Costa Rica – Gardening in paradise

Picture this – You’re at home relaxing on the lounger in your patio and a mojito sounds inviting.

Wander over to the mint patch for some sprigs, pausing to collect a couple of limes that are ripe on the tree. The afternoon sun is hot so move the lounger into the shade of the guava tree nearby (earlier prepared juice is chilling in the fridge).

On the table, ready for a picnic lunch is a bowl of guacamole using avocados from the tree with a fruit dish of mangos, bananas and passion fruit for later. Cook-in-chief has collected basil for the salad and fresh thyme, ginger and oregano for the barbeque marinade.

A big vase of bright red ginger flowers, startling orange and violet bird of paradise and a sunflower decorates the area. And is that the delicate mauve of a Cattleya orchid peeping out from its home on the cabbage palm trunk? Why not? It’s your Costa Rican garden and you can easily enjoy producing of all the above in your own back yard!

High Speed Blooms. Low Cost Outlay

Whether you are a horticultural heavyweight or a rosebud rookie you will be able to start up a garden from scratch at a fraction of what it costs in the U.S., Canada or Europe.

Those of us who originate from cooler climes marvel at the luxuriant growth, variety of textures, blooms and colors that fill the tropical gardens in Costa Rica. Not only that, the SPEED at which a dense, rich garden can be created is something else.

Forget about planting a fruit tree for your grandchildren here – you can be harvesting your own avocados, mangos, oranges and cashew nuts within a couple of years! And what are considered delicate and tricky-to-grow hothouse plants up north, are seen as roadside weeds down here!

In the nearly thirty years that I have lived in Latin America, I have created some half-dozen gardens of all sizes and at most elevations.

There have been the challenges of weather extremes, bugs and fungal infestations – that can happen anywhere, but once established, these gardens have never required much more than getting out into them with secateurs and shears to keep control of the rampant growth.

My current 100 sq.m. patch had just grass, four citrus trees and two ornamental palms a year ago. Now, the fence is almost hidden with passionfruit vines, yellow allamanda and purple thunbergia creepers; new beds are home to hibiscus, hydrangea, begonia, plumbago and dwarf lantana to name a few, interspersed with chile plants, lettuce and arrugula.

My main expense (some $15) was a pickup truck of round river stones for a rockery. The plants have been bought, found, grown from seed and costs cannot have exceeded $70 to have a lush tropical haven of my own.

Herb plants at 80¢, 5′ citrus tree for $1.75, pot of ‘mums ready for bedding out $1.80, begonias for $1.30, flowering roses at $1.75. Mature orchids in their special wooden containers from $8 to $22 depending on rarity.

Costa Rica isn’t one the world’s major flower exporters for nothing. The fertile combination of climate, volcanic soils and seasonal rainfall ensure that everyone can enjoy their own lush, rainbow-hued garden.

Favourites such as heliconias, anthuriums, bird of paradise, sunflowers that are so costly in temperate climates are commercially produced in Costa Rica. There is no reason why you can’t grow them too.

The Stats’.

Capital San José nestles in the Central Valley at around 1000m. This means that both tropical and temperate plants will grow here. If you decide to settle higher in the hills at up to 1300m, these cooler climes mean you can grow plants similar, perhaps, to what you have left back home: gladioli, carnations, roses, chrysanthemums and even fruit trees such as apple and plum.

Further down the hill means that bananas, hibiscus, bougainvillea are a cynch!
It goes without saying that life in the tropics means rain and it can fall long and hard from May to December with heaviest downpours in September/October. As a gardener, it is wise to get out early in the morning before the afternoon showers send you heading for cover.

Mid-December to April is hose-pipe weather with slower growth, however, seasonal patterns vary greatly and long-time residents talk about their own backyard micro-climates with almost possessive interest.

Temperatures vary accordingly to elevation but you can count on an average of 74 degrees Fahrenheit (23 degrees Centigrade) around San José although nearby Heredia in the mountains is much cooler and the western villages of Santa Ana and Ciudad Colón are degrees warmer. It’s your choice but a glance at neighbouring gardens will show that your horticultural imagination can run wild at any altitude.

Day length so near the equator means you don’t have the marked changes of short winter and long summer days as in the north. You can be up and gardening in the 5.30 a.m. dawn light all year round if you want!

Bugs In The System

One of the things about living in Paradise is that everyone wants a share and unfortunately that means less than welcome garden visitors will want some of the action. All that warm moisture provides ideal conditions for pests that need to be controlled.

The more common are trails of leaf-cutter ants that are fascinating creatures but not when they are systematically stripping your best ornamentals.

The main nest has to be found (and it can be far from your garden boundaries) and eliminated. Caterpillars, white flies, thrips and various fungal growths and molds can be common. Fortunately, it is easy to purchase proprietary brands to deal with most of the problems.

If synthetic chemicals are not for you, there are several organic growers associations and suppliers in Costa Rica that sell natural insecticides, fungicides and fertilizers.

Starting Out

Maybe if it takes you a year to establish yourself in your dream home and you base yourself in an apartment to begin with, there is no need to miss the rewards of growing a garden.

The town of Santa Ana just west of San José is the flowerpot center of the country (in fact it’s the ceramic center in general so there are plenty of lovely earthenware products on offer), so buy up a few pots, pick up some earth from one of the many nearby nurseries and start planting.

Remember, the bigger the pot, the larger the plant can be. There is nothing to stop you having a tropical forest on your balcony. And don’t forget the herb seeds. And is there anything more satisfying than popping out to ‘harvest’ your own herbs as you prepare your favourite meal?

However, once you are installed in your brand-new piece of Paradise but have no idea how to start on a garden, don’t despair!

You set up your chosen area for a garden and you will want to stock it of course. Many landscape garden companies are available in or around San José that will provide layout plans and estimates. My local nursery in Santa Ana offers a full service of plant installation, lawn grass, garden ornaments and furniture and expert advice for my particular area.

Garden nurseries are plentiful around San José, but if you are starting with an expanse of bare yard and need to buy in bulk, good bargains can be found along “Gardeners Row” just 30 minutes west of San José at La Garita where commercial stockists sell retail or wholesale.

Many of the fruit trees are hybridised and ready to produce fruit in just a couple of years. Prices around this gardeners’ Mecca are competitive and the variety of shrubs, leaves, flowers and herbs is awesome. If you order in quantity, delivery can be arranged but you will certainly come away with your car trunk full of exotic blooms, ferns and culinary plants.

If all this sounds a bit daunting and yes, there are times, especially in the rainy season, when it seems my whole garden is conspiring to overflow into the street, you can contract a gardener. If that sounds extravagant, don’t worry – it isn’t.

For as little as US$10 for a half-day or a couple of hours, you can have someone come in a do the heavy work for you. They even bring their own equipment if you don’t want to buy a lawnmower or garden rake. If you started out with a garden company, they will provide comprehensive maintenance from pruning, mowing, fumigating to restocking for around $35 – $50 per visit.

And now you are living in your tropical haven, why not take the plunge and try your hand at the peak of floral attainment and cultivate some orchids. In Costa Rica, a country that boasts dozens of unique orchid species, this is not hard.

An important factor is altitude so buy accordingly and again, the plant nurseries or local orchid societies can offer advice and practical tips on buying and care. Secure your chosen species in partial shade and hose down daily. Send the photos to your envious friends back north.

So What Can I Grow? Just about anything.

Think about all those exotic sounding plants you have read about. Chances are, they grow happily somewhere in Costa Rica. You can break off a branch of the deliciously scented frangipani tree, stick it in the ground and know that it will grow. Split off some lemon grass or ginger at the root and soon it will be spreading in your own area. Seeds from pretty creepers are worth collecting to throw in a bare bit of soil – the worry is remembering what you put in!

Even if time does not allow you to devote yourself to your private jungle, there are hardy shrubs and perennials that require minimal care such as the multi-colored crotons, pink and red ixoras, agaves, philodendra or colorful heliconia.

Other wonderful blooms abound including the striking bird of paradise, begonias, anthuriums, gaudy bougainvillea, hibiscus, Christmas poinsettias, roses, and sunflowers. Lush foliage can be found in bamboo, variagated dieffenbachias, leafy ferns, dracaena, and palms. For the kitchen try basil, chile peppers, coriander, dill, ginger, lemon grass, mint, parsley, rosemary, thyme. The list stops when you do.

And if fruit is your thing, put in some avocados, bananas, oranges, tangerines, limes and sweet lemons, guavas, mangoes, papaya or starfruit and …

Don’t forget the passion fruit!

Useful Contacts: Asociación Costarricense de Orquideologia A.C.O. www.ticorquideas.com

The Garden Club meets 2nd Wednesday every month. Apdo. 3546-1000, San José

Bio-Organics S.A. 100m east of the American Embassy, Pavas. T238-3515

Thanks to Vivero Flora Vitae, Pozos, Santa Ana T203-4455 floravitae@racsa.co.cr

Written by Vicky Longland – With an honours degree in English from a Welsh university, South America seemed an obvious place to head! During thirty years in Latin America, V.L. has worked as language teacher, Spanish-English translator and as travel writer for local and international publications. Extensive travel through South and Central America, as well as the Caribbean, has created an abiding interest in tropical flora and fauna, and every home over the years, whether rented or owned had to have one feature – a garden.

Andrew Makarik

to@welovecostarica.com

Andrew Makarik is the main editor of WeLoveCostaRica, a fan of this sunny country. He is also a loving husband and a has a lovely daughter. By being a devoted family man and the biggest Costa Rica fan, he wants to make more people feel at home there. WeLoveCostaRica unites people and helps them find new home or a new travel destination. This website is a friendly community where everyone can find not only information, but also new friends and travel pals. Andrew is also passionate about IT and programming, so he himself maintains a friendly atmosphere in this cozy environment of WeLoveCostaRica.com.