The Forest Garden Tropical Permaculture with Adam Crowe of ʻĀina Exotics
Nov 26, 2021
Join Adam Crowe from ʻĀina Exotics, a tropical fruit farm in Pāpaʻaloa, Hawaiʻi, as he shares his journey of cultivating rare fruits in a unique climate. Discover the innovative swales and soil management strategies he employs amid local pests and environmental challenges. Adam highlights exotic delights like durian and rambutan and discusses the wellness benefits of ethnobotanical plants. His passion for biodiversity shines through as he navigates the hurdles of enriching sustainable gardening while exploring the delicious potential of edible leaves.
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Feral Pigs Devastated Early Orchards
- Adam describes how feral pigs rooted his mulched beds and girdled valuable fruit trees, causing big setbacks.
- He responded by installing sheep-net fencing and using grazing animals to manage tall grasses and protect orchards.
Select Disease-Resistant, Heat-Tolerant Vegetables
- Choose heat- and disease-resistant vegetable varieties and amend soil based on tests to survive tropical humidity.
- Save local survivors' seed lines across seasons to adapt crops to your site.
Choose Tropical-Bred Tomato Varieties
- Avoid heirloom tomatoes prone to fruit fly and disease; try tropical-bred varieties like German Lunchbox and Tropic Boy instead.
- Use greenhouses for sensitive heirlooms if you want classic slicers in humid tropics.
