SOIL UNDER MY FINGERNAILS
5.6.26
After several sets of soil jar tests, feel tests, and a percolation test, I discovered Casa Garimba’s soil is predominantly sandy loam with an average infiltration rate of 1.68 inches per hour. Given the property's steep slopes, exposure to Atlantic trade winds, and periodic calima events, bare soil presents a serious erosion risk. The results of my analysis raised a legitimate management question: should I aggressively remove the existing weeds, or leave them in place for now as living ground cover? While the current vegetation isn't necessarily what I envision long-term, it's already performing an important ecological function by protecting the soil surface.
The next question to explore is why the soil regularly cracks despite a relatively normal infiltration rate. I’m also curious to look into whether that pattern is related to the low nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium levels revealed by the soil tests. In the meantime, my management strategy is simple: prioritize ground cover, add homemade compost mulch, and remove vegetation only where necessary.
WHY IS IT ALWAYS WINDY & WET HERE?
4.8.26
One of the first things I noticed at Casa Garimba was the persistent wind and low cloud cover that seemed to sit directly at the property level but disappear lower on the mountain. Casa Garimba sits between 1521-1572 ft elevation and its microclimate is heavily dictated by NE trade winds coming from the Atlantic Ocean. That wet wind is forced upward by the island’s topography, causing orographic cooling and dense cloud cover. On-site, the wind’s impact is easy to spot: smaller canopies, torn leaves, and stunted growth along the property’s northeastern edge. It’s becoming clear that this property will need a strong windbreak to slow and lift the incoming wind.