By Michelle Domocol @inflourish_
Back to Inflourish: Cebu Blog
How has your farm or garden fared in the July weather? Are you letting your soil rest and adding layers of nutrient-rich compost? Or maybe you’re harvesting some fruits?
This July, I spent my summer enjoying new places and learning a new language. But now August has arrived and I’m ready to share more design and garden inspiration.
Throughout August, I’ll post more design inspiration for food production, outdoor relaxation, and habitat restoration. I’ll feature:
â—‹ Seasonal fruits available in August
â—‹ Indigenous Philippine re-forestation species
â—‹ Terrace Gardening
â—‹Unique Floral Arrangements
â—‹ Outdoor Eco-Activities for Children & the Young at Heart
and more! Also remember to check out my other blog, Inflourish: Around the World, to learn about gardening techniques in environments and gardens outside the Philippines.
August Arrival: Caimitos
In the meantime, did you know many delicious fruits are available in August because they need the dry season to develop their fruits. Caimitos (star apples) are one of those delectable fruits available in August. Check your local vendor to see if they are available in a particular area. Before caimitos reach your local markets, they are grown in the ground or in containers.
Here are some tips to help you grow caimitos in your garden:
- Many experienced gardeners plant caimito seeds just before the rainy season. For beginners, I suggest you get a healthy young caimito sapling (aka a young caimito tree) to plant in a container or in the soil. Plant your young caimito sapling in a spot with full sun exposure. These plants thrive with sunlight and warm soils. Ideally, your soil should have great drainage. But I’ve seen caimitos thrive in poor soils around Cebu.
- If you have a small caimito sapling, make sure your hole is 3 times the diameter of the container. Dig a hole as deep as the container so the roots remain healthy.
- Fill in the hole with soil and water thoroughly. Make sure the water is directed at the roots.
- Fertilize your caimito every 2 months within the first year of planting your sapling. You can use vermicompost with rice hulls or other types of mature compost. After the first year, you can apply the organic fertilizer to the soil around the caimito 3 times a year.
- Make sure the caimito is watered every two days for the first week of planting. Then reduce the watering to 2 times a week for the first two months. Increase the frequency during the dry season. And reduce watering during the rainy season.
