The Kalo plant is as resilient as the Hawaiian people — a true icon of sovereignty, sustainability, and food security. Considered to be the world’s oldest cultivated crop, this native plant to Hawai’i is also sacred and has Hawaiian ancestral ties.
With a little attention, water, and light, your Kalo plant will thrive on your desktop in your home. We put together a few tips for cultivating your kalo at home to cover the basics of this amazing crop.
You don’t need much space to grow kalo; you can grow it in your background, on your lanai or in a large pot. Your Kalo will continue to expand into her vessel until transplanting or moving into ground.
Kalo loves moist soil, be sure to water it everyday or every other day (depending on what kind of climate you live in). Also, use a high-potassium fertilizer as instructed on the bag, and spray with neem oil when needed.
Prune dead or damaged leaves as necessary, cutting them to the ground. Pruning will help with the growth and health of the plant.
Once the kalo has matured, you then harvest the crom by gently lifting from the soil with a gardening shovel. Cut the stems about half way and leave the sucker plants for making huli for later planting.
Each Opening Gift Signature basket comes with a selection of hand-crafted, Hawaii-made soaps to keep you clean, refreshed and pampered. All Kaimuki Soap Company bars are paraben free — they do not include palm, canola or vegetable oil. Kaimuki Soap Co. is proud to infuse our bars with locally-sourced, Hawaii-grown herbs, botanicals and fruit.
To extend the life of your bar, rest on a soap dish that allows drying between uses, and away from water. Our wooden Soap Saver trays, pictures in photos, are a great option, and come with subscription packages. Please note — leaving your soap bar in water will make it mushy. Nobody likes mushy soap.
For details on our soaps, re-ordering, and a complete list of soap ingredients, view our Soap Menu at https://kaimuki.co/soapcare/.