Freds P.I gardening thread

[fred]

Actually Ive not been that much of a gardener in the past but since living here its starting to become a bit of a hobby..
The biggest problem though is our location.. Rock island!! Not only that but we can have 3 months here with no rain which turns the clay soil here to concrete..So..The stuff that grows on its own with harly any maintenance..
Certain things like Bourgainvilla which are definitely drought proof make excellent fence climbers and they have nasty thorns..(good for exterior fences).. Easy to plant,easy to grow and maintenance proof,although I have read that I should feed them every now and then... "Feed them",I thought? What with? A piece of steak or what ?
Didn't they ever see day of the Triffids?









Pineapples..
Plant them and leave them till you get one of these babies!! Im sure I could learn how to care for them with different types of Fertilizer etc but why when the one below got exactly naff all?







Orchids..

Another really easy plant to have around as all you need to do with these things are tie them onto a tree with coconut husk around the plant base and fertilize them once a week in growing season.. Apart from that they are maintenance free!! This one we bought in the market for P 150.00..










Local roses















Other maintenance free flowers can sometimes be found on trees... This one is on our Chi chi tree..

[fred]

Im getting a bit fed up with eating the local tomatoes and chillies that are not bad but sometimes lack flavour.. Here you can see my method of planting both New Mexican chillies,Scotch bonnets (Hotter than hell) and Beef steak tomatoes..
Everything is planted in pots or sacks in pure compost and cow manure and set in a concrete tray with about 2" of water.. The water wicks up from the bottom(Sub irrigation) and is hassle free as I stick in about 5 gallons of water mixed with Miracle grow once a week only.. They seem to be doing alright..Have to wait and see but I will keep this thread updated as they grow.





Red and green New Mexico chillies (not sure of proper name but pretty damned hot)



Jalapenos...,below #$%%%%#@ Hot!!

[Terpe]

Nice thread.

I'm looking forward to more. Hopefully I'll also try my hand and growing in the Philippines.

Ever-so slightly off topic Fred, but recently we visited Eden Nature Park & Resort in Davao City.
Actually a very interesting and relaxing day trip. Well worth it if you're ever in the area.
Anyway they grow huge amounts of vegetable and also flowers.

They have some very tasty tomatoes and lettuces.
They have a pretty large hydroponic vegetable garden and all this produce is used in their dining areas.

I don't know much about hydroponics, but it does seem an interesting possibility.

[fred]

Terpe.. Although I have never been to Mindanao,I joined a Filipino Yahoo group a few years ago to find out more about hydroponics in the country. These guys had a huge huge poly tunnel in Bukidnon and were producing some fantastic looking stuff.. Now here`s the thing..Bukidnon or (Bukid) means mountain or mountainous.. They told me that this elevated height was the main reason they could produce nice looking iceburg lettuce and even strawberries.. I kept some of their photo`s..Here they are.






I asked them about where they purchased hydro nutrients from and they told me all is ordered from Manila.. A lot of knowledge required as these nutrients dont come ready mixed..You buy each mineral by the sack load and mix them yourself..Obviously this mix changes depending on what you grow..
I have recently discovered a technique that an American fella invented .. Absolutely fantastic IMO.. Im gonna build my own version pretty soon.. The system is totally self watering all season.. More time for me to water self with SMB nutrients!
Here`s the videos..

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRQzhFBCot4">

[Terpe]

Thanks, some nice pics and nice info.

Interesting point about the elevation.
Eden Park is at about 3000 feet above sea level.

[grahamw48]

Fascinating thread Fred. Great pictures too.

A major interest of mine when I was living there....particularly in Angeles, where the soil/ash mix is really fertile.

I also used the cleanings from my aviaries to good effect as fertiliser.
Nice bit of re-cycling too, as some of the crops were actually grown for my birds as well as for family consumption.

We were also fortunate enough to have three large and incredibly productive Avocado trees in our 'yard', plus one large Mango, a couple of Coconut trees and the usual Papayas
Also the one that produces the little miniature Cucumber-like fruits along its trunk.

Anyway Fred, keep the gardening posts coming . Most interesting.

[Dedworth]

Great pics

[fred]

Thanks DEd... Glad you enjoyed..

Graham.. Got some pics somewhere of some young Avacado`s we are growing plus some chocolate trees Ive just got hold of from Loboc...Also my Calamansi tree that I grew from seed..
Watch this space!

[grahamw48]

Will do Fred.

Ah yes...forgot about our Calamansi tree.

I also grew a small one back here in York, in the kitchen.

[Tawi2]

to find out more about hydroponics in the country

I knew an israeli guy who grew vegetables Hydro style in luzon,had a poly-tunnel etc

A lot of knowledge required as these nutrients dont come ready mixed

Fairly easy to mix Nutes fred,get yourself a PPM pen and it takes the guesswork out of it Hydro you only really need to check Nute strength and PH.

[fred]

I knew an israeli guy who grew vegetables Hydro style in luzon,had a poly-tunnel etc

Fairly easy to mix Nutes fred,get yourself a PPM pen and it takes the guesswork out of it Hydro you only really need to check Nute strength and PH.

OK..Im in town tomorrow.. I`ll get the PPM pen at my local local Garden supply store.
Lets Hope they are not out of stock!
To be honest,I think I`ll stick with compost and cow manure.. Im pretty sure it has all the nutrients My plants will need...For now.

[Tawi2]

Fred,whats the medium in those sacks any ideas?Looks like a simple drip-feed system,is it?

[Tawi2]

OK..Im in town tomorrow.. I`ll get the PPM pen at my local local Garden supply store.
Lets Hope they are not out of stock!

I have never saw a PPM pen in tagbilaran fred

[fred]

Yes its a drip feed of exact nutrients from Manila..Problem is the nutrients are bought as a single mineral in separate sacks and then mixed by the Gardeners... Ready mixed stuff may be pricey.. Thats what they tell me.
Way over my head.. Leave it to the experts eh?
Good to see you back again BTW Tawi..Long time!
Just a guess but the medium looks like Palay to me..

[Tawi2]

Theres a number of Hydro sites Online Fred,I used to subscribe to Maximum yield before it became an internet mag,been to a few hydro tradeshows in the past,you could probably get almost anything you wanted equipment wise from Hong Kong Hydro,its where a lot of the european equipment is sourced as the chinese are flooding the market with NFT systems,HPS growlights etc,I was told of a small hydro store in manila,cant remember exactly where now,he had some equipment but its not big business yet in Pinas,surprised really as once you get a hydro garden dialled in it looks after itself with minimal care
http://www.maximumyield.com/

[grahamw48]

Hmm. Fascinating stuff.

I was looking into the possibility of INDOOR intensive food-fish rearing at one time (in the Phils), after being put off conventional fish-farming there because of security issues.

Apparently they go in for it in Japan.

I had a very interesting guided tour round the Agricultural and Fisheries research centre in Los Banos, Laguna, with the head of the place.

[Tawi2]

possibility of INDOOR intensive food-fish rearing

People have fed indoor hydro gardens with the run off waste from indoor tanks of tilapia,what sort of fish were you thinking of rearing G?

[grahamw48]

Well yes...most likely Tilapia, and that's the sort of system I was envisioning...using the very nutritious water for other plant-growing purposes. It makes so much sense.

In some countries they combine the fishponds with duck rearing...the ducks fertilising the water (and algae) with their waste matter during the day, then taken in at night.

[fred]

Calamansi tree is about 4 years old and 15ft high (from seed).. It started producing last year.
These picture`s dont do it justice as the tree is packed with them..
I have a couple of grafted bushes but these dont seem to produce very well..




Pappaya.
The trees did well the last few years and I had enough of them over to make 10 gallons of wine.
The Pappaya and Bananna vino came out spectacular after about 3 rackings over 6 a months period. the clarity and taste was stunning ..The Alcohol content above 15%..
This year they dont want to grow for some reason.. I miss the old ones..They produced for 3 straight years and then died.. Pretty sure that is the life cycle.

Pics below are of first test batch.. Second batch made in 2 X 5 gallon drinking water containers.

[grahamw48]

Great stuff Fred.

I hadn't considered the wine-making aspect.

[Terpe]

Calamansi tree is about 4 years old and 15ft high (from seed).. It started producing last year.
These picture`s dont do it justice as the tree is packed with them..
I have a couple of grafted bushes but these dont seem to produce very well..




Pappaya.
The trees did well the last few years and I had enough of them over to make 10 gallons of wine.
The Pappaya and Bananna vino came out spectacular after about 3 rackings over 6 a months period. the clarity and taste was stunning ..The Alcohol content above 15%..
This year they dont want to grow for some reason.. I miss the old ones..They produced for 3 straight years and then died.. Pretty sure that is the life cycle.

Pics below are of first test batch.. Second batch made in 2 X 5 gallon drinking water containers.

Now that got my attention

I used to do wine making in quite a big way. Really interesting hobby.

Tried doing beer and lager a few times but never totally happy with the results. Just about acceptable for personal consumption but that's it.

[fred]

Great stuff Fred.

I hadn't considered the wine-making aspect.

Graham/Terpe..
Thats the aspect that interests me most... Im gonna try to make wine from the closest thing to grapes here in the near future.. Lansunes..
Yeah I can get grapes here but right now its cheaper to just buy a bottle of wine.

[grahamw48]

Well, certainly 'different'.

My meat rabbit farming in Bicol raised a few eyebrows at the time too.

I had to tell the locals it was chicken, when made into tasty little pasties.

They loved them.

[fred]

Well, certainly 'different'.

My meat rabbit farming in Bicol raised a few eyebrows at the time too.

I had to tell the locals it was chicken, when made into tasty little pasties.

They loved them.

Ive got a huge pregnant Rabbit in the cage right now..
Dont worry... It wasn`t me!

[Terpe]

Graham/Terpe..
Thats the aspect that interests me most... Im gonna try to make wine from the closest thing to grapes here in the near future.. Lansunes..
Yeah I can get grapes here but right now its cheaper to just buy a bottle of wine.

I don't think I've come across Lansunes before.

[grahamw48]

Those little cream-coloured fruits that you peel to reveal sticky translucent segments Peter.

http://www.mixph.com/2007/12/product...-lanzones.html

[jake]

We have one hectare of lanzones and normally buy the rights to another 10 to 20 hectares every year. The fruits in our area are normally ready from the end of August until October. When the flowers first appear in April/May we estimate how many fruits each tree might produce at harvest time and put in our bid accordingly. It is always a bit of a gamble as sometimes nature plays tricks and the yield is not as much as you had estimated. Price can also be a major factor as it starts of high then goes down as more fruits are harvested during the season. Have had a couple of very good years when we have doubled our money. Will post some pictures of our trees tomorrow.

[jake]

Sorry got carried away talking about business instead of lanzones fruits. Usually at the start of the season the fruits harvested are quite sour and by the end they become a lot sweeter. The outer skin is not edible and there is also a stone/seed in the middle. Difficult to describe the taste but its similar to lychee. There is also another tree called Rambutan that fruits at the same time which looks more like lychee and also has a similar taste and texture.

[grahamw48]

Hmm...love those Rambutans.

Goes back to when I used to munch on lbs of them as a kid in Malaya.

They go by the same name there.

[Tawi2]