The University of Hawai‘i College of Tropical Agriculture & Human Resources Cooperative Extension Service assists gardeners with information including how to start a garden, soil testing, and plant pest problems. Gardeners can find a lot of information on the college
The University of Hawai‘i College of Tropical Agriculture & Human Resources Cooperative Extension Service assists gardeners with information including how to start a garden, soil testing, and plant pest problems.
Gardeners can find a lot of information on the college website at www.ctahr.hawaii.edu. Across the CTAHR homepage will be several headings in a yellow band. On the far right is the Publications and Videos heading. Click on that to take you to the Publication and Information Central page. There will be a box to type in the subject you want to search.
For example, if you want information on papaya, type papaya in the box, click Search Publications and the available publications on papaya will be listed. The publications are in PDF format so you need to have the Adobe Reader which you can get for free on the Internet. If you are not sure of a specific topic to search, you may click the Browse CTAHR publication collection link just below the box. That will take you to the subject index such as fruits, insects, landscaping, and many more subjects. Click on one of those subjects to see the available publications.
Back at the main CTAHR page, the Extension heading in the middle of the yellow headings band is the link to garden information. Click on the Extension heading to take you to the Extension page and the different programs and topics. The Home and Garden links are at the top and contain links to Knowledge Master, Ask an Expert, Farmer’s Bookshelf, and Hawai‘i Backyard Conservation Handbook.
The Knowledge Master is a database of insect pests commonly found in Hawai‘i. Click on the Knowledge Master link under the Home and Garden section. Halfway down the page is a subheading, Crop knowledge Master, and under that is ‘Information on agricultural pests’. Click on that link and it takes you to the pest search page.
Let’s say you want to know more about the Chinese Rose Beetle that is chewing up your plants. Select By Pest Type under the Pest Search heading. Now you are in the Pest Group Menu. Click on Beetles in the left hand column. A list of beetles is found arranged by the scientific name. It just happens the Chinese Rose Beetle is called Adoretus sinicus and is listed first. Click on the Adoretus sinicus link and it will take you to the page describing the host plants and beetle life cycle.
Go back to the Extension page and the Home and Garden section. The next database is Ask an Expert which are commonly asked questions to the Extension Service about plants and answers to those questions. Click on the Ask an Expert link to take you to the Ask an Expert database page. Near the top of the page you will see a magnifying glass in a circle and the statement ‘Click here to search the Ask the Experts Database’. Click on that link and you will see the topic area box that has Anthurium in it. Click on the arrow in the box to see the different types of plants in the database. If you want to see the questions in the anthurium section, keep Anthurium in the box then click on ‘Start Search’. Several questions on anthurium appear and if you click on the question, the answer appears on a new page. If you don’t see the question you have, go back to the Ask an Expert page with the magnifying glass and fill out the boxes with your contact information and your question and submit it. Someone from the college will get back to you.
The Farmer’s Bookshelf and Hawai‘i Backyard Conservation Handbook contain information on growing fruits and vegetables, making compost and pest control methods. Browse through those to find more information on gardening. Revisit the CTAHR website to see new publications and more garden information. You may also call the Cooperative Extension Service at 274-3471 or stop by the office in the State Office Building in Lihu‘e, room 210.
Contribute to Gardens & Grinds
The newly revamped Cuisine section is now Gardens and Grinds. The weekly Wednesday section will feature pictures and information from experts in horticulture, including Master Gardeners from the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa.
Are you growing your own food? Do you have a garden at your home? We’d love to help you share your stories and photos with readers of The Garden Island.
E-mail your submissions, which can also include additional ideas for what you would like to see featured in this section, to Managing Editor Nathan Eagle at neagle@kauaipubco.com. All photos should be high resolution jpg files.
