Gardening in Costa Rica

[oleolson]

I live on the beach on Playa Zancudo and am building a greenhouse there for vegetables and flowers. Are there any books or specific websites on gardening here on the beach?

We are using the black remains from the Coconut oil factory for soil and probably need some fertilizer of some sort. Hear they recommend using the soil once and replacing it. I would appreciate any help that you can give.

thanks a bunch, oleolson

[Ronny]

This organization is in the southern zone and might be able to give you some information for growing in coastal regions. http://www.permacultureuniversitycostarica.org/

[ticopaz]

[quote=”oleolson”]I live on the beach on Playa Zancudo and am building a greenhouse there for vegetables and flowers. Are there any books or specific websites on gardening here on the beach?

We are using the black remains from the Coconut oil factory for soil and probably need some fertilizer of some sort. Hear they recommend using the soil once and replacing it. I would appreciate any help that you can give.

thanks a bunch, oleolson[/quote]

Hi Oleolson,
There is/was a great book written by Dr Ed Bernhardt that was published in 1998 called “The Costa Rican Organic Home Gardening Guide”. I have not seen it in bookstores for quite some time. I bought mine at a used book store downtown San Jose in about 2000. You might do an online search. It is fabulous. I have almost worn mine out! It explains clearly the basics of growing a garden by organic means as well as dealing with the different micro climates and soils of Costa Rica. He explains some of the many traditional growing methods, composting, seasons as well as how to deal with the heavy rains and different insect complications.

To my knowledge Ed still lives here and has a farm in San Isidro de El General. He used to offer organic gardening classes as well at the New Dawn Center. I just did a web search and found their web site: http://www.thenewdawncenter.info.
I would start here and I think you can purchase several books from the site and they still offer classes…

Happy gardening!
Ticopaz

[oleolson]

Hi Ticopaz,
I appreciate your kind response and will certainly look for Dr. Bernhardt’s book. Also plan to look into the NewDawncenter.info. I have had gardens in TX. for a number of years, but this soil requires a little more study to do well.
Happy gardening to you as well!
Ole Olson

[Plastina]

There is also a very informative group on Yahoo:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/crgardening/

[oleolson]

[quote=”ronny”]This organization is in the southern zone and might be abled to give you some information for growing in coastal regions. http:D//www.permacultureuniversitycostarica.org/[/quote]I want to thank you for the great information. I have looked at the sit and am very impressed. Thanks again for the reply!

[costaricafinca]

I, too, garden here, and agree that for many plants a structure with plastic cover roof is necessary to protect from seasonal rains which can be very heavy… plus an area covered with the green shade cloth for plants requiring shade. Very important to also add protection from the wind.
I have an old copy of the Ed Bernhardt book, but have found it is really just ‘trial and error’ on what is successful. It is important to use short day seeds for your vegetables.
We have hundreds of fruit trees of many different varieties, which I don’t ‘work’ with, plus many varieties of flowering plants, especially those which I hope will bring more than the 11 species of hummingbirds already coming to our garden.

[Ronny]

I’m in the southern zone close to the beach, and am in the planning stages for fruit tree planting and gardening. I have six acres with a creek on the bottom and overwhelmed with the choices that I have.Very difficult to decide with so many tropical factors that I have no idea about.
There are Howler and Capuchin monkeys that I see or hear daily close to the creek. I’m wondering if I’ll need to put something around the fruit tree trunks to keep them from climbing, or chicken wire around a vegetable garden for other critters…those sort of questions.
I’ve been gardening for over thirty years as a profession in Canada, and am really looking forward to learning about tropical organic gardening.
With all the different varieties of insects and animals in the southern zone, it must be quite a task to be totally organic.
My first diaspointment regarding flowers, was that I was told that strelitzia reginae doesn’t grow very well close to the beach as it’s too hot…i’m going to give it a go anyways. I have a great variety of heliconias growing wild and some planted, but strelitzia would be nice to grow around the house.
I have a Mimosa tree( not sure which variety) close to the house that I really enjoy. It attracts hummingbirds and all the leaves fold and close when it rains…really cool!

[costaricafinca]

Both species of monkeys will [i]traverse over the top of your trees[/i], if they are close together and if it is on their ‘pathway’. Nearly impossible to keep them off, [i]if they decide they want what your growing[/i]. But, it will take a few years to produce a large tree with fruit, so you may be safe….
It is very, very difficult to go organic here, believe me! Too many insects….plus there isn’t many products available, necessary to do the job.
As for keeping ‘other critters’ out, good luck!

[Author]

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