Anyone in Guam?

Also posted in the Hawaii section... trying to figure out where Guam would fall in the climate zones map and what I can do here.... Specifically what types of herbs/veggies would be best in this climate? We will be renting a house -so I don't think I can do the traditional 4x4 wooden box planting but I did find some pots that were 14" square that I was thinking about using for planting...

I see you have already found the Asia forum. Guam is definately tropical zone. The best I can tell you from what I have seen when visiting the Phillipines is to ask when the local farmers plant and don't expect the same veggies to grow. In PI, the main growing time is Nov- May which is the dry season. June-Nov is the rainy season and the plants drown. Be prepared to provide shade cloth. Lettuce will grow, but plant small amounts every 2 weeks and harvest the whole plant. The heat causes it to bolt quickly. Tomatos are very hard to get to set fruit because of the heat. Smaller tomatos and cherry type are the best. Kale did very well in my friends garden in spite of being a cool weather crop as well as chard. Squash does well but has the same pests as here in the States. Peas don't like the heat but beans, peppers, eggplant love it. Think summer not spring/fall gardening.

One thing, as close to the equator as you are, you have over 10 hrs of sun year round.

Kay

I live in Saipan and want to get started with this gardening method (our soil stinks). I'm having a hell of a time finding the soil components though. Any thoughts?

G.

I have had far more success than failures, so here is the shorter list of what does not like to grow outside in the sun:
cabbage, parsley, cilantro, celery.

What does like to grow:
radish, daikon, peppers, eggplant, tomatillo, corn, bitter melon, onion, carrot, beans, mint, thyme, rosemary.

Hasselback wrote:I live in Saipan and want to get started with this gardening method (our soil stinks). I'm having a hell of a time finding the soil components though. Any thoughts?

G.

I would think that anywhere in the world where the underlying rock is coral SFG is the best solution to local agriculture. But it takes some work.
You may have to make your own soil. Compost anything you can find that is organic. Fruit, leaves, fish guts, seaweed (needs to be washed to get the salt out). If you have a way to grind or chop your compost components into smaller pieces that will be great.
When you get packages from off island, try and request that the packing material be vermiculite or perlite.
In a rock coral situation, I would worry less about the components of MM than conserving every bit of soil you can find. The square foot concept will work just fine. But if you can get the components of Mel's Mix, from visitors, care packages, whatever, that's a plus. In any event, you should rely on natural ingredients and not artificial fertilizers.
Your square can be made out of coconut logs, bricks, concrete blocks, in short anything that will hold soil on the bottom and on the sides.

I would love to see photos of your efforts and how you solve your problems.

Tom

I have been living in the Philippines for 4 years now, we are very close to Guam in both location and climate. Before I lived in the Houston, Texas area which is Sub tropic and is actually both hotter and more humid than here. Most any seed that is Zone 8b-11 will generally grow here. Best if possible to always get non-hybrid seeds because most hybrids will not bear seeds that can be replanted for the next growing cycle. You will need to carry them in a simple paper bag in your carry-on luggage and take then out when required to pass the luggage through the airport x-ray machines. They can manually inspect them if they so choose and then will let you pass through, for it is well understood by the airport inspectors that these x-ray machines will render the seed worthless. I have never encountered problems at airports doing this, and it really quite simple.

I hope this helps