planting coconut seedlings

7/27/2019 Planting Coconut Seedlings

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PLANTING COCONUT SEEDLINGS

S.ESWARA REDDY

Select sites with deep (not less than 1.5 m

depth) well drained soil. Avoid shallow soilswith underlying hard rock, low-lying areassubject to water stagnation and heavy clayeysoils. Proper supply of moisture either


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through well-distributed rainfall or throughirrigation is required.

Land preparation

The nature of preparation of land before plantingdepends upon topography of land, soil type andother environmental factors. On slopes and in areas

of undulating terrain, prepare the land by contourterracing or bunding. In low-lying areas and ricefields, form mounds to a height of at least 1 m above

water level. In reclaimed areas, planting can be doneon the field bunds.

The size of pits for planting would depend upon soil

types and water table. In loamy soils with low watertable, pit size of 1 x 1 x 1 m is recommended.

In laterite soils with hard substratum, take largerpits of size 1.2 x 1.2 x 1.2 m. In sandy soils, the size ofpits may be 0.75x 0.75 x 0.75 m. The pits may befilled up with topsoil to a height 60 cm below theground level. In low lying lands, take shallow pitsand as the plant grows, raise the ground level byadding silt and sand so as to cover the entire bole ofthe palm. The same procedure can be adopted whenplanting is done on mounds or bunds. Burial of two


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layers of husks in the floor of the pits will be usefulfor moisture conservation. The husk is to be buriedin layers with concave surface facing upwards. After

arranging each layer, sprinkle carbaryl 10% dust onthe husk to prevent colonization by termites.

In lateritic areas, common salt at the rate of 2 kg perpit may be applied on the floor of the pit to hastenthe disintegration of hard laterite. Common salt is to

be applied about six months prior to planting.

Spacing and system of plantingSpacing depends upon the planting system, soil typeetc. In general, the following spacings arerecommended under different systems in sandy andlaterite soils. In lateritic gravelly soils, under rainfedconditions of north Kerala, a closer spacing toaccommodate 250 palms per ha is more economical.In the hedge system of planting, the rows should bealigned in north-south direction and the seedlingsplanted as in the triangular system.

Time of plantingPlanting the seedlings during May, with the onset ofpre-monsoon rains is ideal. Under assured

irrigation, planting can be done during April also. Inlow-lying areas, plant the seedlings in Septemberafter the cessation of heavy rains.


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CARE FOR YOUNG PALMS

Shading and irrigation

For the first two years from planting, irrigate @ 45litres of water per seedling, once in 4 days, duringdry summer months. Provide adequate shade to thetransplanted seedlings.Manuring young palmsFor the first three years after planting under rainfed

conditions, apply fertilizers in two split doses .Under irrigated conditions, the fertilizers can beapplied in 3-4 equal split doses.In the case of lowlying areas, apply fertilizer after water table recedesin one single dose or in two split doses as conditionspermit. In all types of soils that are low in organicmatter content (except reclaimed clayey soils and

alluvial soils), apply organic matter @ of 15-25kg/palm/year during June-July from the second

year of planting.

WEEDING AND INTERCULTUREKeep the pits free of weeds by periodical weeding.Remove the soil covering the collar of seedlings. As

the seedlings grow and form stem, fill up the pitsgradually by cutting the sides. Properintercultivation provides control of weeds andcreates soil mulch. Any tillage system (ploughing,digging, raking or forming mounds) that provides


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soil mulch and control weeds may be followeddepending upon local conditions. For laterite, sandyand red sandy loam soils give two ploughings or

diggings in May-June and September-October andone raking in January. In areas where surface run offis more, form mounds in September-October andlevel them in November-December.

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24th Decembr 2010
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planting coconut seedlings

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