ORGANIC FARMING COURSE AGRO-ECONOMY
6 TUMERIC – 6.180
- TURMERIC 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, very 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.
Best will be a SUBSURFACE
DRIP SYSTEM FROM OUR T-TAPE between both lines.
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 TUMERIC – 6.180 - TURMERIC GROWING
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, mizuri sana ya maua meupe 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.
Bora zaidi itakuwa SUBSURFACE DRIP
SYSTEM KUTOKA KWA T-TAPE YETU kati ya mistari yote miwili.
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.
Copyright by
ATLAS DEVELOPMENT S.A.R.L
Ronald Hauck CEO (German)
KENYA KISUMU MILIMANI WhatsApp in Kenya +254 769 396 680
don.ronaldo@gmx.de
Consultant for business, organic farming, and
general buildings.
