Guest Columns
Gardening in Hawaiʻi with Tom Timmons: How to eat a tree
In the latest Big Island Now gardening column, Master Gardener Tom Timmons explains how to eat a tree. Yes, a tree. And he says it’s yummy.
Gardening in Hawaiʻi with Tom Timmons: Is my tomato a hypochondriac? Or is it really sick?
In another gardening column by Master Gardener Tom Timmons, he writes: “Sadly, tomatoes are subject to so many diseases that I think they may have suicidal tendencies. But with a little TLC, they will survive nicely until you rip them from the plant and chop them up for salsa.”
Gardening in Hawai’i with Tom Timmons: When planting papaya seeds, best to read the directions
For the latest Gardening in Hawai’i column, master gardener Tom Timmons explains why its best to follow his wife’s advice and read the directions when planting papaya seeds.
Gardening in Hawaiʻi with Tom Timmons: Are you smarter than a rose beetle? Can you outrun a snail?
In his latest Gardening in Hawaiʻi column, Kauaʻi Master Gardener Tom Timmons explains how to get rid of beetles, slugs and snails without chemicals.
Gardening in Hawaiʻi with Tom Timmons: The evil web of an avocado lace bug
To the naked eye, they may look like course ground pepper, but through a magnifying lens you will notice the edge of the wings have a lacy appearance — hence the name, lace bug.
Gardening in Hawaiʻi with Tom Timmons: Getting under the skin of bulb onions
Onions have their own sun clock. It is important when purchasing onion seeds to grow in Hawaiʻi to select a short-day variety.
Gardening in Hawaiʻi with Tom Timmons: Choosing a fertilizer for your lawn and plants
Master gardener Tom Timmons never realized that plants were fussy eaters until he was lollygagging in the garden shop rather than cleaning the garage like he promised his wife and discovered shelves piled with every imaginable kind of fertilizer.
Gardening in Hawaiʻi with Tom Timmons: The KISS method of composting
Composting requires four basic components: carbon, nitrogen, water and air. There is not a shortage of these in Hawaiʻi.
Gardening in Hawaiʻi with Tom Timmons: Why should you play in the dirt?
Simply put, dirt is dead soil or at least soil on its last organic breath. It contains rocks, sand, clay and other inorganic components.
Gardening in Hawai’i with Tom Timmons: Basil — the royal herb
Basil seems to relish the attention of having its leaves clipped. Regular clipping not only gives you fresh basil for salads and cooking, but it also stimulates the plant’s growth.
