Guardening in Very Hot Climate

Hello, I recently purchased a property in an area of Colombia where it is hot (high 80s to low 90s) and very very sunny all year round. There is rain most of the year but I am told also a drier season for a couple of months.

My property was cut out of the side of a mountain, and right now is basically just mud. I will start construction of my house in probably about 6 months. In the mean time I want to start working on the garden and landscaping. I have about 30,000 square feet to work with.

I know almost nothing about starting a tropical garden. I need to find some sort of guide, online resource or book that can help me get started. I am also planning on building some sort greenhouse to grow flowers. Most greenhouses I see here are essentially just a roof made out of fine netting to block the intensity of the sunlight.

Can someone please direct me to where I can find some information to get this project rolling? Most of the information I am finding on the Internet about tropical gardening is focused on gardens that are not actually in a tropical climate. As for seeking out local help, well the majority of the people here just plant the same plants without what I would consider a whole lot of thought.

Thanks.

Welcome to TZ! We are in Texas, so we get the heat, not as much rain, but I do have to protect my tropicals from what fall and winter we do have, from Nov-March.

Hibiscus, Plumerias, Mexican Fan Palms and banana trees love sun. Banana trees like alot of water as well.

Will you be able to water when it is in the dry season?

Sunset puts out alot of good books, you might try them. Good luck with your new location!

At this moment there is no water service installed on the property. However, if needed I can transport in water on a truck. This of course will be costly so I prefer to start off with more hardy plants until the water service is installed in about 6 months Colombian time (about 1 year).

I definitely will have many palms and various fruit trees. There are a large variety of trees available, orange, grapefruit, banana, papaya and many others.

Aloha and welcome Medellin. What a gorgeous area you have chosen to live in! I am also learning how to garden in the tropics!

What elevation will your new house be at, and will you have to plant things to stabilize the hillside? Are you thinking in terms of ornamentals or mainly food producing plants? What are the folks who have shade houses growing under them- orchids? Just how much rain do you get?

A million questions LOL!

I live in a very sunny area too, but with very little rain. Temps for me are in the low eighties to low nineties year round and I am at sea level. I have quite a variety of fruit trees in the garden including:
Lichi, figs, pommelo, mango, oranges, limes, guava, coconuts, banana, pomegranite, sour sop, coffee, avocado, passion fruit, starfruit, papaya - and Cherimoya! I don't have a shade house, but probably should have for the veggies in the summer as they struggle a bit.

I rely A LOT on some of the folks here who are very knowledgeable, but I also have a book called "A tropical garden flora" by George W Staples and Derral R Herbst, which helps me, especially with Hawaiian plants that I am unfamiliar with. Some of the info in this book is a little over my head, and better pictures would help, but is helpful when you know what the plant you are looking at is called. I also find it helpful because it also gives elevation that the plant will do well in.

I think with a little more detail as to elevation, etc you will get some great guidance from the guys.

If you find out what is "native" to the area, then they should be draught tolerant when it is in the dry season. I've read that about Texas natives, so seems the same would apply to most situations!

I understand the time difference. I have a relative that it directly applies to as well, LOL! My son always asks......Is that central time or ?? time???? If I tell who it is they would be very upset.........haha!

Sorry, cross posted!

I think Carol would have some good advice for large scale tropical. Her user name is Alohahoya. She has a large botanical garden in Hawaii, also how she copes during the dry seasons, and uses the shade cloth greenhouses.

30,000 sq feet seems to be large scale?

My best advice would be to contact one of the operations in Costa Rica. . By talking to the experienced folks there, you can save yourself countless hours of trial and error experience as they've already been through it.

I know what your talking about in regards to the green house- indeed in Costa Rica there are entire hill sides covered by the shade cloths.

Right off, I would emphasize that if you don't have available water, this should be one of the topics. Typically, plants in the ground are able to cope with the conditions all depending on what's grown. Potted plants, like a flowering growing area may be an issue.

Anyway...here's a couple of links to get you started.

http://www.rainsongsanctuary.com/nursury.htm

Costa Rica Tree Nursery
http://www.fincaleola.com/tree_nursery.htm

(article for water smart gardening in Costa Rica)
http://www.gardeners.com/Water-Smart-Gardening-in-Costa-Rica/5578,default,pg.html

You can try google book search The Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture , the bonus here is the books are online
http://books.google.com/books?id=72EDAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA1210&lpg=PA1210&dq=Costa+Rica+Horticulture&source=bl&ots=ECOV6jQkQK&sig=tBAiNxiwfN9AygLvKMtT8UgUXXs&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=1&ct=result#PPA1209,M1

growing things in difficult conditions
http://nzdl.sadl.uleth.ca/cgi-bin/library?e=d-00000-00---off-0fnl2.2--00-0--0-10-0---0---0prompt-10---4-------0-1l--11-en-50---20-about---00-0-1-00-0-0-11-1-0utfZz-8-00&cl=CL1.1&d=HASH01c384e36cf9387c55ceb499.9>=1

This is an online magazine that you may able to resource through. Inside Costa Rica
where topics are often tropical planting and ecology
http://insidecostarica.com/specialreports/costa_rica_puzzles.htm

Another Costa Rica based online magazine, more inclusive of Central America.
http://www.amcostarica.com/083001.htm

or resource through one of their Botanical Garden pages
http://www.anywherecostarica.com/reserve/wilson-botanical-garden.htm

Anyway, I think looking closest to where you live you get the best advice in tandem with resources on a local level.


now..can I come visit after you get the garden going?: LOL

Rj

This message was edited Nov 25, 2008 4:56 PM

If you live in the same valley as Medellin ( elevation 5000 feet) you appear to have a wonderful climate with the same temperatures all year round. Average daily high at 80 and nightly lows at 63.
Unlike here you have rain all year round with at least 16 inches in the drier months and up to 40 inches in Spring and Fall.

Most Sun loving mature tropical plants should be able to handle this without irrigation..
Seedlings are the problem and they will certainly need protection from the Sun.
My "Greenhouse" has only a roof with corrugated semi transparent fiberglass sheeting. I require a solid roof to protect the young plants from our sometimes very heavy rain storms.

If you have local commercial Nurseries selling plants you should have no problems. If like me you have to produce most plants from seeds you will need a very large "Greenhouse" fitted with work benches. We don't have pots and other "fancy" equipment. We have various sizes of small black plastic bags available, prepunched with holes, used by the local tree nurseries. The only fertiliser available is 15-15-15 used by the local farmers.

With regard to plants you have an amazing choice of Sun Loving plants depending on your soil type. Checking your PH would be a good idea. You will also be making a lot of experiments to see what will grow and what won't.

I hope this helps.

Hi,

I just wanted to make a comment about how the locals plant the same old plants all the time. After trying to garden in the Virgin Islands off and on for twenty years, I am leaning toward the same old plants that everyone grows!! They are more pest and drought tolerant, and you simply have easier success with them.

One thing you haven't mentioned is day length. Or night length, it's important. In summer here, june-sept, the nights are long and hot, only a ten degree difference between day and night temps. Tomatoes do not pollinate, period. Other plants just sit there, not dying or growing.

Altitude makes a difference, also. There are orchids on the mountain tops that die if brought to sea level, so if you bring plants from a different place, they might not like the thin air.

Spend some time driving around scrutinizing other folk's yards and plantings, and start with what you see and like. Perhaps doing something different, like instead of one specimin, a long row, and etc.

Hope this helps a little!

Medellin is 6 degrees North of the Equator so they have virtually a 12 hour day and night all the year round. This takes a lot of getting used to when it gets dark at about 6.30 pm on a beautiful Summer's day. Likewise the temperatures are just about the same in mid Summer and on Christmas Day.

Local plants are certainly the way to go, Many plants are certainly sensitive to altitude, Coffee is a glaring example, The two main species will only grow successfully at different altitudes. Robusta below 3,000 feet and Arabica above 3,000 feet. It is also fussy about the soil composition.

I have found experimentation is very important and necessary, the cost of seed is negligible. Many plants that I expect to grow don't and others surprise me and grow very well.

It is very surprising that many plants considered invasive and on the Government's "Wanted Dead or Alive" list in Florida etc grow very happily for me and cause no problems.

Hey Medellin,

You might try contacting the International Palm Society to learn of members in your area. Education is one of their goals; you may find help with plants that do well in your area.

A book that you may find resourceful is:

Henderson, Galeano, and Bernal. 1995. "Field Guide to the Palms of the Americas". Princeton University Press. Princeton, NJ. 352p + color plates.
ISBN 0-961-08537-4 (cloth)
ISBN 0-961-01600-3 (paperback)

Aloha, Dave

Wow, Dave, that one pictured is like thunder, it's so beautiful!

Here, there are two palm trees from, I think, India, I-could-be-wrong-! that are so huge they dwarf any and all other palms. One is at a nursery, and the other at our Botannical Gardens. They are supposed to live fourty years and then pffft!

I dig Royal Palm seedlings from a gravelly stream here, below their 'mammas'.

Palms are wonderful!

Melissa-sorry,-I-got-off-topic!

Medellin,
The first thing you need to do is think about certain key areas you will want to create around your new home. Your driveway --think about the entry and edges. Your front door --tall palms are impressive to line a walk, or frame the entry. Your foundation line --sheffelera, hibiscus, croton, grasses in the sun, heliconia, aroids, ferns on a shady side. Your walkway around the house --think ground covers, bromeliads, cycads. Your patio or pool --low plantings at the edge can come later, think about a "back row" of taller, fuller plants now. Your fence line --sounds like this may not be a problem, but think about security effect (thorny plants) curb appeal. Find and be alert to established walking paths --there will probably be at least one on some part of a 30KSF site-- as well as to the best route for new paths, and plan your plant layout to tie in with the natural lay-of-the-land and cover over construction gouging and scarring of the natural vegetation.

BUT: be very sensitive to where construction activities will occur. Don't let your efforts be wasted, or complicate the main elements of your home development project.

Don't rule out those boring old local plants everyone uses --they are probably good, inexpensive materials to fill out around a budgetable number of nice accent plants.

Also be wary of introducing invasive foreign species. Befriend good local grower(s) and use plants natural to and proven in the locality.

This message was edited Nov 27, 2008 6:31 PM

This message was edited Nov 27, 2008 6:40 PM

First, I would be aware of what others are growing around you...what fruit trees they grow, palms etc...and that will give you an idea of what 'can' grow. Then branch out from there. I would put in the 'backbone of the garden' first...what major planting of large trees that aren't going to get clobbered by construction.. Dig huge holes for them and prepare them well... You also might contact the University agriculture department for advice... You want to use 'research based' information - not folklore. Even HI has areas around your altitude...and you might check out growing instructions and advice from CTHAR (or is it CTAHR??) which is their college of horticulture...lots of informational bulletins.... When looking for large trees, many come of similar altitudes as yours...similar growing conditions and i would match those up....

AH is right on all points. To shade my own advice a bit, make the plan right away, but do get all the heavy construction activity done before planting. Having your plan ready lets you have the guys doing your foundation dig also dig your big holes, trenches, etc. in the right places. Easier, better results, worth the extra cost, if any.

Thanks to everyone for your comments. I have been away from the computer for a few days so I just saw everything right now. It is late at night and I am falling to sleep so I will post a more detailed response in the morning.

One thing I should mention is that although I presently live in Medellin the property I bought is a 1.2 hour drive down into the valley where it is much hotter than Medellin and at a much lower altitude. There are giant palm trees and tropical jungle all over the place but not a lot of colorful plants as almost everything is green. All the gardens I have visited are covered with black netting so I am guessing the intense sun is too powerful for a lot of plants. One hotel I visited had a beautiful variety of plants but most were kept inside or in shaded areas.

This message was edited Nov 30, 2008 1:53 AM

PS: I do not how to spell "gardening" correctly but the site would not let me fix the error. :)

Their are some great plants growing native in Colombia you should be able to find some very interesting Anthuriums and Philodendrons. It seems their are a lot of unknown species in that area due to the lack of botanist traveling into the country. You maybe able to find some very interesting stuff if you look for it.

Enjoying this thread - wondering what you have decided to plant so far...

Such good advice from everyone - you guys are so smart!

medellin,

You never should have admitted a misspelling --I thought it was a perfect play on words, since in very hot climates one must emphasize the "guard" in gardening. All kinds of things to guard against happen that much more quickly: flood, drought, rot, insect infestation, overgrowth, fungus, etc. Opportunities abound as well, of course, but it can be a pitched battle --don't let your "gard" down.

This message was edited Dec 6, 2008 8:38 AM