Clove
Botanical Name – Syzigium aromaticum
Family – Myrtaceae
Soil –
Deep rich loams with high humus content and lateritic soils are best suited. Humid.
Climate-
Tropical climate with an annual rainfall of 150 – 250 cm and a mean temperature range of
200C to 300C and elevation up to 1000 m are suitable.
June – December. Slopes facing South and West should be avoided. North and North-Eastern slope is preferred.
The clove crop is propagated by Seeds.
The seeds are sown in beds at 2 to 3 cm spacing and a depth of about 2 cm. The germination commences in about 5 to 6 weeks. The germinated seedlings are transplanted in polythene bags (30 x 15cm) containing a mixture of soil,sand and well decomposed cow dung (3:3:1 ratio).The seedlings are ready for transplanting in the field when they are 18 to 24 months.
Seeds are extracted from ripe fruits and sown immediately in poly bags. The seeds germinate in five to six weeks. Take 30 x 30 x30cm pits @ 6m x 6m spacing. Fill the pits with
top soil, 50 g Azospirillum and FYM 10 kg/pit. Two years old seedlings are planted in pits.
Provide shade for seedlings.
Mulch the basins with dried leaves.
Weeding is done as and when necessary.
Provide shade during the initial establishment by raising banana.
Small temporary pandal may also provide partial shade during initial establishment.
Dead and diseased shoots should be removed periodically.
Frequent watering is essential in the initial stages in the absence of rains. Apply 8 litres of water either through drip or through basin during the months of January – May.
One year old plants can be applied with FYM 15 kg, 20:20:60 g of NPK per plant in two splits during June – July and September – October.
Every year the dosage is correspondingly increased and a bearing tree of 7 years old may be applied with FYM 50 kg, 300:300:960 g of NPK per plant. 50 g in each of Azospirillum and Phosphobacteria to be applied one month after manuring.
Pests
Stem borer: Pour quinalphos 25 EC 1 ml/lit in to the bore hole and plug it
Black scale: Spray dimethoate 30 EC @ 1ml/lit
Leaf spot
Pre-monsoon spray of Pseudomonas fluorescens @ 0.2% + 5% Lawsonia leaf extracts or spray copper oxychloride @ 0.25 %
Harvest
Bearing starts from sixth year onwards. The flower buds should be harvested when
they are fully mature but before opening. Flower buds are produced on young flush.It takes
about 4 to 6 months for the buds to become ready for harvest.The buds are harvested as
clusters and separated and dried in the sun for five to seven days.
Yield
2 – 3kg dried buds/tree.
