Question: There used to be a compost station at the Halawa Valley water station maintenance yard. A lot of us seniors used to stop by on a Saturday and pick up compost for our yards and gardens and it was very convenient. Why did they stop doing that? It was a good service. …
Answer: The Board of Water Supply used to give away mulch, not compost, on a weekly basis, according to the agency. It stopped doing so as of July 2014 to prevent the spread of the coconut rhinoceros beetle, an invasive pest.
Kathleen Elliott-Pahinui, spokeswoman for the Honolulu Board of Water Supply, explains:
“The Board of Water Supply did not offer free compost for pickup at its Halawa Xeriscape Garden, located at the end of Iwaena Street in Halawa Valley. The only time it offers free compost is during its Annual Halawa Xeriscape Garden Open House and Unthirsty Plant Sale, held the first Saturday of each August.
“The query Kokua Line received may be referring to the free mulch that the Board of Water Supply used to offer at the Halawa Xeriscape Garden. The BWS stopped offering free mulch about two years ago to prevent the spread of coconut rhinoceros beetles. No beetles were ever detected at the HXG; however, the BWS did this as a precautionary measure.
“Now, the BWS offers a free xeric (unthirsty) seed packet or seedling of the month to HXG visitors who drop by during its open hours, on Wednesdays and Saturdays, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.”
The coconut rhinoceros beetle, an invasive scarab that feeds on coconut palms, was first detected on Oahu in December 2013, according to the state Department of Agriculture. Federal, state and local entities have worked together since then to control the destructive insect.
Mulch piles are potential breeding sites, according to the Agriculture Department, which has advised Oahu residents to look out for the beetle in green waste.
As for the differences between mulch and compost, the University of California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources offers a handy guide at 808ne.ws/mulchvcompost. It says that mulch is any material, organic or inorganic, spread over garden soil to cover it, conserving water and providing other benefits. Compost, which can be used as a mulch, “is the biologically active material that results from decomposition of organic matter under controlled circumstances.” This “soil conditioner” helps plants take in nutrients.
Q: I meant to make a note before the winter vog came about that vog cam or some kind of report on daily exposure. I saw it on the news but didn’t write it down. Now I can’t remember the name. Do you know what I am talking about?
A: Yes, it’s likely that you are referring to the Hawaii Interagency Vog Information Dashboard, which you can find online at ivhhn.org/vog/. It provides vog forecasts, real-time vog concentrations, ways to protect yourself from exposure and other information.
Mahalo
Please send a big mahalo to the United States Postal Service for going beyond the call of duty.
I mistakenly deposited an envelope that was meant to go in the bank night depository. It had the name of the bank but no address or stamp. I filed a lost mail report and was prepared to pay the stop payment fees for the check writers. But miraculously, the checks were subsequently deposited in my account. Some angel from the USPS processing department must have mailed the check in. I hope that person sees this message. You have restored my faith in humanity. We read so much about violence, injustice and meanness, so it’s so refreshing to witness a selfless nice act with no thought of recognition or reward. Mahalo nui loa! — L.M.
Write to “Kokua Line” at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu 96813; call 529-4773; fax 529-4750; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
