So a group of us kanaka are contemplating attempting to grow kalo up here in the Bay Area, and it's hard to know where to start with varieties of kalo. I'm just imagining that the kalo need to be planted dry, perhaps even put into pots during the coldest part of the year here; but not being a mahi`ai, I'm not sure.
Do folks have thoughts about what varieties of kalo might have a chance to survive in this climate? Also, if we were able to bring folks up from home to teach us how to plant and care for these kalo in these conditions, who comes to your minds that we might ask?
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When I was visiting the bay area a couple of years ago, I saw a Tongan family with some BIG kalos growing. I don't know how they did it, but maybe it's common?
I doubt most Hawaiian kalo could handle the cold, but maybe you could huli it just before the temp starts really dropping, and then pot inside while the huli is still good? In a way it's hard to think of Haloa doing well all the way over there, but if you can do it, great. You never know -- my sister has been growing white ginger over there and it does ok as long as it's protected from mean frosts like last year. I still think it would be better if she just came home and grew it here, tho...
Just some thoughts for your pono mission in support of Haloa...
If you have clean running water, that doesnt freeze over... TRY IT FO SHUA.
Most kalo take at least nine months or more to eat the corm, so if you have that much warm weather, it's definitely possible.
SAY you dont have that much time...
Some kalo send out runners... kinda invasive in a wetland patch, but if you just want laulau and luau stew, then I would grow those in my dryland patch fo shua. You can mulch it over when the frost comes, and/or take some huli inside for the winter. Because it spreads so fast you can get plenty lau for eat, but no kalo for poi. (Although there are rumors, I dont think running varieties of taro are bad, just under appreciated;-)
And if you DO have the time...
With all the cheap resources of the mainland you could probably set up an organic hydroponic system... but that may be too serious of work to be pono.
My uncle cemented two taro patches into his lawn, a sump at one end and a 150 gph pump. Its just for leaf but runs great. He has to pull everything out and replant once every two to three years.
Kalo in pots is my hobby- 70+ now...no problem at all if its ornamental. Any kalo can live in a pot. You just have to remember that the kalo has a life cycle. First stage is root production, (not corm), then leaf production, then the shrinkage begins, then oha production, then corm production. So if you have a nine month variety, then thats about two months of root development, two months of leaf development, then oha development will start, and continue to develop corm until the ninth month, and after that the root will begin to rot, and the plant will continue to shrink to almost 25% of it's largest recorded size.
Some two year varieties won't shrink till the end of the second year.
So you should replant once the cycle is complete, harvest for corm, then replant. If you have a two year variety you can get two years of leaf though you shouldn't eat the leaf if you are going to eat the corm. For corm development you can try to fertilize with N in the beginning, P and K about half way through. For leaf its Nitrogen all the way through, but i'd replant about 2/3 through.
What do you favor- fresh laulau.....or fresh poi?
I say fresh lau lau and fresh poi!!!!!
Next time you come Oahu come visit our farm... 15 patches and going...
mahalo Unlce Paul, Uncle Charlie, Uncle Rikki, Aunty Gwen, QLCC, Braddah John at UH, Unlce Jerry, Uncle Don, Uncle Vince, Uncle Val, and all the other Unlces, kupuna, and akua that inspire me to do what I love to do.
E OLA MAU NA HUI KALO HAWAII
Anakala Jerry Konanui comes to mind as both a person to advise on varieties that might tolerate cooler conditions, and how to get them going. Setting them up to grow dry style is smart, and it is almost guaranteed that you will have to bring them indoors or at least into a greenhouse/hothouse for the winter. Even in Hawaii, kalo is not known to grow naturally much above 1000 feet elevation (and this is not even out of the lowland ecosystems), it is not at all frost tolerant. Most varieties are sun-loving and might suffer during the winter, but perhaps it can be done.
I forgot that I started growing kalo in pots on my balcony a couple years ago. Here's a photo of my attempt. But my balcony was too windy and they died.
Now I'm in Oakland and I started growing a type of black kalo (ineditable) in my yard. It took a beating this winter but it's still alive. I'm going to try to recover it and I'll post pictures on my progress.
Obviously, *not* a lo'i but not hard to grow. can be grown indoors too.
I like da kalo! How nice to have it waving to you every day, even if no can eat. :) We should discuss your experimentation with growing kalo in pots up here when we get together. :)
Replies
I doubt most Hawaiian kalo could handle the cold, but maybe you could huli it just before the temp starts really dropping, and then pot inside while the huli is still good? In a way it's hard to think of Haloa doing well all the way over there, but if you can do it, great. You never know -- my sister has been growing white ginger over there and it does ok as long as it's protected from mean frosts like last year. I still think it would be better if she just came home and grew it here, tho...
Good luck!!
If you have clean running water, that doesnt freeze over... TRY IT FO SHUA.
Most kalo take at least nine months or more to eat the corm, so if you have that much warm weather, it's definitely possible.
SAY you dont have that much time...
Some kalo send out runners... kinda invasive in a wetland patch, but if you just want laulau and luau stew, then I would grow those in my dryland patch fo shua. You can mulch it over when the frost comes, and/or take some huli inside for the winter. Because it spreads so fast you can get plenty lau for eat, but no kalo for poi. (Although there are rumors, I dont think running varieties of taro are bad, just under appreciated;-)
And if you DO have the time...
With all the cheap resources of the mainland you could probably set up an organic hydroponic system... but that may be too serious of work to be pono.
My uncle cemented two taro patches into his lawn, a sump at one end and a 150 gph pump. Its just for leaf but runs great. He has to pull everything out and replant once every two to three years.
Kalo in pots is my hobby- 70+ now...no problem at all if its ornamental. Any kalo can live in a pot. You just have to remember that the kalo has a life cycle. First stage is root production, (not corm), then leaf production, then the shrinkage begins, then oha production, then corm production. So if you have a nine month variety, then thats about two months of root development, two months of leaf development, then oha development will start, and continue to develop corm until the ninth month, and after that the root will begin to rot, and the plant will continue to shrink to almost 25% of it's largest recorded size.
Some two year varieties won't shrink till the end of the second year.
So you should replant once the cycle is complete, harvest for corm, then replant. If you have a two year variety you can get two years of leaf though you shouldn't eat the leaf if you are going to eat the corm. For corm development you can try to fertilize with N in the beginning, P and K about half way through. For leaf its Nitrogen all the way through, but i'd replant about 2/3 through.
What do you favor- fresh laulau.....or fresh poi?
I say fresh lau lau and fresh poi!!!!!
Next time you come Oahu come visit our farm... 15 patches and going...
mahalo Unlce Paul, Uncle Charlie, Uncle Rikki, Aunty Gwen, QLCC, Braddah John at UH, Unlce Jerry, Uncle Don, Uncle Vince, Uncle Val, and all the other Unlces, kupuna, and akua that inspire me to do what I love to do.
E OLA MAU NA HUI KALO HAWAII
aloha a hui hou.
kaiks
Now I'm in Oakland and I started growing a type of black kalo (ineditable) in my yard. It took a beating this winter but it's still alive. I'm going to try to recover it and I'll post pictures on my progress.
Obviously, *not* a lo'i but not hard to grow. can be grown indoors too.
kalo1.jpg