Spices and Condiments

Irrigation and after care

Irrigation

Irrigation

• Cardamom is usually cultivated as a rain-fed crop, but supplementary irrigation is provided in certain pockets to overcome the dry spells during summer.
  
• Irrigation may be provided by the overhead or drip method.
  
• The flow of water through the drippers is so adjusted that 2- 3 litres of water is discharged per hour.
  
• The provision of 10-15 litres of water/ plant/ day is sufficient for cardamom. The varieties P3 and P6 are resistant/tolerant to drought.
After care

• In established plantations, the annual operation consists of weeding, digging, removing the old and dried stems (trashing, lopping of shade trees, manuring and dusting of the plantations).
• Generally, 2-3 weedings are necessary in young plantations. The first weeding is done in May-June and the second in September before the fertiliser application and the third in December-January. Spraying Paraquat (625 ml in 500 litres of water/ha) should be done only in the inter-spaces between rows leaving 60 cm around the base in the pre- and post-monsoon periods. Besides, mulching is also practised to conserve moisture, reduce weed growth and to overcome dry situations. Forking is necessary in hard soils.
• Trashing is carried out during June-July with the commencement of the monsoon, to prevent the spread of diseases and to expose the panicles for pollination by honeybees. Shade regulation is essential to provide optimum shade. Red cedar (Toona ciliata Roem.) is an ideal shade tree, which sheds its leaves during the rainy season and thus provides natural shade regulation.