Coorg is known for its coffee and also for pepper, the ‘king of spices’. But apart from this ‘king’, the ‘queen of spices’, cardamom is also grown in some of the estates limited  to valleys or areas where there is an assured supply of water for irrigation during the summer months.

The natural habitat of small cardamom is the evergreen forest of the Western Ghats  with an annual rainfall ranging from 1500 to 4000 mm with a temperature in the range of 10 to 35 *C and an altitude of 600 to 1200m above sea level. Cardamom is generally grown in forest loam – soil rich in available phosphorus and potassium. The soil should be well drained, deep and good textured, rich in humus.

Varieties:

Based on the size of the fruit, two varieties of cardamom are recognized i.e., large and small. The types are identified mainly based on the nature of panicle, and shape and size of fruits.

Cardamom

Propagation:

Cardamom can be propagated vegetatively and via seedlings. For vegetative propagation, rhizomes with not less than three shoots are used. Plants propagated vegetatively come to bearing one year earlier than seedling- propagated plants. But this method has the disadvantage of spreading the viral disease, ‘ katte’. This disease is not transmitted through seeds, and hence in areas where the disease is widespread, it would be safer to use seedlings for propagation.

Planting:

In Karnataka, 10-month old seedlings are used for planting in the main field. A regular schedule of cultural practices consisting of weeding, mulching, trashing, shade regulation, fertilizer application and irrigation are to be taken up from time to time.

The Cardamom Plant

Manuring:

The fertilizer recommendation for high yielding plantations yielding above 100 Kg per hectare and above is 75 Kg N, 75 Kg P2O5 and 150 Kg K2O. Organic manures like compost or cattle manure at 5 Kg per clump may be given. The fertilizer should be given in two split doses. The first application in May will aid in the production of suckers and their development, and the second application during September will help in the initiation of panicles and capsules. Only half the dose is to be given in the first year, and the full dose is provided from the second year onwards. The fertilizer should be applied at a radius of 30 cm and covered with a layer of thin soil.

Cardamom is affected by several pests and diseases and hence a regular schedule of tracing and spraying of pesticide is required to maintain a good yield in the plantation.

Overview:

Cardamom is one of the most expensive spices. It is used in sweet and salty foods. Oil from the cardamom seed is used for flavouring foods, tonics, liquor and perfumes. This spice has great significance in Ayurvedic medicine as it has healing effects; helping to heal gum and teeth infections, digestive disorders and so on.

Guatemala is the leader in cardamom production, followed by India and Tanzania. The major consuming countries of this spice are Saudi Arabia, India, Pakistan, the U.A.E, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, England, the U.S and Japan.

Mr. George Tharakan

Mr. George Tharakan is a Post Graduate in Agriculture. He has worked with Tata Coffee Limited for a quarter of a century. He joined the Ramapuram Group of Plantations as its Vice President in January this year. He is presently posted at Mudur, in the Udupi district. His hobbies include gardening and music.

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