New to Dave's Garden and to gardening itself

Hi, I just registered to Dave's Garden, and I am new to everything!

I just need some guidance, with these first two questions:

1. I am based in Haiti - in which zone should I place myself on this Americas' map - Tropical Zone 9 (a and/or b)? Is Florida part of this zone (so maybe Haiti could be considered to be in it, too)?

2. I am building my house and about to get into the garden organisation phase - I dream of growing grape, both as a decorative plant above a structure, and as a fruit to be enjoyed. But good quality (in terms of flesh and taste) grape roots are quite difficult to find in Haiti. So I came to the Net to search, and that is how I found Dave's Garden and decided to join. Maybe I can ask questions around and be advised...

All suggestions, and/or more questions to help me be clearer, are welcome. Please be patient, I am willing to learn, and I would just like to try and prepare to create a garden for when I will finally move to my house (maybe next year)...

Thank you.

You're definitely warmer than zone 9a. Southern FL is zone 10b, so I imagine you'd either be in 10b or maybe even zone 11.

For the grapes--here is a 2-part article on growing grapes in Florida. I suspect the challenges of growing grapes in Haiti will be similar so hopefully this will be helpful:
http://www.quisqualis.com/tv02flagrape01.html
http://www.quisqualis.com/tv03grapelon02.html

SunnyFlo, here is some info on grape growing in Haiti.

http://www.aloha.com/~craven/Haitieg.html

Welcome to Dave's Garden. I don't know much about grape growing, but wanted to say welcome.

Dear ecrane3, themoonhowl and pastime,

Thank you for your replies, suggestions and welcome wishes. This is a wealth of information, and I am going to read carefully and take advantage of this information.

Now, help me again, where do I find information on the ZONES, so that I better understand what they mean and what they imply for me? This way, zone 9 b, 10 or 11 will really mean something. I am going to correct my page and update to zone 11, and then, when I have more information, update again. That should be fun...

Actually, in Haiti, I live in the mountainside, I believe at least between 650 to 800 meters above sea level (I should check, but I don't think I am too far off the mark)... In our future garden, my husband and I have planted a few fruit trees, indigenous to the country; that is what has gotten me interested in gardening.

We are in the beginning of everything, but I have decided that I am going to be curious, and learned from this experience, while having fun... I hope.

Thank you again for your respective replies. That will help me, for sure.

Have a nice day...

Sunnyflo, here is a map from Nat'l Arboretum

http://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/hrdzon3.html

and this interactive link
http://www.plantmaps.com/usda_hardiness_zone_map.php

Perhaps these will help understand the cold hardiness part of zones.

Thanks, themoonhowl. I am going to look at these tonight. Things are looking a bit different now. Thanks a lot.

Too welcome, Sunny. Folks are around if ya need help.

Moon

I wanted to add good thoughts to SunnyFlo after the terrible earthquake in Haiti. Perhaps when she is able to return to DG, she will see we were thinking of her and had her (and her family, friends and neighbors) in our prayers.

Kathleen

Good thought Kathleen. That was indeed a tragedy. Good thoughts to you SunnyFlo. Hope you and yours are all safe and well.

Jean/Moon

Jean, I checked and SunnyFlo apparently lives in a hillside village close to the capitol. This is where a hospital collapsed.

SunnyFlo, I hope that, by the time you get to a computer and see these messages, you and your family and friends are doing well. Across the U.S., we're seeing and hearing reports of the horrible devastation to your country. Wishing you all the best in this troubled time.

Thanks for the info Kathleen. At this point I guess all we can do is offer our hopes and prayers that Flo is safe.

Same goes for me -- hope and pray Flo is safe. There is such terrible destruction and suffering there.

Prayers are with you and yours. All those that are here.

Hi everyone - I'm new to DG and way over in Australia, so I suppose I should say gidday! I hope Sunnyflo has survived the earthquake and is back online soon. It's very interesting reading all forums with people dealing with freezing conditions and squirrels - we've just have a 43deg C day and I've got a Brushtail possum munching my silver birch! My husband and I ran a plant nursery here for 16 years which we closed down at the end of 2008. I now work at the local nursery - so if I can help with any technical questions, I will stick my hand up. That's what's nice about plants - they're universal.

welcome to you both hope she her family are safe.

Welcome to both of you. You will find people here both willing to ask and answer questions. I have learned more about plants in the year I have been a member than I learned in all of my many, many years put together! Hoping we hear from SunnyFlo. The earthquake was devastating.

Hi Kath. Welcome to DG. You will have so much fun here. DG has a very large population from OZ and as you may have noticed, Dave even set up a forum for our friends from down under. Glad to have your experience added to the mix. welcome aboard.

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1069330/

Welcome Kath. Please look at the above link in regarding to Haiti's situation, and add prayers.

Praying all is well with you and your family!
julie

SunnyFlo, our thoughts and prayers are with you.

Robin

SunnyFlo, sending prayers out to you. Hope you and your family are safe.

Sue

Thinking of you and yours, SunnyFlo,
and all the people of Haiti.
Charlie

My prayers continued for you & your people as well, SunnyFlo. Hi Charlie.

Good luck and God blss you and yours..

-joe-

I'm new to DG and glad I found this forum. I'm a casual gardener and have a lot to learn. This definitely seems the place to ask and find answers to my many questions.

SunnyFlo, I too, am praying for you, your family, and your country.

How have you fared since the earthquake? I hope you are okay, and still dreaming of growing grapes. I can tell you that much of eastern North America is too wet to grow to grow European varieties of grapes. The local grapes grown by Native Americans in my zone is called muscadine and scupernong. I don't have a clue about whether Haitti is affected by the wet climate of North America. I hope you are indeed okay. I am praying for the dear people of Haiti. God bless you.

Amen.

Think of you daily, hope you and your family are together and well.

Welcome to you too, TexasJan. There are a lot of knowledgeable and helpful people here at Dave's Garden.

Dear Friends from Dave's Garden,

To all of you, thank you, thank you for your prayers and your thoughts.

I must confess how astonished I am about your concern, for Haiti and our people. Thank you. I have been back to work since the 25th of January, and as I am in the education field, there is SO MUCH TO DO, because we have lost so much, we all do not know where to begin.

On the 12th of Janaury, I have seen the capital, in a matter of seconds, change from city to rumbles. You must have seen - from your side, on the Internet and on TV - the horrible images. In one simple sentence, let me tell you that Haiti has lost a lot.. For the ones of us who are alive, it will be a lot to rebuild, and we will redo it, as much as we can, and with the help that all has proposed.

I also must say that the response received from our closest neighboring countries - USA, Canada, Cuba, etc... - and from the WORLD OVER, is warm, extraordinary, and overwhelming. The human spirit, I must say, is incredible, and that is keeping me speechless...

I will not tell you what has happened to me personnally, suffice it to say that I, and my closest ones, are alive, and safe... Yet so many of us are maimed, crippled, hurt, and/or dead. At this point, I think not one Haitian can say, I have not been touched by this disaster... Each and everyone of us knows someone who has been hurt....

Thank you again for your prayers, your positive thoughts and your concern... Thank you to all of you, friends of Dave's Garden, from the bottom of my heart. I will be looking and reading from your gardening efforts, and learn from you so that I may evolve, in time, a nice garden too, promise...

SunnyFlo

SunnyFlo so glad to hear you and yours are safe.
Such a terrible tragedy, will keep everyone in prayers and thoughts.

Oh my! We are so happy to hear that you're safe! Best wishes to you as you help your country recover.

It is wonderful to hear from you, glad to hear you are okay, within reason i assume.. god speed in the healing of you, your family, loved ones, and friends.
-joe-

SunnyFlo,

Is there anything we can do to help you and your friends personally? We will all have extra seeds that can be sent to you - if that is appropriate. I cannot imagine what you are going through and have been through these last weeks. Please let us know what you and your friends need. Our hearts go out to all of you in Haiti. We wish you blessings that go beyond your wildest dreams. Marilyn

That is an excellent idea.. if there is anything you need, and a way to get it to you, i am sure we could get some care packages together..

What a great joy to hear from you! Thank you for taking the time to let us know, when you must have so much work to do. I agree, if there is something you or your school needs, please let us know.

This message was edited Feb 5, 2010 12:44 PM

SunnyFlo, I'm so glad you were able to post and update us on your situation. From the news coverage the destruction and suffering in Haiti is, to me, unimaginable. We are all thinking of you -- stay safe.

Sandy

Ditto, ditto, ditto, ditto! So glad to hear from you! Let us know how we can help.