Hello:
I'm in the highlands of Panama -- 4,000 feet altitude--where generally we have a rainy season and a 4-5 month dry season with lots of sun. Anticipating this, I ordered seeds from the States, including butterbeans, French filet beans, yellow crookneck squash and okra. The seeds have arrived but the dry season hasn't! It should have been here in mid December and normally it lasts into April, with increasing rain. I just saw a report that says we're being influenced by the cold in the States and consequently will not have a dry season at all this year. Plus, the high winds we normally have only in January are still with us.
Our typical day includes some sun, often at the same time it's raining, but mostly in the mornings or late afternoon. Our temperatures in a NORMAL year are usually in the 70s in the day, in the dry season can go to low 80s, and 60s at night. With the rains and the winds, we're lucky right now to be in the 70s although the weather changes so much over a day that many days we do have a some low 70s. Lots of 60s.
Being so elevated, the sun is hot when it's out but the constant rain, which varies from mists to medium, and the winds cool it. In the rainy season, which starts in May, we often have a substantial amount of sun alternating with heavy rains. Don't know if we'll even have that sun this year.
I'm just sick about this and wondering if anyone has any ideas at all for how to work with these heat and sun-loving veggies (and not water-loving!). Is there any reliable way I can either use them under these conditions or save them until next year?
Many thanks for your help.
Jane
Need Help Pls Veggie Seed Mistakes Wet Climate
It is cold and wet here all the time! A greenhouse is what most people use here to warm-up and keep growing conditions on the dry side. It's essential during the wettest coldest months.
Well, now, why didn't I think of that!! Of course, that's the solution!!
Thanks so much. And by the way, I had no idea it was cold and rainy EVER in Hawaii. Big surprise.
Thank you again!!
Jane
It's always best to look to local vegetables as they are proven suitable for the climate. And Vigna species beans are more suited to wet tropical climates than those you bought in. Sweet potatoes (Ipomoea batatas) are also good, just make sure garden beds are raised to give good drainage.
You might google the University of Hawaii at Manoa for their seed catalogue...they have good stuff!
All good suggestions and I will definitely try the University of Hawaii for the seed catalogue. In my defense, I DID think we'd have a dry season this year and the beans and other items would have been fine if the weather had been true. I also was suffering from French bean withdrawal and thought I'd give it a try. :D
Jane...your temps seem close to ours...and I have had good luck with Winged Beans from www.kiwazawaseeds.com Winged Beans are perennial...they die back, but sprout again from the same roots (if ours don't drown here!!!). I like them alot...barely blanch them, pouring boiling water overthem and dressing them with soy sauce/garlic and a drop of sesame oil and they are terrific. Also very nourishing!!!!! Their other asian vegetable seeds are excellent too.....
Very good thread on the Tropical Plants Forum re: Avocado blooms....
This message was edited Mar 8, 2009 11:21 AM
Here's the UH AG link for seeds:
www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/seed/order.asp
I posted a similar query after a recent move to Hanoi.
I recently came across a French govt-sponsored seed research program that has been developing seed varieties for the tropics, with particular focus on Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, and India. The website can be found at
www.green-genetics.com.
They say they ship overseas.
I have been in touch with the guys at U. of Hawaii but it wasn't clear their varieties would work here in Hanoi -- we have a very wet, very hot summer. They are very responsive tho. Might be your climate conditions are more similar to Hawaii.
Depends where you are in Hawai'i for the amount of rainfall. On Kilauea we get over 200 inches per year. Where Jenn lives in Kihei, they get about 15 inches per year. Windward to leeward has a lot of change in rainfall and temperature.
That seems incredible, 15 inches is about 375mm. That would constitute arid conditions. But being on an island, wouldn't relative humidity be higher?
The leeward areas of the Islands are hot, humid, and dry! Folks with gardens in leeward areas must water regularly. I rarely need to water anything but the nursery.