Hedge Plants for Hawaii: What Holds, and What Only Looks Hardy
Of the 12 hedge species documented on this site, none holds across all of Hawaii, which spans USDA zones 9a to 13a. Seven fail everywhere in the state.
Gardening in Hawaii
Everything we have worked out for Hawaii: what to plant and when, which varieties finish in time, the pests that actually turn up here, and the jobs that pay off month by month. We also cover the rest of the property, from lawns and soil to home care and energy, because a garden rarely stops at the vegetable bed.
The numbers first, because everything else follows from them. Measured at the weather station in Honolulu, the last spring freeze falls around no freeze occurs in inhabited areas and the first fall freeze falls around no freeze occurs in inhabited areas, USDA zones 9a-13a, 9,934 growing degree days in the year.
Heat, not frost, is what shortens the season here: above 86 °F tomato pollen goes sterile, so growers run a spring crop and an autumn one rather than a single long season. Garlic is the awkward one: only 0 weeks below 40 °F, where it needs six to split into cloves. Chill the cloves before planting, or grow a softneck type.
Elsewhere on the property in Hawaii: the pests that turn up here.
Figures from NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals. A state is not one climate: elevation, a large lake or the coast can move these dates by two weeks either way, so check your own county with the extension service before you spend money.
When to Pull Carrots in Hawaii, and How to Keep Them
Pull Hawaii carrots when the shoulders poke through the soil at about three-quarters of an inch across, somewhere between 65 and 100 days after seeding…
Growing Roses in Hawaii: Planting Dates, Varieties and Local Pests
Roses can go in the ground in Hawaii in nearly any month of the year, because there’s no frost date to plan around anywhere people garden.
Finishing a Basement in Hawaii: Permits, Ceiling Height, Egress and Waterproofing
Explains Hawaii’s permit process, ceiling height and egress rules for finishing a basement, plus how to tell a water leak from condensation.
Roof Wind Speed and Heat Requirements in Hawaii
Honolulu’s 138 mph design wind speed drives roof framing and fastening in Hawaii, while the state’s snow load stays at zero and heat wears shingles fast.
Growing Hydrangeas in Hawaii: Types, Color and Winter
Hydrangeas can absolutely grow in Hawaii, but the state’s lack of frost changes everything about how you plan the season.
What Do Homes in Hawaii Cool With?
Most Hawaii homes cool with individual equipment, not a central system. A ductless mini-split, a window unit, or a portable unit does the job room by…
When to Start Pepper Seed in Hawaii
In lowland Hawaii, start pepper seed indoors 8 to 10 weeks before you plan to set transplants outside, timed to when your garden soil holds steady at 60…
When to Overseed a Lawn in Hawaii
The direct answer: in Hawaii, overseed whenever soil two inches down holds steady at 65°F or warmer, which at sea level is nearly every month of the year.
What Eats Pepper in Hawaii, and When
Six of the eight vegetable pests documented for Hawaii actually feed on pepper: aphids, beet armyworm, Chinese rose beetle, leafminers, southern green…