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With the earth-soaking rains characteristic of rainy season comes a plethora of landscaping opportunities. The lush Nicaraguan flora provides a cornucopia of choices: ornamental trees or those that provide fruit, cacti that stay green year-round, tropical flowers, crawling ground cover.
Developing a landscape plan for a huge development or a small personal garden can prove perplexing, particularly for people unfamiliar with the climate in various parts of the country. But according to Nicaraguan agronomist Fernando Rommel Boza Hernández, or Rommel, there is some science to the fine art of plants and soil management.
“There are four major factors to consider when planning your plants,” Rommel advises. “They are the quality of the soil, the temperature, the amount of available water, and the angle of the sun during various times of the year.”
In the dry season in Nicaragua, which lasts from November through May, more or less, plants become increasingly parched due to the diminishing water, the wind that usually blows from late December through February, and the sun, which is perpendicular to the earth. But you can adjust for these variances, he says, by watering plants, for instance, or placing them in a different location or giving them nutrients.
Generally speaking, Rommel suggests starting plants from seeds two to three months before rainy season; he says February and March are good times to start. Because the soil in the dry season can be extremely dry, he says it is imperative to keep the plants watered. Water in some parts of the country is a finite resource, so water collection in cisterns may be a practical, eco-friendly and cost-effective method of ensuring an adequate supply of water. If you start your plants in pots, Rommel says it is best to transfer them to the ground in June and July. With regard to forests, there are two basic categories of trees: latífoliadas, which have wide leaves, and panaceas, which have narrow leaves. They differ in the shape of their leaves and where they grow. For instance, latífoliadas grow in various altitudes while the panaceas forests are established in regions that have special temperature and soil conditions.
The latífoliadas trees produce precious woods such as mahogany, cedar, and teak,as well as soft woods such as guanacaste, quebracho, Ron-Ron, madroño, and acetuno. Examples of pines found in Nicaragua include pinus caribbean, pinus resinosus, pinus aeocarpa.
Knowing about your plants and determining what use they will serve will help you create a practical and fun landscaping plan. For instance, the guaicum sanctum, commonly called a guayacan, is indigenous to the Matagalpa area of Nicaragua. This small, slow growing tree can develop into some beautiful shapes. It requires full to partial sun and needs to be kept a little bit moist. It produces many flowers on and off throughout the year. For these reasons, Rommel says this tree may be a good choice to place beside a pool since it can provide both a canopy of shade and pretty flowers. The tree grows slowly, so patience is required. According to Gardino Nursery Corp.’s web site (http://www.gardinonursery.com/): “An older Guaiacum sanctum is a very beautiful and special tree. On top of a beautiful canopy and blue flowers it is said to have a very hard wood. It is the tree with [the] 2nd heaviest wood in the world. The wood is so heavy that it sinks in the water. You cannot drive a nail through it. It was used to make bearings for submarines during WW2. It is still used to make bowling balls.”
The physical attributes of the area in which you plant will help create your landscaping plan, as well. For instance, the Atlantic coast is low-lying and humid. Lots of pine trees grow here and many businesses related to the trees make their home here. Material gathered from the pine trees is used in insecticides, paints, and cleaning liquids with pine scents that are exported to other countries.
Generally speaking, Nicaragua is divided into four regions based on temperature, precipitation, and use of the land. These regions are (all measurements are approximate):
• Pacific: This area is generally dry during the months of November through May, which is the growing season. The area comprises some 19 percent of the country and 60 percent of the population is located here. This area receives between 700 and 1,200 millimeters (mm) (28 and 47 inches) annual average rainfall. The temperatures range between 22 and 30 degrees centigrade (72 and 87 degrees Fahrenheit, or F). In the more northern parts of the Pacific, such as Chinandega and León, the temperature in March and April could be 40 degrees centigrade (105 F). In this region, the altitude can reach 600 meters (2,000 feet) above sea level in areas such as those on with the volcanoes on the island of Ometepe and the Maribios mountain range are located.
• The north-central region borders Honduras and is characterized by having a temperate and moderately dry climate. Annual average rainfall is 1,500 mm (59 inches). Much of this area is characterized by forest. This region comprises about 39 percent of the country and houses some 35 percent of the population. The temperature ranges between 20 and 28 degrees centigrade (68 to 84 F). Pines are native to this area, which is some 700 to 900 meters (2,275 to 2.925 feet) above sea level.
• The central region is well-known for its coffee cultivation as well as the growing of basic grains, often used in cattle production. This area is the highest in the country at 1,200 meters (3,900 feet) above sea level. The region receives between 1,500 and 2,200 mm (59 inches and 86 inches) of annual rainfall. It temperature ranges from 16 to 27 degrees centrigrade (61 to 82 F)
• The Atlantic region, located on the Caribbean Sea, has the most rainfall, with its annual average being 3,000 mm (117 inches). The temperature ranges from 27 to 35 degrees centigrade (82 to 96 F). It is hot and has a relatively high humidity. Much of the land in this area is forest. Some of the largest natural reserves in Central America - including Bosawas, Indio Maíz and Los Guatuzos - are located here. Wetlands are also found here, as are extensive areas of flora and fauna at risk of extinction.
Rommel provides a chart that shows which plants are indigenous to various parts of the country (see chart). While this chart is used as a guideline, he stresses that a plant indigenous to a high, wet area may, in fact, thrive in a high dry area if you provide extra water. He further recommends that if you plan to bring seeds from another place, be sure the place you plan to plant the seeds is in the same general latitude as its new location.
With regard to fruit trees, you might want to know how long it takes a tree to fruit from the time it’s planted as a small plant, as opposed to from a seed. For example, you’ll have to wait between two and four years to see the literal and figurative fruits of your labors with jacote, guayaba, icaco, cashew, mimbro and papaya trees. Citrus trees such as lemon, orange, mandarin and grapefruit also take between two and four years. You’ll have to have a little more patience for mango, avocados and nisperos, which take about five years to fruit.
Have a professional test your soil to see what would likely flourish there, Rommel suggests. Some soil, for instance, is not good for growing citrus trees. You may need to add ‘ingredients’ to help the process along. Colors, too, may play a role in landscaping, Rommel points out. In one landscaping plan he created for a large development, Rommel recommends using a different color for various flowers on each street. Maybe you want the colors of your flowers to compliment the color of your house or your pool tiles. With regard to flowers, one need not look far to experience the tropical beauty of Nicaragua’s offerings.
“The Jinotepe and Nandamie areas are a virtual rainbow of plant colors,” Rommel says. Veranera blasts forth with pink, intense red or orange. Cana fistula is a burst of bright yellow. Pataste shouts purple. The pink, purple and blue hues of milflores, or hydrangeas, can be found in higher altitudes.
Purchasing your plants should be done with care. One spot where many newcomers buy their plants is the nursery-lined streets of Catarina. Other viveros, or nurseries, could be found throughout the country. The Universidad Nacional Agraria (UNA), or Agrarian Natioinal University, is located at kilometer 12 on the north highway. This university has agricultural programs about plants and can serve as a valuable resource to those looking for assistance.
In addition, the Ministerio del Ambiente y los Recursos Naturales de Nicaragua, or MARENA, the government’s environmental agency, has information which may be of use to both armchair gardeners and those charged with professional landscaping. Excellent nurseries for ornamental plants may be found in Niqinohomo. Masatepe has a host of fruit-bearing offerings and Jinotepe boasts fruit-bearing and citrus grafts and rosebushes. A great variety of beautifully- and brilliantly-colored maceteras can be found in the so-called ‘white towns’ of Catarina, Diria and Dirimo. RELATED STORY
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