Past Events
April Chapter Meeting - Growing and Maintaining Tropical/Subtropical Trees in San Diego.
Nalani Vaughn, aka Fruitmommy, spoke to our chapter about growing tropical and subtropical trees in San Diego. She said there are three main considerations when deciding what will work where:
1. Microclimate. We should take a deep dive into our own property to find the areas with heat, such as south-facing walls, and wind, like slopes, to determine what should go in which spot.
2. Soil. Most tropical trees like thick layered organic material with high microbial activity that holds moisture but can drain. Our clay is not that.
3. Water. They need consistent humid environments, lightly moist all the time, like coco fiber.
Hints for growing included shaping the tree early with lots of light flow through the branches, protecting them from the wind, and feeding them heavily with non-chemical additives. She also suggested container growing for better control of their environment, and said that building a planting bed inside a greenhouse instead of pots allows for better growth while still protecting the trees.
