News and Events


«March 2024»
MonTueWedThuFriSatSun
26272829123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728293031
1234567

Interviews in Sustainable and Organic Agriculture on Kaua‘i

Interviews in Sustainable and Organic Agriculture on Kaua‘i 7 December 2018

Interviews in Sustainable and Organic Agriculture on Kaua‘i

All are invited to attend the interview presentations of the candidates for junior/assistant Extension agent for sustainable and organic agriculture on Kaua‘i, a position that will be based in TPSS. Each candidate will speak on their “Vision and Approach to Expand the Sustainable and Organic Agriculture Program on Kaua‘i.” 

Safe on the Farm

Safe on the Farm 7 December 2018

Safe on the Farm

There will be a statewide training for growers on the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA)’s Produce Safety Rule on Friday, December 14, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. in the UH Maui College’s Community Service Building #205. This training. especially timely in light of the recent warning against eating romaine, will help growers understand FSMA requirements and potential food safety risks on the farm. 

HNFAS Heroes

HNFAS Heroes 7 December 2018

HNFAS Heroes

Celebrate the careers, contributions, and well-deserved retirement of HNFAS faculty Brent Buckley and Douglas Vincent and Extension agent Glen Fukumoto on December 17, from 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in Ag Sci 219. Attendees are requested to contribute either monetary donations or potluck foods. 

Masters on Maui

Masters on Maui 7 December 2018

Masters on Maui

A laudatory article in the Maui News spotlights Extension agent Cynthia Nazario-Leary (TPSS). Cynthia is also a CTAHR alumna, with a master’s degree in horticulture and a doctorate in Natural Resources and Environmental Management. Now, as an agent in urban horticulture, she is trialing sunflower varieties, overseeing the Bee House, and coordinating the Maui Master Gardeners.

New Study on Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death

New Study on Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death 5 December 2018

New Study on Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death

The first study to implicate ambrosia beetles in Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death (ROD) has been published by the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR) at the University of Hawai‘i.

Banish the Curl

Banish the Curl 23 November 2018

Banish the Curl

Feeling yellow? You may want to check out the Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Virus Field Screening Pop-In Field Day. The college has been screening new varieties of tomatoes for possible resistance to the Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Virus, and a field day of resistant varieties will be held on Saturday, November 24, at the Waimanalo Research Station to go over field screenings that have been conducted in 2018 in the certified organic and GoFarm field plots. 

Stopping ROD on Eco-Tours

Stopping ROD on Eco-Tours 23 November 2018

Stopping ROD on Eco-Tours

The Cooperative Extension forestry team is teaming up with the island Invasive Species Committees, Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Forestry & Wildlife, Hawai‘i Tourism Authority, and Hawai‘i Ecotourism Association to offer a series of free workshops for eco-tour operators on how to avoid spreading the pathogen that causes Rapid ‘Ōhi‘a Death and other invasive species. 

Interviews in Ag Economics

Interviews in Ag Economics 23 November 2018

Interviews in Ag Economics

All are invited to attend the interview presentations of the candidates for junior/assistant Extension agent for agricultural economics on Friday, November 30; Tuesday, December 4; and Wednesday, December 5. Each candidate will speak on the topic of “Developing an Extension Program in Agricultural Economics for Hawai‘i.” 

Interviews in Livestock Extension

Interviews in Livestock Extension 23 November 2018

Interviews in Livestock Extension

All are invited to attend the interview presentations of the candidates for junior/assistant Extension agent for livestock on Hawai‘i Island on Monday, December 10, and Wednesday, December 12. Each candidate will speak on the topic of “Developing a Livestock Extension Program in Hawai‘i County.” 

Fence Them Out

Fence Them Out 23 November 2018

Fence Them Out

Troubled by wild beasts? Growers who are have requested assistance in managing the wild animals that enter farm areas and destroy edible crops. In response, Cooperative Extension will be holding a Wild Animal Deterrent: Electric Fence Field Day on December 8 at the Waimanalo Research Station to show how wild animals can be excluded from production areas using an electric fencing system. 

Master It!

Master It! 16 November 2018

Master It!

Want to be a Master Gardener volunteer or know someone who does? The East Hawai‘i Master Gardeners are now accepting applications for the 2019 Master Gardener Volunteer Training Program. The course begins January 23 and runs through April, from 9 a.m. to noon every Wednesday morning at the Komohana Research Center.

Past, Present, and Future of Extension

Past, Present, and Future of Extension 16 November 2018

Past, Present, and Future of Extension

CTAHR celebrated 90 years of Cooperative Extension and 100 years of 4-H in Hawai'i on November 7. Attendees included current Extension faculty and staff, retirees, and stakeholders. US and local lawmakers, Dean Nicholas Comerford, interim associate dean for Extension Kelvin Sewake, and state 4-H  leader Jeff Goodwin spoke on the past, present, and future of Extension and 4-H in Hawai’i.

Success and Advancement

Success and Advancement 7 November 2018

Success and Advancement

CTAHR was triumphantly represented at RCUH’s 2018 Awards Luncheon, with both first- and second-place awardees. COF’s Annalynn Macabantad and Dana Senaha took second place in the Team category, and GoFarm director Janel Yamamoto won first prize in the Researcher/Project Manager/Professional category!

Papayas and Hope

Papayas and Hope 2 November 2018

Papayas and Hope

Extension in Hawai‘i County was able to qualify for a grant to hire two agricultural technicians from among the many workers displaced by the recent eruptions. The new ag techs will work at Waiakea Station planting and cross-pollinating papaya plants to obtain seeds for commercial growers to start rebuilding the decimated papaya industry on that island.

A Flowering of Support!

A Flowering of Support! 25 October 2018

A Flowering of Support!

The Hawaii Floriculture and Nursery Association (HFNA) presented CTAHR’s Waiakea Research Station with a $7,500 donation to support research benefiting the floriculture and nursery industries, such as development of new cultivars and control of pests and diseases. Mahalo to HFNA for their support of CTAHR research!

Scrumptious!

Scrumptious! 25 October 2018

Scrumptious!

Although 4-H isn’t just about “cows and cooking,” as popular perception often has it, these are iconic activities for a reason! And while East Hawai‘i 4-H has cattle covered, there hasn’t been as much cooking going on in this chapter. So over the recent Fall break, organizers decided to hold a 4-H Cooking 101 Day Camp, and participants were glad they did!

He's Pro-Protea

He's Pro-Protea 25 October 2018

He's Pro-Protea

In a column in the Hawaii Tribune-Herald, former Extension agent Norm Bezona highlights protea flowers: “Of all the many floral choices available in the marketplace, none can beat the bizarre yet entrancing beauty of the Protea.” He praises former CTAHR horticulturist Philip Parvin, director of the Maui Experiment Station, who was responsible for expanding protea culture in the Islands.

More Support

More Support 25 October 2018

More Support

Dean Comerford was interviewed for an article in the Maui News about Rep. Lynn DeCoite’s call for more state support for farmers. Dean Comerford, who has spoken with Rep. DeCoite, praises her ideas and explains that with the ten new Extension agent positions that have been funded by the Legislature, the college will be able to provide more outreach, particularly in ag economics and financing.

Getting to the Root of Things

Getting to the Root of Things 25 October 2018

Getting to the Root of Things

Some local 5- and 6-year-olds on Fall break spent the week off school at the Komohana Research & Extension Center helping to pilot a new 4-H Junior Master Gardener Early Childhood Development curriculum offered through East Hawai‘i 4-H. The week-long day camp was centered around the theme of roots.

John M. Halloran

John M. Halloran 25 October 2018

John M. Halloran

We are saddened to report the death of former Extension economist and professor John M. Halloran at age 65 in Maine. John spent the first half of his career at UH, advising farmers on marketing in areas from cut flowers to coffee, bananas and papayas to livestock, forests to fisheries. He was instrumental in Hawai‘i’s early farm-to-table movement.

RSS
First1213141517192021Last
27 April 2020

Hydroponics vs. Aquaponics

These soil-less gardens just need a little fertilizer

Hydroponics vs. Aquaponics
Tilling the soil before you plant can be difficult, especially if the land is rocky or paved over. But don’t let that stop you from growing vegetables! Soil-less agriculture is an alternative that requires less physical effort and uses less space. Two good examples are hydroponics and aquaponics. But which one better suits you? That depends on your preference for dealing with soluble fertilizer or live fish.
 
Hydroponic systems may have been utilized thousands of years ago (think of the legendary Hanging Gardens of Babylon!). It may seem contradictory to grow plants without any soil, but actually it often works better than in-soil gardening. For plants to flourish, they need just two things: essential nutrients and water. Thus, if nutrients are present in the water and delivered to the roots, the plant has no need for soil.
 
Hydroponic systems don’t need arable land and consume fewer resources, yet crops can be higher quality than those grown by traditional methods. These benefits are increasing the popularity of hydroponics, which is spawning many inspiring, creative applications in urban gardening.
Aquaponic systems are another soil-less innovation, one that combines growing plants and raising fish. Fish excrete waste, beneficial microbes convert the waste into usable nutrients for plants, and the roots naturally filter the water to provide a clean living environment for fish and microbes. It’s a symbiotic relationship that results in an incredibly efficient system!
 
Design
Hydroponics typically utilizes 6”-deep grow beds, since the roots can easily spread out within the aquatic solution without risking root compaction. Aquaponic grow beds must be deeper, a minimum of 12”, so fish have enough room to swim around.
 
Another difference is the environment. Hydroponic systems are very sterile, since there’s no need for extraneous growing media to support the plants or root systems. Aquaponic environments, on the other hand, must harbor the beneficial microorganisms around the roots.
 
Nutrients
Hydroponics is best for plants with high nutrient needs; you simply adapt the solution to meet the plant’s needs. Aquaponics typically supports plants with lower needs, such as lettuce, leafy greens, and herbs. Or, if you need more nutrients and the tank is big enough, you just add more fish!
Speaking of nutrients, don’t forget to feed the fish in an aquaponic system! How much and what feed depends on the fish you’re raising.
 
Acidity and Salt
Correct water acidity is essential to any aquatic-based growing system. The optimum pH in hydroponics is 5.5–6.5. Be aware that salt-based fertilizers, recirculated over and over in the nutrient solution, will naturally build up salt content, raising the electrical conductivity (EC) of water. Unchecked, it could reach levels high enough to damage the plants.
 
Aquaponic water should be neutral or slightly acidic, with an optimal 6.5–7.0 pH to safely harbor your fish. Fish waste has very little salt, so high EC is rarely a concern for plants. However, fish waste does add acid to the water, so monitor the pH level.
 
Maintenance
With aquaponics, you must feed your fish daily. However, other than checking the pH and ammonia levels weekly, there’s usually no need to flush and replace the nutrient solution, thanks to the naturally occurring symbiosis that keeps the levels in check.
 
With hydroponics, it’s necessary to periodically drain the aquatic solution and replenish with a new batch before the salts become concentrated. This means monitoring the pH, EC, total dissolved solids, and nutrient concentration.
 
As you can see, the systems vary in upfront labor vs. upkeep needed. Which one is better for you? Both are popular, and both provide the grower with distinct advantages over traditional gardening. Have fun trying both of them!
 
Amjad Ahmad, Cooperative Extension Service, Sustainable & Organic Agriculture Program, UH College of Tropical Agriculture & Human Resources