6 TUMERIC - 6.181 - GROWING

 

ORGANIC FARMING COURSE AGRO-ECONOMY   

6 TUMERIC 6.181 - GROWING

BOTANICAL NAME: Curcuma domestica syn. Curcuma longa

COMMON NAMES: turmeric; Indian saffron; ukon; nghe; wong-keong

FAMILY: Zingiberaceae, the ginger family

PLANT DESCRIPTION

Turmeric is native to the monsoon forests of southeast Asia. It is a perennial herb to 1 m tall with underground rhizomes. It produces tall, incredibly beautiful, white flower spikes if clumps are left undisturbed for a year. The flower is so attractive that it is worth growing for this alone. It requires a well-drained soil, frost-free climate, and 1000 to 2000 mm of rain annually or supplementary irrigation. It thrives best on loamy or alluvial fertile soils and cannot stand waterlogging. Heavy shade will reduce the yield, but light shade is beneficial.

USES

Ground turmeric comprises 25% of curry powder and is used to give it a yellow colour. The harvested rhizomes are boiled and sun-dried for 7-8 days but can be used fresh. It is also used as a yellow food dye, replacing tetrazine. Leaves wrapped around fish flavour it during cooking. In Indonesia, the young shoots and rhizome tips are eaten raw.

PLANTING DETAILS

Plant turmeric in September or October, into a warm soil. The rhizomes should be planted 5-7 cm deep. It is often planted on ridges, usually about 30-45 cm apart and with 15-30 cm between plants. The crop is planted by setts (small rhizomes) with one or two buds. Approximately 1,700 kg of sets are required to one hectare. Expected yield would be 13 to 35 tonnes/ha of fresh turmeric. In cooler areas turmeric can be grown in glasshouses. Like all herbaceous perennials clumps of turmeric need to be broken up and fresh pieces planted every 3 to 4 years.

HARVEST

Rhizomes are harvested 9 to 10 months after planting, the lower leaves turning yellow or stems drying and falling over are indications of maturity. It is possible for the home gardener to just dig carefully at the side of a clump and remove rhizomes as needed rather than harvesting the whole clump.

 

KOZI YA KILIMO HAI KILIMO-UCHUMI

6 TURMERIC 6.181 - KUKUA

JINA LA BOTANIC: Curcuma domestica syn. Curcuma longa

MAJINA YA KAWAIDA: manjano; zafarani ya Hindi; ukon; nghe; wong-keong

FAMILIA: Zingiberaceae, familia ya tangawizi

MAELEZO YA MIMEA

Turmeric ni asili ya misitu ya monsuni ya kusini mashariki mwa Asia. Ni mimea ya kudumu hadi 1 m kwa urefu na rhizomes chini ya ardhi. Hutoa miiba mirefu ya maua meupe, mirefu, mizuri sana ikiwa mashada yataachwa bila kusumbuliwa kwa mwaka mmoja. Maua yanavutia sana kwamba inafaa kukua kwa hili peke yake. Inahitaji udongo usio na unyevu, hali ya hewa isiyo na baridi, na 1000 hadi 2000 mm za mvua kila mwaka au umwagiliaji wa ziada. Inastawi vyema kwenye udongo tifutifu au wenye rutuba ya alluvial na haiwezi kustahimili mafuriko. Kivuli kizito kitapunguza mavuno, lakini kivuli nyepesi kinafaa.

MATUMIZI

Turmeric ya ardhini inajumuisha 25% ya unga wa curry na hutumiwa kuipa rangi ya njano. Mimea iliyovunwa huchemshwa na kukaushwa kwa jua kwa siku 7-8 lakini inaweza kutumika ikiwa mbichi. Pia hutumiwa kama rangi ya njano ya chakula, kuchukua nafasi ya tetrazine. Majani yaliyofunikwa karibu na samaki yana ladha wakati wa kupikia. Huko Indonesia, shina mchanga na vidokezo vya rhizome huliwa mbichi.

MAELEZO YA KUPANDA

Panda turmeric mnamo Septemba au Oktoba, kwenye udongo wenye joto. Mizizi inapaswa kupandwa kwa kina cha cm 5-7. Mara nyingi hupandwa kwenye matuta, kwa kawaida umbali wa cm 30-45 na kwa cm 15-30 kati ya mimea. Mazao hupandwa na seti (rhizomes ndogo) na buds moja au mbili. Takriban kilo 1,700 za seti zinahitajika kwa hekta moja. Mavuno yanayotarajiwa yatakuwa tani 13 hadi 35 kwa hekta ya manjano safi. Katika maeneo yenye baridi, manjano yanaweza kupandwa kwenye nyumba za glasi. Kama mimea yote ya kudumu ya mimea, mashada ya manjano yanahitaji kuvunjwa na vipande vipya kupandwa kila baada ya miaka 3 hadi 4.

MAVUNO

Rhizomes huvunwa miezi 9 hadi 10 baada ya kupanda, majani ya chini kugeuka njano au shina kukauka na kuanguka juu ni dalili za kukomaa. Inawezekana kwa mtunza bustani ya nyumbani kuchimba kwa uangalifu kando ya kichaka na kuondoa vizizi inavyohitajika badala ya kuvuna bonge zima.

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