ANYONE WITh a green thumb ? WANT TO GROW VEGGIES AND HERBS THIS YEAR IN DR

arrugala

Bronze
Nov 7, 2010
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Hi I am looking to do some gardening boosting a culinary desire for freshness here on the north coast and if ANY EXPERIENCED VEGGY AND HERB GROWERS HERE IN THE DR can give some info to sources , best kinds in this warm tropical climate ,and any good tips to start me off better than , just jumping in and having poor to mediocre results .I have experience with lots of plants but no food gardening in the DR . THANKS
 

JessicaRabbit

New member
Sep 21, 2009
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I had no success with that :( nothing i planted grew well... It was tomatoes, eggplants, sunflower and dill.
 

Linda Stapleton

Well-known member
Jun 3, 2003
633
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Used to do pretty well in the UK but it doesn't seem so easy here, especially if you don't want to use chemicals. Hoping to try again with a communal vegetable plot where I live. I've tried in pots but not much success. There is a great veggie farm just near the entrance to La Cienega between Cabarete and Sosua. They seem to have it down to a fine art with a limited range of produce, but what they grow is really good.
 

bronzeallspice

Live everyday like it's your last
Mar 26, 2012
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I have a container garden and I've been successful planting herbs and veggies.
I have rosemary,basil,mint,cilantro,thyme,parsley and oregano,bellpepper,cukes
yes,cukes(the bush variety)which is suitable for growing in pots,tomatoes,cherry
and roma.

I started from seeds,which I brought with me from the states,along with Miracle Grow.
Use the plastic containers not the terra cotta type which tend to get over heated in the
sun and will damage the roots.It will stunt the growth.

Herbs grow best in partial sun.I have mine in an area in my garden where they receive
enough sunlight and shade to cool them off:)

Buy some good soil,apply Miracle Grow or if you go to a garden center,I'm sure they have
other type of fertilizer.Apply once,every two weeks,and most important water your container
garden twice a day,morning and evening,since the water evaporates quickly in the hot sun.

If you can prefer the plants instead of seeds,go for it,you will be successful.
 

william webster

Platinum
Jan 16, 2009
30,247
4,329
113
We found the tropical seeds worked better... from the local hardware stores.

Also, we do better planting in Nov/Dec... carrots , beets, squash, tomatoes, thyme, onions, etc.

Yes, tierra buena and water.

The summer heat doesn;t seem to work so well
 

bronzeallspice

Live everyday like it's your last
Mar 26, 2012
11,009
2
38
Plant in an area in your garden where you receive equal amounts of sunlight and shade
and you'll be fine.
 

cobraboy

Pro-Bono Demolition Hobbyist
Jul 24, 2004
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Try self-watering grow boxes. They work great here. You can build them very inexpensively, under $30...
 

jrhartley

Gold
Sep 10, 2008
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well you could just do a raised bed and fill with better quality soil rather than containers if you need a bigger area
 

Ringo

On Vacation!
Mar 6, 2003
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Hi I am looking to do some gardening boosting a culinary desire for freshness here on the north coast and if ANY EXPERIENCED VEGGY AND HERB GROWERS HERE IN THE DR can give some info to sources , best kinds in this warm tropical climate ,and any good tips to start me off better than , just jumping in and having poor to mediocre results .I have experience with lots of plants but no food gardening in the DR . THANKS

I found the soil here in my area... is all sand. Makes sense being ocean front. I brought in truckfulls of topsoil and found most of that was clay. If you take a handful and ball it up and it stays a ball then you have a lot of clay.

I have a few gardeners that come to me to get my used horse stall waist with the saw dust/wood shavings that they mix into the soil and have had very good results. Some is about a year old.

PM me if you want to come and collect some.

Good luck.
 

cobraboy

Pro-Bono Demolition Hobbyist
Jul 24, 2004
40,964
936
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I found the soil here in my area... is all sand. Makes sense being ocean front. I brought in truckfulls of topsoil and found most of that was clay. If you take a handful and ball it up and it stays a ball then you have a lot of clay.

I have a few gardeners that come to me to get my used horse stall waist with the saw dust/wood shavings that they mix into the soil and have had very good results. Some is about a year old.

PM me if you want to come and collect some.

Good luck.
Most viveros have good, black topsoil. I also find it in the bigger ferreterias...
 

william webster

Platinum
Jan 16, 2009
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Yup, I get a small truckload of the black soil delivered regularly for 2800 pesos.
Makes a big difference.

The red soil will not hold water well.
We augment it w/ black earth and wood shaving.
Every once in a while a load of manure is added to the mix.
 

Castellamonte

Bronze
Mar 3, 2005
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Cabrera
www.villa-castellamonte.com
I've bought about an acre of black soil like WW has, it's great stuff. I have my own well so I water frequently. I've been able to very successfully grow arugula, bok choy, big jim green peppers, habe?eros, watermelon (50 lbs+), red beets, green peppers, eggplant, peanuts, onions, carrots, shallots, scallions, and so forth. Basically, if you take care and have good soil everything grows like mad here. Get ready for super sweet carrots as big as your forearm!
 

arrugala

Bronze
Nov 7, 2010
967
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OBE ONE GREEN THUMB SHARE PLEASE ! Thank you

WHAT AREA GENERALLY do you live in ? Did you use seeds here ? us ? Plants , would you share your info pls you are the one I have been waiting to hear from ! Lol I have a handle on gardening and basic vegetable on the mainland , however I know there are very subtle and not so subtle difference to be successful as much as u can . JR NEEDS HELP TOO lol