When it comes to community out reach, the University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture Extension Service is comparable to the way the Peace Corps reaches out to folks in other countries.
The Master Gardener program is an important component of the Extension Service. The program is set up to assist local folks with home gardening issues. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, this service has been severely limited, but is again available on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:30 a.m.-noon at the Kona office in Kainaliu.
Hawaii is unique in its horticultural blend of plants and landscapes. Although we live in the tropics, gardening is heavily influenced by the ways of Europe and the Americas. This, plus Asian, Polynesian and African agricultural influences, has made landscaping and gardening fun but a bit complicated.
If you decide to get involved with the Master Gardener program you will have 45 hours of classroom and hands-on horticultural training, plus ongoing continuing education. Course topics include basic botany, native plants, nutrition, insect and disease management, propagation, pruning and much more.
Once you finish the course you will become a local expert to assist others to be better gardeners. Master Gardeners also have several outings each year and get involved with community landscape projects.
Once we are back to normal times, master gardening classes will be available. Registration for the class series hopefully will be announced this fall, so keep in touch with our UH Extension agents in Hilo and Kona.
The class series will include field trips to places such as the Kona Cloud Forest Sanctuary in Kaloko Mauka, where they will be planting native hibiscus and collecting seed of the famous blue marble (Eleaocarpus grandis) trees used in the making of Buddhist prayer beads. It is closely related to our Hawaiian species, Eleaocarpus bifidus, or kalia. Hawaiians made cordage of the inner bark and used the branches in constructing pili grass houses, according to Marie C Neal’s book, “In Gardens Of Hawaii.”
The sanctuary is open to the public by appointment only. You can check out the website at konacloudforest.com or call 325-6440 to arrange a guided tour.
The sanctuary is a 70-acre cloud forest dedicated to teaching living forest friendly and reminding folks that our forests are the lungs of the planet. Most of the land is native forest, but 15 acres that were originally pasture are now totally reforested with a variety of plants and trees donated by plant societies and the state Department of Land and Natural Resourcees Division of Forestry and Wildlife. Once the aggressive kikuyu grass was suppressed by shade, many native plants began to re-establish themselves. Hawaii Island Land Trust and Moku Keawe Land Conservancy are cooperating in preserving the sanctuary forest.
For information on the latter, contact Debbie Hecht at 989-3222 or Alex Kelepolo at 315-3757. Another resource person is Janet Britt at 769-4343 or email Janetbritt50@gmail.com
To learn more about the Master Gardener program in West Hawaii, contact Ty McDonald, UH Extension agent, at 322-4893 or by email at tym@hawaii.edu.
Another opportunity to learn and apply your horticultural knowledge is to join a plant society such as the Hawaii Island Palm Society, Hawaii Chapter of the American Rhododendron Society or one of the many orchid societies. We also have societies and associations focused on coffee, tea, nuts and tropical fruits. Information about getting in touch is available online or by contacting the UH College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources offices in Hilo and Kona.
Getting connected with local plant enthusiasts is a great way to expand your knowledge with others of our island community and make friends as well.