That was INCREDIBLY informative and well-thought out. I live in Michigan and still found it fascinating. Thank you!

Jazzy, Swiss chard is one of my favorites too! I love that it continues to grow all season long.

i planted 1 small swiss chard plant and it grew like crazy and multiplied. I have 3 now. when ever I harvest a batch they grow back right away. I mixed it with cabbage and it is delisous

Crystal,
Understand where you live.
Firstly, it is an isolated island. Out of fear of (potentially) invasive species and the ecological havoc/extinctions they cause, many plants that are not already on the island will likely be illegal to import. Try to get a copy of the regulations, so you know what is legal. I don’t live there and can’t help much.
Secondly, you don’t even have a cool season as the author(s) of this article understand one. Learn to eat what grows in your climate, not cool season crops from northern Eurasia which are almost guaranteed to die. I will attempt to suggest some substitute crops, but remember to check their legal status:
For tomatoes, you might succeed with the Everglades Landrace (a feral cherry/currant tomato), but also consider tamarillos (Cyphomandra betacea, aka “tree tomatoes”). Instead of cucumbers, try Coccinia grandis, chayote, or even okra. Instead of green onions, try society garlic (Tulbaghia violacea), though southern strains of garlic chives and wild onions native to South Texas have a fighting chance of success. Be aware that onion seed loses viability quickly. The young foliage of Toona sinensis (fragrant spring tree, Chinese mahogany) is supposed to be garlicky when stir fried. I don’t know if the related, but more tropical “Spanish” (actually Cuban) cedar (Cedrela odorata I think) is edible or not. There are of course many tropical spices to perk up foods, just not often oniony. Personally I would abandon the whole cabbage clan, though Ethiopian kale and some mustard greens succeed in hot places. Moringa trees (coppice them to keep them in harvestable reach and because these things grow very fast and have quite week, brittle wood) are a better choice. The raw leaves taste like arugula, but become very neutral and palatable cooked. Cat’s whiskers or African cabbage (Cleome gynandra) should also work–cook it like mustard greens.
Other vegetables: Malabar spinach (Basella alba / rubra–watch for invasiveness), Sissoo or Brazilian Spinach (a *sterile* form of Alternathera), Lagos spinach (a type of Celosia; boil with a change of water as it has lots of tannin), Tahitian spinach (Abelmoschus manihot), Chaya / Mayan tree spinach (Cnidoscolus chayamansa)–must be thoroughly cooked because it is related to cassava and is cyanogenic (don’t use aluminum or cast iron pots either), roselle (Hibiscus sabhariffa) and false roselle (Hibiscus acetosella)–these two are sorrel substitutes, water lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) and water spinach / kampong (Ipomoea aquatica) if they are legal (non native aquatics can spread real fast), and of course the Polynesian staple: taro. Yes, taro corms are the starch/calorie staple, but the leaves are also edible IF thoroughly cooked.
Talk to your neighbors! What do they grow?

Hi Crystal, I don’t know how to garden in such a tropical climate. The only thing I could suggest is trying a few things at a time and take notes.