Temperate Growing

[neokava]

@neokava where are you located? Does the plant stay indoors most of the time, or just the winter? What’s your care routine for it?

Oregon USA. I've left it in indoors placed near a south facing window but pulled back so it gets some shade. In the winter, I water about once weekly and in the spring/summer twice weekly. I've been misting the plant daily which I'm not sure makes any difference. For the past two months, I've been using some fertilizer every two weeks which seems to help the growth. The main struggle is the spider mites.

I'd like to try to to get it growing outside but don't want to risk losing the current plant. When I repot it, i might try to split it up so I can grow one outside in the summer.

 

[Robzi13]

Herbalistics was where I got my smaller specimen from. They are great! I got the idea for the mix I’m currently using from them and without a doubt, roots have taken off, it’s just the leaves I’m having the issues with.
I know a lot of people growing would not worry about the appearence of the leaves too much aslong as the plant is alive and root growth is happening, but I find it to be such an attractive plant.
Brisbane is north of where I am located here but I can imagine it would grow well up there. I’m about 2 hrs north of Sydney. Another couple of hours north of here and the weather begins to turn subtropical.
Cousins of mine live up northern New South Wales, everything grows beautifully there most of the year round. I’d love to see how it would do in the ground up there

 

[Robzi13]

Shame with those spider mites neokava.
Did you use any type of horticultural oil?

 

[neokava]

Shame with those spider mites neokava.
Did you use any type of horticultural oil?

I tried neem oil but I only applied it once. It didn't seem to make much of a difference.

 

[Robzi13]

Interesting. Your leaves and growth look quite strong despite a spider mite attack! Nice work
I haven’t had any mites yet but fungus gnats are starting to poke around so I’ll need to sort that quick.
You don’t seem to get the leaf deterioration but care and lighting routines sound similar lol I can’t work it out

 

[name:]

I was once told from a facebook seller that there used to be a guy up in cairns or somewhere in north QLD that used to grow a lot kava that was sold at Indian/spice shops in QLD.

 

[name:]

I would recommend a solid dose of compost for your plant.

 

[Robzi13]

I would recommend a solid dose of compost for your plant.

Cheers man.
I was reluctant to use too much compost in the mix as i used some in the one that killed my first plant. In hindsight, it was probably not a great batch.

I have seen a bounce back in this plant though. Had a flush of new growth in the last week or two and can see new leaves forming again. Think I’ve found a care routine that works for it lol

 

[Pand_erson]

Hey everyone, Hope it's ok to bump this thread.

I've been keeping this Logee's plant alive since 2019 and currently have it indoors in Zone 9b. It was by a south-facing window but I moved and it is now between two high up eastern and northern windows. It has a humidifier running 24/7 but has never really been happy. As others have reported it seems to suffer from chronic burnt tips and brown edges of leaves, with any nice leaves eventually turn yellow and falling off. I've been under-fertilizing it this whole time (which may explain the issues) but I've recently started to remedy that.

Anyone have any practical tips for making these plants happier?

I am currently propagating 3 new plants from a stalk that had lost all of its leaves.

 

[The Kap'n]

I've moved this thread to the new "Growers Forum". Maybe @Alia or @Gourmet Hawaiian Kava could give you some pointers.

 

[Alia]

Hey everyone, Hope it's ok to bump this thread.

I've been keeping this Logee's plant alive since 2019 and currently have it indoors in Zone 9b. It was by a south-facing window but I moved and it is now between two high up eastern and northern windows. It has a humidifier running 24/7 but has never really been happy. As others have reported it seems to suffer from chronic burnt tips and brown edges of leaves, with any nice leaves eventually turn yellow and falling off. I've been under-fertilizing it this whole time (which may explain the issues) but I've recently started to remedy that.

Anyone have any practical tips for making these plants happier?

View attachment 11453 View attachment 11454 View attachment 11455 View attachment 11457
I am currently propagating 3 new plants from a stalk that had lost all of its leaves.

Can you take a magnifying glass and look under the leaves? mostly to see if you have spider mites or thrips?
Can you start a regime of light foliar feeding with a product such as miracle grow... triple 13 or whatever has trace elements.
What is the soil media you have the larger plant growing in?
If you can answer those questions I can make further recomendations.
For sure I think a timed release top-dressing of triple 13 w/ trace would be the 1st thing I'd do
as that has no chance of burning...if you follow the label.

 

[Gourmet Hawaiian Kava]

I might also ask what the normal humidity is there? 'Awa does not like dry humidity conditions.
Aloha.

Chris

 

[Lukie]

Hi all I am having the same problems my Kava plants are in the UK at the moment as it was to difficult to get them shipped to my tropical home. They cam with severe root rot. They recovered but now having the same issues with the leaves. I got aphids now they are gone and wont be back but I was worried about CMV.

 

[Lukie]

I found a guy that's been experimenting with growing kava in Australia, looks like he's near Brisbane, which is a better climate for it than Southern California. (Turns out Perth is about equal to Los Angeles' climate) Anyway, he found that soggy soil seemed to the main issue, causing trouble with the roots. It's well known that kava likes well draining soil with a lot of air in it, this is why we add so much perlite...and natives like to plant kava on slopes when they can. But, when you see the mix this guy is having success with, you'll see it's extremely loose and chunky.

Here's the mix: coconut husk chips (50%), large sized perlite (25%), pumice (15%) and fine coco peat (10%)

I'm not even sure if I'd still call that soil! It's mostly just chunks of fibrous wood and rocks.

https://herbalistics.com.au/growing-kava-piper-methysticum/

​

This must need heavy hydroponics fertz. I may try this I do hydro also and get great results with other plants. Flood to drain method.

 

[kastom_lif]

If you're having trouble keeping the humidity up, what about misting it a couple of times a day? Set up a timer and an automatic mister or something, and you could take care of the foliar feeding at the same time.

 

[kastom_lif]

This must need heavy hydroponics fertz. I may try this I do hydro also and get great results with other plants. Flood to drain method.

Let us know how it works! Kava really does not like having wet feet. Might be better to try an aeroponic setup.

 

[kasa_balavu]

Hi all I am having the same problems my Kava plants are in the UK at the moment

Wow, where did you get them? They have (or at least used to have) kava growing at RBG at Kew, but other than that I've never heard of kava growing in the UK.
And where in the tropics do you plan to take them?

 

[Lukie]

Wow, where did you get them? They have (or at least used to have) kava growing at RBG at Kew, but other than that I've never heard of kava growing in the UK.
And where in the tropics do you plan to take them?

A friend posted them from Hawaii and another posted and ISA from Germany. The one from Germany is from a pharmaceutical company doing tests. We plan on taking them to our house in the Philippines. I have been drinking Kava for a few years and now and its really difficult to get it here and really expensive so I'm happy.

 

[Pand_erson]

Hey @Alia and @Gourmet Hawaiian Kava, thanks for the help.

I've had spider mites in the past (and as recently as a month ago), no magnifying glass on me atm but I don't see any pests just what I think are the natural exudates from the plant. Once I find my loupe I'll check again.

Good idea on the foliar feeding, I have some liquid seedweed extract (0.5-0-0.5) that might work(?)

If I remember correctly, the soil is roughly 4 parts perlite to 1 part FoxFarm Ocean Forest Potting Soil.

I will definitely start a proper fertilizer regiment.

I have a small 0.5 gallon ultrasonic humidifier next to it ~24/7 but the humidity varies. My hydrometer is currently reading 64% but it has dipped into the upper 40s.

 

[sɥɐʞɐs]

Hey @Alia and @Gourmet Hawaiian Kava, thanks for the help.

I've had spider mites in the past (and as recently as a month ago), no magnifying glass on me atm but I don't see any pests just what I think are the natural exudates from the plant. Once I find my loupe I'll check again.

Good idea on the foliar feeding, I have some liquid seedweed extract (0.5-0-0.5) that might work(?)

If I remember correctly, the soil is roughly 4 parts perlite to 1 part FoxFarm Ocean Forest Potting Soil.

I will definitely start a proper fertilizer regiment.

I have a small 0.5 gallon ultrasonic humidifier next to it ~24/7 but the humidity varies. My hydrometer is currently reading 64% but it has dipped into the upper 40s.

Your plant looks pretty good, at least you've got some height and handful of thick stems. I've been trying to grow these for about 5 or 6 years and have lost every plant. (several attempts) Just lost my last plant from my most recent attempt. I always seem to have one that does better than the others...but even when I keep them alive for a year, they're nowhere near the height and stem number as yours. I've got the same problem with the leaves too, it's probably the biggest issue...most of them get brown edges, eventually a whole piece of the leaf will turn brown and die. Most of the new growth (which is numerous) shrivels up and dies before it can mature. I also get some discoloring issues and I always have a pile of more dead leaves than living ones. Sometimes it's obvious that aphids and spider mites have taken up residence under the leaves, but other times the leaves just seem to be messed up even without an infestation...maybe there are some there though that I don't notice, until the infestation becomes more obvious. Luckily the horticultural oil spray seems to take care of them pretty well...although it usually ends up being pointless or too late by that time.

This is all in Zone 10a, with humidifier, automated hose mist, green house with automated fans and heater...etc...just can't win with these things. There is some guy growing them pretty well in Northern California though, somehow............