bringing seeds into Costa Rica

lauramacpherson wrote:

We will be in Costa Rica for 4 months.  I wanted to grow some veggies and herbs while we are there.  Does anyone know if you are allowed to bring unopened seed packets from the US into Costa Rica?  Thanks.  Laura

Yes, you can bring in commercial seeds in unopened packets. They don't bother with those.

Casey.

riggadeaux wrote:

really?  We were led to believe that seeds are highly frowned upon.  I'm truly glad to know that's not true.  There are a number of vegies I want to be sure we can grow.

San Isidro de General is also our targeted area.  Don't know what it is but we've very drawn to it.

We've done it, friends have done it. Sometimes you don't know if there is a rule or it just isn't being enforced. I've had them mailed in, too, from commercial vendors and they wouldn't ship them if they knew they were not allowed. If you want to increase the possibility you'll receive them you could mail some packets to someone here, they rarely check envelopes. There are a lot of veggie seeds here of course, some made for this climate.

If you bring broccoli, bring several varieties as we've not had good luck with getting them to head, just leaves, on a plant 5 feet tall! Kale seeds are hard to find here, so bring those, too.

Be prepared because gardening is a whole different deal down here.

- Casey A Dull Roar - Moving to, Retiring in, and Living with Costa Rica

cgbperkins wrote:

I did some research on bringing in seeds AND its ok to bring em on in unless its an invasive plant like squashes and the like. The seeds must be sealed and clearly marked. I was thinking how cool I was smuggling seeds HA,!

it's uber cool until they stamp " SMUGGLER" without clarifying "what"

labup wrote:

Please do not bring in seeds from US!  Most are GMO.  One of the things I love about CR is the great tasting fruits and veggies.  We started tomatoe plants from seeds from local tomatoes.  Do you really want the beautiful looking but not very tasty tomatoes we have in the US.  They are bred and modified for lasting longer, being bigger and nicer looking but less flavor and nutrition.  Just one example.

And please don't use chemical pesticides and fertilizers!!!  If you want the water here to be contaminated here like many places in US, keep doing what we did back there!!   You know some of the reasons you live in CR now is because of these things in the US.  So please don't start these problems here too.  Please!

Hi, I agree with the other reply that Americans are not the ones to use any more pesticide/herbicide than the Ticos. The ants are such a problem, some people are considering using Dynamite to destroy their colonies! My Tico neighbor down there uses Roundup for certain weeds as he says it is the only thing that works. I hate that he or anyone uses it but I also understand that people are going to use what works and if they try other stuff and it doesn't work then they'll use what works.

As to seeds in the USA being GMO, I am not sure but I imagine many are at this point, certainly corn and soy are and I think I heard tomatoes are often GMO as well. HOWEVER, that said, I think many people want to bring in non-GMO seeds and heirloom type varieties and those are probably more available here - if you look for them (not necessarily at the local lawn and garden shop) - than in Costa Rica, though I can't say for sure what is available in Costa Rica as I haven't looked for seeds there.

But when I come down I do want to bring non-GMO seeds, heirloom varieties and such.

bard wrote:

The growing season is longer in the tropics because the days are only 11-12 hours.  Its not like Canada or the US where you can have 18 hour days.  So I dont believe you will be able to go from seed to harvest in four months here you might get some veggies but it is more like 5-6 months.  I dont think 4 months is enough.  Also in the dry season mid Dec. to May there is no rain so you will have to irrigate.  I just dont plant anything during the dry season it is a waste of time and city wáter is expensive.  I have perrenials and fruit tres to supply me in the dry season.  I have aloe for drinks, ginger, asparagus, Chayote which is producing great after 4 years in the ground,  200 fruits per plant red hibiscus for tea and drinks.  I have these planted around my septic tank and drain field and an inground wáter tank that provide them mositure during the dry season.
As for leaf cutter ants I have not found an organic way to get rid of them.  I pour gasoline on their mounds and holes and burn them out  so no problema in my garden.  But they are everywhere
in the country and increasingly a bigger problema.

Bard, thanks for the tip re gasoline for ants. Do you also use pesticide? If so what is the LEAST horrible one to use for ants?

I would prefer to be 100% organic but I am told where my property is that it is very very difficult due to ants and weeds. In fact my neighbor tried to grow his coffee organic but he quit and went to non-organic.

Once I am living there my attitude will probably be "If I can't grow it without pesticides or herbicides then I won't bother to grow it at all."

samramon wrote:

Hey I'm hoping you gardening types might help me out:

How do you get rid of leaf cutter ants attacking everything you plant, especially fruit trees? (my property is out in the back country).

How do you kill this very aggressive weed/ cattlefood / grass  called bryzanta? My neighbor says the only thing that will really help is roundup which of course is a very dangerous chemical I would prefer not be used.

Also which veges will grow in the mountains around 2800 feet? Pretty foggy, moderately (for Costa Rica) rainy.

Any tips or tricks would be welcome!

I've had a couple invasions of leef cutter ants, as well.  For immediate results, I mix about 7 ml of citronella essential oil, 10-20 drops of peppermint oil and 1.5-ish cups of water in a spray bottle.  You can shake and spray plants, bases of trees, or even directly spray a horde of ants.  They hate it!  Every time I've used the stuff, they couldn't get away fast enough.  As for ant hills, you can buy mirex-s at your local gardening store.  They are pellets that the ants mistake as food and bring into their nest.  When it rains it releases a gas inside the nest that kills the ants inside of the hill.  It sounds pretty inhumane, but if I have to choose between my citrus trees and the ants, I will choose my trees every time.

elektraX wrote:

samramon wrote:

Hey I'm hoping you gardening types might help me out:

How do you get rid of leaf cutter ants attacking everything you plant, especially fruit trees? (my property is out in the back country).

How do you kill this very aggressive weed/ cattlefood / grass  called bryzanta? My neighbor says the only thing that will really help is roundup which of course is a very dangerous chemical I would prefer not be used.

Also which veges will grow in the mountains around 2800 feet? Pretty foggy, moderately (for Costa Rica) rainy.

Any tips or tricks would be welcome!

I've had a couple invasions of leef cutter ants, as well.  For immediate results, I mix about 7 ml of citronella essential oil, 10-20 drops of peppermint oil and 1.5-ish cups of water in a spray bottle.  You can shake and spray plants, bases of trees, or even directly spray a horde of ants.  They hate it!  Every time I've used the stuff, they couldn't get away fast enough.  As for ant hills, you can buy mirex-s at your local gardening store.  They are pellets that the ants mistake as food and bring into their nest.  When it rains it releases a gas inside the nest that kills the ants inside of the hill.  It sounds pretty inhumane, but if I have to choose between my citrus trees and the ants, I will choose my trees every time.

I agree with you that killing ants is sometimes necessary. I actually have no problem at all with killing ants.
All I have a problem with is killing them with chemicals that end up :
a) contaminating the soil and food I will be eating
b) leading to the further contamination of the air and water

How "bad" is this mirex-s stuff? I've heard of it but don't know what's in it. Could you tell me the active chemical in it? (I don't live in Costa Rica yet, but I have a caretaker taking care of plants and trees etc.)

Arnold Ziffle wrote:

OK ,let's drop the illusions.You're bleating about dangerous roundup when the idiot CR government sprays thousands of miles of easement with it multiple times a year.OOOO Dat Bad. Well. You ever wonder why everywhere you go in CR there is a sign " please put waste paper in the trash can-DON'T FLUSH ? No it isn't a septic problem. The problem is the pipes from the thrones go directly into the closest year round water source. Can you imagine 12-16 MILLION handfuls of TP floating down the waterways every single day ? Talk about impacting tourism ! DaChit blends in well with the brown mud after it rains. No problem. No. That smell isn't "the tropics". It's exactly what it smells like. The fish get rid of the miniscule evidence ( tomato and corn seed)
You're worried about Mirex contaminating your food when CR uses TWICE the amount of pesticides than any other country on earth. #2 is Colombia and it's a far distant second even though The Great Satan has helicopters spraying herbicide so the poor farmers can't compete against the CIA's program(s) in Bolivia and Peru. This starves the Colombian campesinos but W.G.A..F, they're brown, right ?
Go ahead. Google all of the FACTS. You've been brainwashed.Greenwashed actually.
It probably has something to do with global warming and terra-rizzzm.

Bleating? That's an odd way of describing the simple act of kindly asking about a poison to deter ants.
I'm sorry you hate living in Costa Rica so much. I have to wonder why you don't move.

I will google for info on pesticide use in Costa Rica but if you have any links to back up what you said, why not put them with your post? I will add what I find. By the way I wouldn't be too surprised if Costa Rica is a top user of pesticides. I know coffee is generally very laden with pesticide or herbicide or both.

Regardless of whether Costa Rica uses a lot of pesticides, that still doesn't mean you and I and everyone else shouldn't minimize our use - especially on food we are going to eat. Your post seems somewhat illogical in this regard.

Arnold Ziffle wrote:

Your laziness is my work ! I don't hate Costa Rica.
I hate illusions and lies.That's why I HATE the USA and England and other flagwashed retarded sheeple.
PP get hard to facts !
LINKAGE
http://www.nationmaster.com/country-inf … ticide-usehttp://www.amcostarica.com/062011.htm
BURRP.
http://www.ticotimes.net/2014/03/27/hig … udies-showhttps://www.costaricantrails.com/costa_ … rticle-324

Old article. Never happened / Never will
http://www.ticotimes.net/2011/02/10/san … ment-plant

I had no idea the pesticide use in  Costa Rica was THAT high! Thanks for the facts.

I knew the sewage in rivers was a problem. Didn't know Guanacaste had high arsenic levels.

Guess a water filter will be in order.

Anyone know what kind of water filters are available in Costa Rica? Berkey?

kohlerias wrote:

Unfortunately, even using mirex, it is very difficult to keep those leaf cutters from ruining your trees. I know of those who have resorted to using dynamite...

You need to purchase/get short day seeds for growing in this climate, and at a higher/cooler altitude, peas, broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, potatoes would be best. It may be best to build a  covered garden to keep the heavy rain off of your crops.

VERY small selection of seeds available.

Thanks for this info.
Yeah my caretaker says he's tried mirex without much success. When the ants are heavily embedded, apparently there is little you can do...