Wow, time flies! It's once again almost time for the monthly plant exchange at Kaiser High School. Bring a plant, take a plant, or if something catches your fancy and you don't have an exchange, just leave a donation. Net proceeds go 100% to Friends of Kaiser PTSA, where they use it for teacher supplies, award donations and other academic endeavors.
This month, we'll be bringing our revolving stock of plants and adding pandan plants, which have finally matured enough to give away. Pandan is a great culinary plant, used extensively in Malaysian, Indonesian, Filipino and Singaporean cooking. I mostly use it to flavor rice, adding a few leaves before steaming. If you're feeling fancy, you can make a nice pot of Nasi Lemak with little ado.
We also have a number of green ti leaf remaining, as well as kupukupu fern and true oregano.
Kaiser High School Parking Lot, 511 Lunalilo Home Road from 4-7pm on October 4. Hope to see you there.
Thank you to everyone who participated in August's plant exchange. The exchange received a wide variety of new plants and cuttings. I was particularly touched by those of you thoughtful enough to start new cuttings and seedlings for us -- just for the sake of community.
Over the next week, this site will be spiffed up to include a database of plants that have come through the exchange. Many will be in stock for September as well. If you see one you like, pop me an email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and if it's still available I'll do my best to have it brought over.
Here's a picture of a cuban oregano plant with variegated leaves that was exchanged this month. It's both beautiful and fragrant.
The next plant exchange is once again, the first Tuesday of the month from 4-7 pm at Kaiser High School. We'll be there on September 6. Hope to see you there. Remember, it's a casual exchange. Bring something, take something, or just leave a donation to the Kaiser High School community. Everyone benefits.
The Friends of Kaiser PTSA just held a plant exchange at their Tuesday Farmer's Market. It was definitely a success and we'll be doing it again on August 2, 2016. So, until further notice, FIRST TUESDAY, 4-7 PM, school parking lot, we'll be there.
Here's how it works. You bring a plant and exchange it for something else. Or, you bring pots or other gardening supplies. Alternatively, just leave a donation to the PTSA in an amount of your discretion. It's all good and everyone benefits.
I must say I was pleasantly surprised at the turnout and participation at our first event. We may have had over dozen or so people show up with exchanges. I even received these plants shown above, which by some miracle remained at the end of the event. They're going to be perfect for my natural rock landscaping: a little color among a sea of red rock and lush green ferns.
The point is that there's a little something for everyone. The Christmas cactus brought in was scooped up promptly. The pink pommelo (jabon) has a new yard. The mint, thyme and green onion went to homes needing culinary herbs. You just never know what will turn up. We even got a fresh supply of pots.
I've filled them with new plants for August and here's what I'm planning on bringing.
- Papaya (seedling) - highly prolific. We've been eating fruit and giving away for years now.
- Alocasia - Excellent landscape plant, tolerates indoor sun.
- Lemongrass - Good to have on hand for SE Asian cuisine.
- Oregano - Excellent edible ground cover. Grows well in partial shade.
- Ti Leaf (green) - Lovely tropical plant for landscaping, leis and cooking.
The list is subject to change, of course, but I'll keep this post updated so you have the latest information. Again, for those that participated this week, MAHALO. It was a huge success and thanks to generous donations -- both in plants and cash -- there's also some extra money for the PTSA to use in the school community.
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Friends of Kaiser High School PTSA runs a farmer's market every Tuesday from 4-7pm in the school parking lot. It has piping hot food from Olay's Thai food and true farmer's stand run by Kay and filled with in-season fruits and vegetables. Recently, the market added a local rice producer who imports high-quality grain from Hokkaido and processes it here on Oahu less than 24 hours before sale.
In addition to the market's regular customers, I'd like to see more of you so we can get the momentum this market truly deserves. On July 5, I'm bringing my plants to exchange them with you. You bring yours, take one of mine or someone else's. Don't have any plants to give? Bring empty pots so they can be refilled for the next event. Don't have those either? Just take a plant and leave a voluntary donation to Kaiser's PTSA. It's that easy.
To start with, I know I can provide:
I don't really have a green thumb, but I know these grow in Hawaii, and I know they grow well in my Hawaii Kai backyard. In order, they are: Cholesterol spinach (edible), Creeping thyme (edible), Kupukupu fern (decorative), Mint (edible), Watermelon radish [seeds only] (edible) and Yomogi, aka mugwort (edible).
I'll probably have another half dozen or so different plants to offer, so come by and check out the booth. If it goes well, we'll do it again the first Tuesday of the next month too. Questions? Email me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..