Spices and Condiments (1+1)

Mulching and Intercropping

Mulching

• A mulch of green leaves is provided twice or thrice as and when required, to prevent the soil from drying and to check weed growth.
  
• It also breaks the force of the rains and provides organic matter and also enhances germination.
  
• Mulching thrice in pure crop has been found to be better, but usually the mulching is done twice.
  
• The first mulching is done at the time of planting with 12.5 tonnes and the second after 40 days with 5 tonnes of green leaves per hectare.
Rotation and inter-cropping

• The crops most commonly rotated with ginger in Kerala are tapioca, chilli, rice, gingelly, ragi, groundnut and maize.
  
• Ginger is also grown with maize as a mixed crop and as an inter-crop in arecanut and coconut gardens.