kava would love our summers, very hot and humid, but our winters can get nasty. Typically 20 to 40 degrees. Last year we got down to 19. You think it'd still be okay if I brought it in? We run the heater in the winter, not sure if that would make a difference
 
S

starsofclay

Kava Enthusiast
I've looked on a few sites and they can grow in greenhouses during the winter or if you don't have one, you can bring it inside and put it by a window. but you may have to research it because you really are far north
 
Vekta

Vekta

Notorious Lightweight
Review Maestro
Moi or not, the fact that you even have that plant makes me flippin jealous! haha.



I don't think I'd have the patients or sanity to take care of a kava plant. I chase my family away from my chili plants with a stick every other day as it is. I'd have to build a guard tower with turret in it if I got one of those.
 
S

starsofclay

Kava Enthusiast
got my plant today:) im so excited! i planted it in a deep pot, with a good mix of soil from the yard and potting soil. and i'm only going to water it with water from my fish pond-- which is mostly rain water, and fish poop, so that should be a great fertilizer



i'll take a picture soon. i really hope i don't kill it
 
kavalover

kavalover

Outsider
Definitely don't kill it! hehe, yeah take lots of pictures, if you have a blog you should do a kava plant diary sort of thing, I'd really love to watch your plant grow!
 
S

starsofclay

Kava Enthusiast
hmm i don't have a blog but i guess i could post pics on here and watch it grow... plus im planning on making alot of clones so i hope they do well too









I only wish i knew how much sun they like.... nowhere on the internet is telling me
 
kavalover

kavalover

Outsider
I remember reading somewhere that kava does well as an understory crop, meaning that indirect sunlight is fine with small periods of filtered direct sunlight. Don't quote me on that, as I don't remember fully if it was kava or coffee... but maybe a good place to start.



Best of luck man, beautiful plant
 
Vekta

Vekta

Notorious Lightweight
Review Maestro
Ask Adil (from Paradise Kava) how much sun they like. He Probably knows or can find out. He's in a youtube video where he gives a mini tour of an adult Kava plant.
 
kavalover

kavalover

Outsider
^ This.



Also, you see that PDF file - "Farm and Forestry Production and Marketing for KAVA" by Scot C. Nelson ?? A lot of good info in there that might help you out
 
S

starsofclay

Kava Enthusiast
oh its doing great- has two new leaves and looks like another sprout coming out of the soil at the bottom. I'll take some pictures soon. Im wondering how old i should let it get before i try to cut off a branch and clone it
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top