What grows in Ghana?

My nephew is in the Peace Corps in Ghana and wants to do some gardening. He thinks I know a lot about gardening and asked for my input on what would grow well there. HA! Little does he know, I will just ask the gurus on DG!! I'll be sending him seeds, of course. His mother is sending him tomato and cantaloupe seeds - he said they grow watermelon there, but are unfamiliar with cantaloupe so he's excited to share it with the African people. He's only 25 years old, but has loved gardening since he was a small child.

Check out this link .. it's entitled (drumroll)

flowers and plants of Ghana

http://community.webshots.com/album/6931325pGmoPWnCSI

After a quick look, I daresay you are going to be pestering your nephew for seeds!

Xeramtheum

Oh my, I just took a closer look.... I'm going to be pestering your nephew for some seeds ... what did you say his address was?

X

You are my hero, X!!!!! How exciting. Let me know what you might want and I'll ask him what is available already. I'll be sending him some seeds a.s.a.p. and we'll see what he can grow - then share with us!!!

Thank you very much for doing the research!

I'm very covetous of seeds from the Cat's Wiskers aka Bat Plant aka Tacca integrifolia. Though I've never seen one in person so to speak, one of those pictures looks like it might have immature seed pods. Its the one titled cat whiskers 6, picture number 38.

X

My niece is going in as well, in June. She's been assigned to Jamaica. Somehow, I don't picture her living in a hovel somewhere, but laying on a beach soaking up sun. I asked her to keep an eye open for interesting plants and seeds and she just looked at me blankly. I think the gardening gene passed her by.

She has already informed us, if we send shoes, to send each one separately so they don't get stolen. She was telling us stories about the post not being as sacred in these small, third world countries as it is here. Care packages with food usually have bites taken out, etc.

If I recall, melons are really big in Africa. Meaning they are a major crop.

It will be interesting when she finally gets there and starts working and living with the people she will be helping. Her major was in international business and she speaks French, so her assignment will be to help set up small business situations. I was thinking of giving her a subscription to DG, so she could keep the family informed all at once. Even with the price increase, it's still a good deal and I'm sure her dad would appreciate any help he can get when it comes to her living expenses. When she gets back, then it's 2 years at Thunderbird for her Masters. The timeline is not clear when she will actually start bringing in more money than she spends, LOL.

Try collards, pigeon/cow peas (black eyed peas), beans, cassava, tomatoes, peppers, melons & okra.

http://countrystudies.us/ghana/77.htm

Ghana is more tropical than Senegal up the coast, but some of the information contained in The New Farm's programs in Senegal may be of help:
http://www.newfarm.org/international/senegal/0706/index.shtml

You are all wonderful - many thanks!! My nephew is living in a two room hut with a dirt floor and mice in the ceiling. I sent him a picture of some Lupine I grew from the seed he brought me from South America - and it's his major decoration . . . lol . . . he admits to having some trouble adjusting, but it definitely suits him and he has no regrets whatsoever. His parents (my bro and his wife) are going to visit him later this year and I believe we will all pitch in and bring him home for Christmas. He is an absolutely delightful young man (okay, I'm a bit prejudiced) and one of those who truly wants to make a difference. He has no interest in being wealthy - good thing!