By Richard Ebesu When your plants don't appear healthy and the leaves are sticky, sucking insects could be the culprits. The stickiness is probably honeydew, and I'm not talking about the melon.
By Lorraine Brooks and Lance Mohler The sweet potato is a "canoe" plant brought to the Hawaiian Islands by Polynesians. The Hawaiian names are uala and uwala.
By Duane Choy Naio (Myoporum sandwicense) has the notorious nickname of "bastard sandalwood," which sometimes is softened by the more innocuous label "false sandalwood."
By Celeste Makrevis and Ty McDonald Fresh, ripe-on-the-vine, plump and nutritious tomatoes are tempting to anyone planning a vegetable garden. As many a frustrated gardener has discovered, however, there are numerous challenges to successfully growing tomatoes in the islands.
By Jayme Grzebik Q: I have a rose bush in my yard with many holes in the leaves, but why don't I ever see any insects? A: The holes in your leaves are most likely caused by a pale reddish-brown beetle called the Chinese rose beetle.
Blueberries can be grown in various Hawaii climates. Southern highbush blueberries have flowered and fruited at as low as the 250-foot elevation, even without a companion plant for cross-pollination, and they are relatively easy and very rewarding plants.
By Richard Ebesu One question often asked of Master Gardeners and extension agents is, "How do I keep fruit flies from stinging my fruits and vegetables?"
By Harold Keyser Legumes are known for their high protein content and the symbiosis they form with rhizobia bacteria, which provide them with free nitrogen from the atmosphere.
By Ty McDonald University-trained extension master gardeners routinely put themselves in the hot seat while fielding an array of home-gardening questions via phone and email help lines and at Plant Doctor clinics in the community.
By Heidi Bornhorst Three, tall slender gold trees grow in Thomas Square near the corner of Ward Avenue and Beretania Street, across from the Honolulu Academy of Arts. They bring joy whenever I see them.
By Jayme Grzebik Q: I have tiny white insects on the backs of the leaves of my gardenia. When I brush the leaves they fly up into the air like dandruff. What are they? • Q: I am trying to garden organically and don’t want to spray for whiteflies; what are other methods of control?
By Heidi Bornhorst Ohia lehua is the icon of Hawaii forests, right along with native koa, and it's the predominant tree that makes up a million acres of watershed forests. What would Hawaii be like without ohia lehua?
By Duane Choy She was born with the name Lydia Lili‘u Loloku Walania Wewehi Kamaka‘eha. This column celebrates our beloved Queen Liliu­oka­lani's most cherished blossom, the crown flower (Calotropis gigantea), or pua kalaunu in Hawaiian — also known as liliu on Niihau.
By Heidi Bornhorst Puu Mahoe literally means "the hill of twins," but it is so much more. Puu Mahoe is a cinder cone on the eastern flank of Haleakala. You have to go through three locked ranch gates to get there. It's worth the trip.
By Duane Choy Today my oldest nephew, Travis Choy, is getting married to Youna Choi. This article about stephanotis (Marsdenia floribunda), known as pua male — "wedding flower" in Hawaiian, is dedicated to them.
By Heidi Bornhorst Mock orange hedges, once the toughest thing in town, are dying; they are drying up. What's going on? Mock orange is one of Hawaii's best drought-tolerant and attractive hedge plants. It is in the orange family, Rutaceae, and comes from driest parts of India.
By Heidi Bornhorst Maybe we should grow some ko. That's the Hawaiian name for sugar cane. Did you know that it's a canoe plant? Ko was carried here by the ancient seafaring Polynesians, who developed many wonderful and ono varieties here in Hawaii.