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Old 01-05-2013, 12:16 PM   #12 (permalink)
waggoner41
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Location: Barrio San Bosco de Ciudad Golon, Costa Rica
Zone: 14 Costa Rica - Land of 1,000 microclimates
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Default Re: Growing in Costa Rica

Quote:
Originally Posted by PR-Giants View Post
In my opinion, you are doing things backwards.

First, you are placing the corm in "tierra negro" and only giving the roots a 25 cm distance to grow from the corm. Roots will actually prefer to grow 750 - 900 cm from the corm. I plant in a hole filled with sandy soil and amend the surrounding soil, starting at about a 50 cm distance from the corm. The roots tend to stay near the soil surface, so amending the top 15 cm is most important.

With only 1/3 acre you will need to carefully plan your planting area, especially if you are also growing fruit trees. If you plant bananas in the wrong area they can be moved, but fruit trees are a bit more permanent.
The top 15cm is good soil. That was the only thing the previous owners did right for what they were doing - creating a lawn.

the tierra negro has a high content of sand and the preferred fertilizer would be 20-5-30. I also have a source of chicken manure by the cubic meter, do you recommend that as an amendment?.

Have I erred in placing the plants only 1 meter apart? Should that be two meters apart?

I think the fruit trees are going to be my biggest problem since the area I am planting them is 6 meters deep in volcanic clay.
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