Ke Alahou, Volume I, Number 8, 1 July 1980 — home gardening DRY LAND PLANTING OF TARO [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

home gardening

DRY LAND PLANTING OF TARO

< v by Aptekona Olomana

Some people may mistake the term "dry land" to mean that no irrigation is used, but that is not the case. What is meant is that the taro plants are not planted in a "pool" of water, but in loose, dry soil. Dry land planting is especially beneficial to those areas where water is not found to flow constantly to create paddies. Another advantage is found in the accelerated maturing time of the plants before harvesting. Other advantages are being able to plant all varieties of taro [this can not be done in a paddy) and also keeping various plant diseases, which are spread by water, from harming the entire crop. There are many different methods to planting taro in dry land arpa. The best method for your area depends upon the type of soil and weather of your acea, What works in one place might not work in your area. There are many new innovations and alternatives, available to us. today to help produce greater crops, however some of these methods may cost more if your area is small or too large. In the olden days, farmers in dry land areas, like Kona, Hawaii, grew 7 their young cuttings (huli) in the lowlands and latter took the huli upland to the forest for actual planting. The forest, once cleared, could provide adequate water (rainfall), moisture (coolness)

and mulch cover (shade and plant materials). Otherwise, farmers would use the lowland areas w r here there was available rainfall. They would either clear the land of grass by hand or by slash-burn methods. This w r ould provide additional mulch and fertilizer (potash). From this', point a farmer could follow a variety of methods such as mounding (this is good for areas that are rocky), multiple planting (four or five huli in a single hole - called okupe or kukinf) or plant a single huli in a hole. The first two methods are basically gbod for home use, how r ever if one has a large area, then the latter would probably be easier to harvest. , If one has hard clay like soil, then the holes dug should be deep and wide to help form the corm less it develops like a carrot. In ancient times no chemical, human or animal fertilizers w r ere used. Instead farmers used the "green mulch" or plant materials to fertilize and enrich their soil. They would use such plants materials as hau or kukui - material that would degrade easily and without releasing any toxic poisons into the taro or soil. Mulching also helps keep the soil from being to arid and drying up, hence one can use less water to irrigate. For larger areas today, especially with the

many types of introduced weeds, it might be better to use "black 'plastic" like the type being used in pineapple fields. This will inhibit the growth of weeds while keeping the soil moist. One can either cut the plastic into strips' as is done in the pineapple fields and then line the rows of taro with it [place something heavy on the it won*t blow T away) or one could cut holes in to the sheet of plastic and lay it down on the area to be planted. As-for fertilisers, it is better today to use chemical fertilkers to enrich the soil, especially around homes. A good fertilizer is 14-14-14. and if possible a time released one. On top of this, one can mulch using plant materials or pre-made mulch that is available in nursery garden stores. The "french intensive" method of fertilizing and preparing the soil is now very popular in many home gardens and will also help the home taro grower alot. This method involves loosening the soil and adding fertilizer and mulch at this stage. After the soil is prepared one should wait for a few days to a week before planting. This method should eliminate the need to fertilize while the plants are growing which might damage or burn the young huVi