Many people like gardening at home, and it’s easy to understand why. Growing your own flowers, herbs, and veggies may be a fulfilling activity that makes you feel accomplished and satisfied. There are many tips and tactics to help you get the most out of your gardening efforts, whether you are an experienced gardener or are just getting started. We’ll provide you some helpful home gardening suggestions in this post to get you started on your gardening adventure. These suggestions can assist you in quickly growing a wholesome and fruitful garden, from picking the ideal area to harvesting your plants at the ideal moment.
Cardamom Farming
Small cardamom is cultivated all over . Its demand has increased a lot in the market of middle-east part of . is the second largest producer of small cardamom in organic form. In it is cultivated in Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Cardamom is also known as CARDAMOM. Small cardamom has been used as a spice since ancient times. Cardamom is a very expensive spice. It is very small in appearance. But it has more fragrance. There is a peel on top of cardamom, inside which cardamom seeds are present. It is not only used as a spice but also as a medicine.
planting material
Can be collected from any elite plantation. However, the methods followed for raising the seedlings should conform to organic standards. Rhizomes are to be used as planting material, plantation should have been done at least one year prior to collection following organic methods of production.
In order to keep fidelity with natural methods of tissue culture plant propagation should not be used as planting material. Acid treatment of seed Treatment of seed with Trichoderma culture (50 ml spore suspension for 100 g of seed) is desirable as a prophylactic measure for the management of nursery rot diseases, should be avoided. At the time of bed preparation, incorporation of VAM can be carried out in the recommended biological medium.
Soil rich in organic matter, well-rotted cow dung or vermicompost and sand for raising the seedlings of polybag (preferably bio-degradable polybags), can be prepared using potting mix. To this VAM and Trichoderma can also be added (250 g of mass media mixed with 25 kg of well rotten cow dung). If the growth of seedlings is not sufficient, spraying vermiwash once in a month is desirable (20 ml per plant). The diseases in the nursery can be managed by regular monitoring and adoption of phytosanitary measures. Restricted application of Bordeaux mixture 1% can be done to control rot disease at initial stage only. Changing the nursery site is beneficial for keeping a watchful eye for pests and diseases and for vigorous growth of seedlings.
land preparation for planting
Adequate soil and water conservation measures are necessary in muddy areas while preparing land for planting. Planting in trenches across slopes in low rainfall areas, diagonal planting and mulching the soil will help conserve soil and water.
cultural practices
Clean weeding is to be limited to plant bases (50 cm) and inter rows are to be maintained by slash weeding. Finished material should be used for mulching. Trashed materials and fallen leaves can also be used for mulching. Removal of exposed old suckers along with dried leaves and leaf sheaths as well as rhizomes can be used for trashing compost, which is carried out once a year about a month after the completion of the last harvest May go. Inter rows should not be dug at any cost. Water contaminated with pesticides, fungicides, other chemical and fertilizer leachates should not be used only for irrigation under organic system for farming. This implies that watersheds for irrigation sources must also be maintained following organic methods of production. In those areas where adequate soil conservation measures and mulching have been practiced, there will not be any need for digging the earth.
To facilitate the entry of sufficient light, restricted bark removal of the branches of shade trees can be made. However, even under such conditions no tree top can be destroyed. In areas which are overexposed, planting of shade trees is an essential action and while doing so, maximum bio-diversity suited to local conditions can be considered. Trees having desirable characters such as defoliation during rainy season, self-pruning habit, flowering during summer and medicinal value may be considered. Such trees belong to leguminous species, so they are preferred. Banned boom and leaf litter can be used for green leaf manure or compost. Conservation of bee forests is an integral part of organic farming. The integration of beekeeping will not only help in ensuring biodiversity, but also in increasing production through assured pollination.
fertilizing
Application of organic manure such as neem cake @ 1 kg or chicken manure / farmyard manure / compost / vermicompost @ 2kg per plant can be done once in a year during May-June. Application of Mussoorie Rock Phosphate or Bone Meal can be done, if found necessary, on the basis of soil analysis.
plant Protection
Disease
The major fungal diseases affecting cardamom are azhukal (Phytophthora medii) and clump rot (Pythium vexans, Rhizoctonia solani and Fusarium sp.). Incorporation of Trichoderma multiply in suitable organic medium in plant base (1 kg per clump) prior to onset of monsoon season (May) is a prophylactic operation for clump rot disease. When found necessary resort to the use of 1% Bordeaux mixture. Regular rouging of virus affected plants should be done to reduce the spread. Rouged plants should be destroyed by burning.
insect
Drooping removal of dry leaves, dry leaf sheaths, old panicles and other dry plant parts is an important sanitation method recommended for reducing insect inoculum in the orchard. Mechanical collection and destruction of insect egg masses, larvae of the hairy caterpillar (Eupterote sp.) and root grub beetle (Balepta fuliscorna) are other approaches in reducing insect damage. Injection of a Bacillus thuringiensis preparation (0.5 mg in 10 ml water) into the bore hole as soon as the bore holes of the stem borer (Conogethes punctiferalis) are noticed will kill the larvae so that subsequent resorption can be reduced. . Wherever organic methods of cultivation are adopted outbreaks of white flies (Dialeurodes cardamomi) are rarely observed. Although such outbreaks are minimal, control of yellow sticky traps and nymphs by spraying neem oil with soft soap made out of caustic soda (500 ml neem and 500 g soft soap in 100 liters of water), collection of adults To be in position is to be followed. In areas prone to nematodes, application of crushed neem seeds (Meloidogine sp.) can take care of the problems. Application of fish oil resin soap can be done for managing insects (Sciothrips cardamomi). Malabar varieties are found to be tolerant to pests to a certain extent. Regular monitoring is absolutely essential for timely detection and adoption of remedial measures against pests affecting cardamom.
Harvest and Post Harvest Operations
After harvesting, freshly harvested capsules need to be cleaned from dirt. Cardamom capsules are treated by reducing the moisture from 8-12% to 80% in an optimum temperature by retaining the green color to the maximum extent. Cardamom can be cured in two ways.
sun drying
Cardamom is drying under direct sunlight. Sun drying generally requires 5-6 days. It is not dependable during rainy season. This practice is followed only in some parts of Karnataka. By this method, it is not possible to get good green color.
traditional medicine
This is the most commonly adopted method to cure cardamom. It requires a structure fitted with furnace, flue pipe, chimney, ventilator etc. It is masonry structure consisting of two apartments, a curing room and a furnace room. The treatment room is provided with a tall single roofed ceiling and spaced into two compartments, in the middle of the room parallel to the ground floor on beams fitted with wire gauge. Flue pipes having a radius of about 25 cms made of galvanized iron sheet are provided in the ground floor from one end of the furnace to the other for pipe chimney to expel the smoke through the roof. Racks holding rectangular trays are also fitted to the side walls to accommodate large quantities of cardamom.
Capsules are spread out in a single layer on racks and trays. After diffusion is closed in the curing room and heating is done by burning firewood in the furnace and the production of heat is conducted. Only felled trees and lopped branches should be used as fuel. The hot smoke passes through the pipe to bring the room temperature from 50°C to 45°C. This temperature is maintained for 3 to 4 hours. At this stage the capsules give away from perspiration and moisture. The ventilators are then suddenly opened for cooling and sweeping out the steam from the drying capsule. After the vapor has completely escaped and the temperature is maintained at 40 °C for about 24 to 30 hours, the ventilators are stopped. The temperature is raised again to 45 °C for one hour. The whole process of curing takes about 28 to 36 hours. In general, the quality of capsules cured by this method is very good. Community treatment is cheaper and less polluting.
English Summary: Please do this like organic farming of cardamom … Published on: 12 May 2018, 02:23 IST