Tropical Zone Gardening: "The Project"...3 years going...building our Paradise, 0 by AlohaHoya

AlohaHoya wrote:
4 years ago we bought (still really cheap) 6 continguous acres to add to the 6 we had. Bob walked the bush, planned the route where the bulldozer would go...tying port (left) and starboard (right) ties to the trees so that we wouldn't be dozing the area flat. The road was dozed 3 years ago...flattened and then base course and cinder(red) laid down. Since the subsurface (3" down) is usually flat lava, we had a friend come in with his BobCat to hammer out the holes to plant the trees. He would dig out a hole, about 5' deep and 5' wide....the rocks are broken up in the bottom. Then Bob preps the hole with mulch, compost, fertilizer, cinder, cindersoil and then more cinder. I think over 150 holes were dug...prepped and planted!!! None of the trees are older than 3 years old. My ornamentals like the brugmansias are stuck in cracks in the rock...and the heliconias etc. are generally planted in raised beds.

I took a lot of pictures this morning...but I find the morning light just not good...some of the shots are OK. Will take more tomorrow afternoon. Morning light seems to difuse...no contrasts....

When we bought our home and property...the forest had encroached to be almost inside the house!!! We cleared a whole lot. Just the two of us. I get part time help for my little projects.....a senior in high school who has worked on Sundays for me since he was 13. I don't know what I will do when he goes off to college!!!

Hope you enjoy....

This first photo is of the Moreton Bay Fig just off the carport. I am loading it, and the other trees down with more hoyas!