View Full Version : Disaster- multiple deaths- need advice?
Kevin's Farm-Distillery
05-17-2016, 02:06 PM
Dear all:
I'm currently abroad and my wife checks our bananas every two weeks in Hawaii. It's a pretty rainy place, but the lava soil drains the water without puddling. I planted 40 Apple Dwarfs and 20 Kluoy Kais and almost all of them have died recently. The pictures are below.
Both came from nurseries that claim to be clean, including one that is really well known with a strong reputation. We mulched around most of them recently and she showed up to find this disaster when planning to spread more mulch.
Many just died at the stalks and I have NO idea what it could be. We had fertilized in the first months and the leaves were always green. Some of the Thais went into shock after being replanted, but were on the path to recovery. We were careful not to pile the mulch too close, but with the limited soil in the area, we wanted to provide something. Some without mulch died also. This is an area with with wild bore activity, but not sure if that is related. There seems to be little consistency in what killed them and what spared them from mulch to not.
Any ideas of what has occurred here. It seems so sudden and wiped out a lot of work and investment. We're hoping to add a lot more bananas, although I clearly have a lot to learn.
Kevin's Farm-Distillery
05-17-2016, 02:10 PM
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=59763&size=1
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=59762&size=1
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=59765&size=big&cat=
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=59764&size=big&cat=http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=59768&size=1
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=59767&size=1
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=59766&size=1
Lancelot
05-17-2016, 05:03 PM
Hopefully the corms are still healthy and they will be sending up pups like the nice healthy one in the one photo.
blue java ice cream
05-17-2016, 05:28 PM
At first glance I had thought that a storm had knocked your plants over but upon closer inspection I saw that none of the leaves appeared to be shredded like you would see in a high wind situation. My guess would be that some pigs had come through and chewed on the stalks which would explain why they're torn up near the bottom. Time to break out the rifle.
Honestly to me it looks like someone whacked down plants then sprayed an herbicide. In other words, it appears to be human caused. Apparently it's been a few weeks because you have a pup growing that is not affected. I suspect the corms are fine for now.
ETA: Well, since I don't have wild pigs here, I wouldn't have thought of that but it does seem possible.
luisport
05-17-2016, 05:58 PM
Hi! What a loss... it seams made by some animal...
I'd go with the pig. Catch it and eat it!
sputinc7
05-17-2016, 08:22 PM
Kat... Indeed Florida does have wild pigs, but not to the extent they have in Hawaii... yet. Some kind of animal most certainly did it. Pig, maybe humans... They should grow back.
Kegas76
05-17-2016, 09:30 PM
Some kind of animal most certainly did it. Pig, maybe humans... They should grow back.
Perhaps a ManBearPig?
Tytaylor77
05-17-2016, 09:35 PM
Kat... Indeed Florida does have wild pigs, but not to the extent they have in Hawaii... yet. Some kind of animal most certainly did it. Pig, maybe humans... They should grow back.
We have such a bad wild hog problem here in Texas. I have had 2 banana trees I planted out away from the house look just like that. They tear up the ground so bad. It's really amazing what they can do. Destroys pasture land and any crops on it. It is for sure hog damage. Good thing it's banana and they will regrow fast.
You need a hog trap!! Super cheap and easy. I like the circle kind. Pm me anytime I can explain the traps they use here.
sputinc7
05-17-2016, 09:59 PM
And, here... I complain about tree rats. (AKA squirrels)
Kevin's Farm-Distillery
05-18-2016, 01:02 AM
Thank you everyone for your comments. I'm in East Africa for a few weeks, so my wife is tending things and we're both new to bananas, but have found this board to be a great resource. It seems like it might be those wild hogs. I was just worried that it might be some sudden virus that I wasn't aware of. I hope they'll shoot out some new ones and we can recover adequately. I paid way too much for my starters as I was naive.
In the mean time, we're now looking for someone to take out these hogs. I would do it myself with a trap, but I'm gone much of this year overseas. Fencing is a long term goal, but it's very expensive and a lot of work to put down posts in soil that is so rocky and at most 18" deep.
Juicy Bananas
05-18-2016, 09:06 PM
Where are you located? I may be able to help if you're on the Big Island. Does she happen to know how many or how big? They are sticking around if it is that bad. They sure do a lot of damage... but taste darn good.
sputinc7
05-18-2016, 10:12 PM
The soil being 18 inches deep at best is a good indication it's the Big Island...
Juicy Bananas
05-18-2016, 11:41 PM
That's why I was curious. It looks like this side in the pictures. Some places are covered in solid rock though. Rob is a great example of what you can do on a lava field.
sputinc7
05-19-2016, 07:27 AM
I know.. He probably has 2-3 inches of soil there, in the low places. But, it rains there almost every day, so who needs soil? I am guessing these people are up the eastern coast somewhere.
Kevin's Farm-Distillery
05-24-2016, 03:43 AM
Yup- I'm on the Big Island. I've got 20 acres near Mountain View in Puna. I'm just starting and learning to grow bananas, but hope to expand into a few acres, rather than a few plants. The plan is to open a craft-distillery where the bananas will be turned into a vodka and locally flavored appeterifs and the figs will go into both a vodka and a brandy. It'll be the first craft-distillery on the island and one of the few farm operated distilleries, which will guarantee a quality, local, and organic product.
I just got done doing a master-class on brandy this weekend in South Africa, where there is a strong tradition of orchard distilleries kept alive; something we lost with prohibition in the US. I'm hoping to bring that back to Hawaii by training local hobby farmers in the practice, but allowing them to do it on my premises and pay the excise tax.
sputinc7
05-24-2016, 07:28 AM
One of the Kapoho farm lots? We looked seriously at moving to the Mountain View area a couple years ago, before deciding on Florida instead... Plenty of rain, that is for sure. My wife wanted to be in Hawaiian Paradise Park area, because it's warmer but there are a lot of rooster "farmers" there. and I heard, a lot of irresponsible dog owners, too. Keaau area was going to be our compromise on one of those spaghetti lots in Orchidland. If money were no object, we would be in Hawaii... on the north shore of Kauai, though.
Kevin's Farm-Distillery
05-24-2016, 07:35 AM
Yes, it's the Kopua Farmlots; mine is closer to the front. I get more helicopters than cars going by there. It's very quiet, although that may change when I get the farm-distillery off the ground and invite tours.
robguz24
05-24-2016, 09:35 AM
Just noticed this thread and was going to say pigs too. If you plan to do something commercial, fencing is a must. We have friends with 12 acres and fencing their whole lot was not that expensive, and solved the pig problem.
Since you're not really eating them have you considered Williams or some other more productive cultivars? Kluay Khai is one of the worst in terms of yield. Namwah and the "Goldfinger" sold at Home Depot also put out pretty big racks.
sputinc7
05-24-2016, 10:33 AM
Sorry about the name, haven't looked at a map of the Big Island in 2 years, but I knew those were the only 20 acre sites up there.
With your proximity to the main attraction and being directly between it and Hilo, helicopters will be a regular site, there. What is your elevation there? I know some from up the road a bit from you have talked about occasional frost. I was wondering if that could be an issue to banana farming in the area.
Rob, I was wondering where you were on this one. If the road still went thru, this guy would almost be your neighbor... As it is, they are what, an hour, maybe one and a half from you? Sure wish I were your neighbor, too... The job situation there couldn't be much worse than here...
Chipb2
05-24-2016, 02:13 PM
How about setting up a camera and catching the culprit
robguz24
05-24-2016, 08:15 PM
Sorry about the name, haven't looked at a map of the Big Island in 2 years, but I knew those were the only 20 acre sites up there.
With your proximity to the main attraction and being directly between it and Hilo, helicopters will be a regular site, there. What is your elevation there? I know some from up the road a bit from you have talked about occasional frost. I was wondering if that could be an issue to banana farming in the area.
Rob, I was wondering where you were on this one. If the road still went thru, this guy would almost be your neighbor... As it is, they are what, an hour, maybe one and a half from you? Sure wish I were your neighbor, too... The job situation there couldn't be much worse than here...
I don't think there is frost anywhere that people live in Hawaii, aside from those living temporarily on Mauna Kea for work. My. View is maybe 40-45 minutes from me.
Job situation on Oahu is great, but some recent news story showed Hawaii has lowest incomes of all the 50 states when adjusted for cost of living. Keeps the population lower than it would be otherwise, which is fine with me!
sputinc7
05-24-2016, 09:23 PM
They lived up near Volcano. I read it on Punaweb message boards some time ago. I know they said they scraped it off windshields occasionally. Never been there, myself, but would love to go. I spent a week on Kauai on my honeymoon, though... 12 years ago. We followed every road heading inland as far as they went, beautiful. North shores of the Big Island seem very nice as well, plus not very crowded. Hardly a decent natural beach on the whole island, though. If I make it to the BI, will look you up. If I do, I hope you have some Gros Michel ready, as it seems unlikely I will ever taste one otherwise.
robguz24
05-24-2016, 09:29 PM
Yeah please do! And we have dozens of amazing beaches, many you can have to yourself at times.
Kevin's Farm-Distillery
05-25-2016, 07:34 AM
Thanks so much for all the comments!
Actually, I bought my first keikis from Rob about six months ago. He's got an amazing place and a beautiful banana cottage to go with it. We planted those keikis at our house in Hilo and they're doing great! He might remember me from giving us a tour with my six year old daughter who asked the name of each banana plant. She thought the variety was actually a name given to each plant, so it went on and on. I love how imagination of six year olds work- she thinks Rob named all of his bananas. She still updates me over skype on the bananas growing at the house.
The farm is at 1600'. We don't get snow or frost; you'd need to get much higher. It's very wet and slightly cooler than the lower elevations.
I am going to put in some Williams over the next few months, as I need mass and sugar, to put into those fermentations. I made contact with one person that has a few at $5/each, but need to fill up a couple of acres, once I fence things off. If anyone else knows where I can get large quantities of Williams, I'd appreciate it. Although, I assume most on the board are into anything but Williams or Cavendish!
My wife is taking a hunter out this week to start hunting and trapping the pigs. Once I have more time to spend on the island, I plan to trap and then fence in the intruders. They'll live and thrive off the waste from the distillation process and eventually be honored in a lua.
robguz24
05-25-2016, 01:37 PM
Thanks so much for all the comments!
Actually, I bought my first keikis from Rob about six months ago. He's got an amazing place and a beautiful banana cottage to go with it. We planted those keikis at our house in Hilo and they're doing great! He might remember me from giving us a tour with my six year old daughter asking the name of each banana plant. She thought the variety, was actually a name given to each plant, so it went on and on. I love how imagination of six year olds- she thinks Rob named all of his bananas. She still updates me over skype on the bananas at the house.
The farm is at 1600'. We don't get snow or frost; you'd need to get much higher. It's very wet and slightly cooler than the lower elevations.
I am going to put in some Williams over the next few months, as I need mass and sugar, to put into those fermentations. I made contact with one person that has a few at $5/each, but need to fill up a couple of acres, once I fence things off. If anyone else knows where I can get large quantities of Williams, I'd appreciate it. Although, I assume most on the board are into anything but Williams or Cavendish!
My wife is taking a hunter out this week to start hunting and trapping the pigs. Once I have more time to spend on the island, I plan to trap and then fence in the intruders. They'll live and thrive off the waste from the distillation process and eventually be honored in a lua.
I do remember, thanks for reminding me! Well Williams is at Home Depot, but you might try looking up Novelty Greens and contacting Troy the owner to see if you can buy many tissue cultures at a discount.
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