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A Flowering of Promise

A Flowering of Promise 7 June 2018

A Flowering of Promise

Candidates for junior/assistant Extension agent for Floriculture and Nursery Industries on the Big Island will be giving their interview presentations starting next week: Robert Cating will present on Tuesday, June 12, Russell Galanti on Monday, June 18, and Emma Neigel on Monday, June 25.

Taste of Ag

Taste of Ag 7 June 2018

Taste of Ag

The Taste of the Hawaiian Range is returning to its agricultural roots and taking on a more family-friendly focus this year. It will consist of a free day-long ag festival, including farm tours and fun and educational activities for keiki, followed by a cooking demo and the much-anticipated evening food-tasting gala.

Go(a)t Ag Careers?

Go(a)t Ag Careers? 7 June 2018

Go(a)t Ag Careers?

Last week, CTAHR’s Kaua‘i team and the Kaua‘i County Farm Bureau jointly hosted the 23rd Annual Agriculture & Environmental Awareness Day at the Kaua‘i Agricultural Research Center, with multiple exhibits and lectures for the 5th-grade students from local schools who attended.

Lab of Possibilities

Lab of Possibilities 7 June 2018

Lab of Possibilities

The cover story of last week’s Crave section of the Star-Advertiser is all about the ADSC Seed Lab. The seeds it sells come from varieties that have been shown to grow well in Hawai‘i’s unique conditions, and they’re fresh, local, and extremely affordable!

New Faces: Kim Joaquin

New Faces: Kim Joaquin 7 June 2018

New Faces: Kim Joaquin

Kim (Kamalu) Joaquin has started as the new office assistant in the Kamuela Cooperative Extension Office as of Tuesday, May 29. She comes to the college by way of the North Hawaii Community Hospital in Kamuela, and we’re glad she made the switch. Welcome to the CTAHR ‘ohana, Kim!

Wowed by Science

Wowed by Science 7 June 2018

Wowed by Science

Associate Dean Ania Wieczorek and the Saturday Gene-iuses program, and the “Wow Factor” that they promote in kids, are featured in the Good Neighbor column of Midweek Magazine. It’s good timing, because registration is now open for the program, which will start up again in the fall.

Maui Funding No Ka Oi

Maui Funding No Ka Oi 30 May 2018

Maui Funding No Ka Oi

For those applying for the Maui County FY 2019 grant competition, proposals are due directly to Maui County administrator Cindy Reeves at reevesc@hawaii.edu before 4 p.m. on June 14. Projects are expected to be completed within the calendar year, no extensions, and the budget needs to be firm.

What’s in Your Soil and Water?

What’s in Your Soil and Water? 30 May 2018

What’s in Your Soil and Water?

The ADSC) is offering assistance to producers affected by current volcanic eruptions in Puna, Volcano, Pahala, and Oceanview areas. The farmers are allowed to submit free samples of water and soil for testing of pH and heavy metals. O'ahu growers were also invited to send samples to ADSC after the flooding in April.

Sports Diet

Sports Diet 30 May 2018

Sports Diet

Monica Esquivel (HNFAS) recently spoke at the Hawaii Athletic Trainers’ Association High School student workshop on what Registered Dietitians (RD) do, the pathway to becoming an RD, opportunities at UH Manoa, and how diet and food interacts with the body.

Saturday Is for Gene-iuses

Saturday Is for Gene-iuses 30 May 2018

Saturday Is for Gene-iuses

Associate Dean Ania Wieczorek and her Gene-ius Day team recently completed their 6th year coordinating the Saturday Gene-iuses Program, an exciting science education series that offers classes once a month to engage a total of students in innovative hands-on science activities.

All That Poamoho Does

All That Poamoho Does 30 May 2018

All That Poamoho Does

U.S. Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard’s senior legislative assistant, Dave Chun, visited the Poamoho Experiment Station to learn more about the research and Extension demonstration projects taking place there and was impressed by the work being conducted by CTAHR’s dedicated faculty and farm staff!

Pollinator Power

Pollinator Power 16 May 2018

Pollinator Power

The O‘ahu Urban Garden Center will be promoting pollinator-protection awareness and strategies at its Second Saturday at the Garden event on June 9 from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. The program is coordinated by members of the Bee Hui at the UGC, who provide community education and outreach about bees’ and other pollinators’ essential services.

Music for the Birds

Music for the Birds 16 May 2018

Music for the Birds

Scientist Melissa Price collaborated with artists and the Hawai‘i Symphony Orchestra to create six animated movements that educate youth about Hawai‘i’s endangered native bird species and the importance of conservation.

Screened In

Screened In 10 May 2018

Screened In

A Protected Culture Field Day will be held at the Waimanalo Research Station on Wednesday, May 30, from 10:00 a.m. to noon, where Extension agent Jari Sugano and associate professor Koon Hui Wang (PEPS) will discuss the benefits and disadvantages of screen and high-tunnel systems.

A Flood of Help

A Flood of Help 10 May 2018

A Flood of Help

Emilie Kirk and Russell Messing represented CTAHR and the Kaua‘i Extension team, helping to provide information when hundreds of rural families and farmers showed up seeking answers and assistance at a flood-recovery community meeting on May 3 in Hanalei town.

Growing Giants

Growing Giants 10 May 2018

Growing Giants

Despite the earthquakes and volcanic activity, over 30 interested growers showed up at the Komohana Extension Office or participated online in the first-ever Giant Fruit & Vegetable Seminar, for contestants planning to enter the 2018 Hawaii 4-H Giant Fruit & Vegetable Contest.

Getting Trees in the Ground

Getting Trees in the Ground 10 May 2018

Getting Trees in the Ground

In honor of Arbor Day, Andy Kaufman (TPSS) assisted a class of first- and second-graders to plant a hala tree on the UH campus; then, in honor of ‘Ohi‘a Lehua Day, he assisted a class of third- and fourth-graders to plant ‘ohi‘a trees on the Mid-Pacific campus.

Wet in Waimanalo

Wet in Waimanalo 10 May 2018

Wet in Waimanalo

Cooperative Extension proudly supported O‘ahu RC&D’s Parade of Farms, held at the Waimanalo Research Station on May 5. Faculty and staff from CTAHR helped to coordinate the event, and many CTAHR programs were in attendance to sustain O‘ahu RC&D and the Waimanalo community.

Parade After the Storm

Parade After the Storm 2 May 2018

Parade After the Storm

The O‘ahu Research and Conservation Development Council’s third annual Parade of Farms, hosted at the Waimanalo Research Station, will showcase farms and agriculture-related businesses in Waimanalo this Saturday, but recent storms have necessitated some changes in the tours.

Extension Funding

Extension Funding 2 May 2018

Extension Funding

Andrea Kawabata, associate Extension agent for coffee and orchard crops, was awarded a $750 scholarship from the Roy A. Goff Memorial Endowment Fund to support her participation in the recent Specialty Coffee Association Expo in Seattle. Andrea presented an educational poster illustrating how a specialty coffee region is able to deal with a significant pest (coffee berry borer) in order to continue to provide high-quality coffee to the consumer. Andrea also learned about current research; new technologies, equipment, processing methods; new varieties, and marketing strategies that she will be able to share with Hawai‘i coffee producers. The Roy A. Goff Endowment supports professional development for CTAHR Extension faculty and staff. It’s managed by representatives of Epsilon Sigma Phi Extension fraternity, Hawaii Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, Hawaii Association of Extension 4-H Agents, and the Hawaii Association of County Agricultural Agents. Applications for the next scholarship will be due July 31—for information about the scholarship, email Julia at zee@hawaii.edu.
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16 April 2020

Edible Flowers? Yes!

Home-grown herbs and flowers can add freshness, color, and flavor to your table

Edible Flowers? Yes!

Some of the most perishable types of produce are herbs and edible flowers, so getting them fresh means frequent trips to the grocery store. With stay-at-home orders, why not grow your own?

Growing an herb and edible flower garden at home is rewarding in many ways. It requires little effort and inputs. The sense of accomplishment I get from picking my own fresh herbs from my 2-foot by 5-foot herb garden bed is well worth the hour per week of attention I put into maintaining the plants.

Herb and edible flower gardens come in many shapes and sizes. Creating a containerized garden is as easy as finding an appropriate pot, some soil, and a water source.

Plastic planters designed for planting are best, but almost any container can be used. Make sure it wasn’t treated with chemicals to prevent decay and isn’t made of leachable chemicals that are bad for plants and people.

Containers must drain easily and not allow standing water. They must be large enough to allow the herbs’ roots to grow for long periods of time. The larger the container, the longer the plant can grow without becoming root bound, and ultimately, the less often you will have to water.

I don’t recommend using soil from an existing garden or landscape. These soils often don’t have good characteristics, such as drainage, for containers. For best results, I either use potting soil or mix garden soil with potting soil or cinder.

The fastest way to start an herb and edible flower garden at home is to purchase starter plants from your local nursery. Herbs can be grown from seed, but they usually require about three extra weeks before harvest, compared to starter plants.

What herbs and edible flowers are easiest to grow in Hawai‘i?

My favorites include cilantro, green onions, mints, and Hawaiian chili peppers. If you like basil, Thai basil is an excellent choice because it grows well in tropical climates compared to the more common European basils. The same is true for Hawaiian chili peppers compared to other pepper varieties.

Edible flowers are a beautiful and tasty option for companion planting in herb gardens. Nasturtium is an edible flower that’s easy to grow in just about any home garden. It can produce over 70 flowers a week—food for the stomach and soul! Marigolds are another edible flower, and they can repel nematodes and other insect pests.

So if you’ve got some time on your hands and are stuck at home, here’s something new you can try: plant an herb and edible flower garden!

Russell Galanti, Department of Tropical Plant and Soil Sciences, UH College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources