Cardamom: Elettaria cardamomum (Maton.)

Propagation from seeds:

• Collect seeds from healthy and high yielding plants. Seed rate – 600g/ha (fresh seeds).
  
  
• Treat with commercial grade Sulphuric acid or Hydrochloric acid for 20 minutes.
  
  
• Wash with water. Prepare the beds with equal quantity of well rotten cattle manure, wood ash and jungle soil.
  
  
• Sow the seeds in beds and cover with a thin layer of fine sand. Mulching and shading may be provided to seed beds.
  
  
• The beds should be kept moist but not too wet.
  
  
• Germination starts usually a month after sowing and continues upto three months.
  
  
• One year old seedlings are transplanted to secondary nursery

Secondary nursery:

• Prepare the beds. As that of primary nursery, shade is provided by erecting overhead pandal
  
  
• Seedlings planted at a distance of 20 x 20 cm. 18-22 months old seedlings are used for transplanting. Polybags of 20 x 20 cm size can be used.

Propagation from suckers:

• Suckers from high yielding plants are planted in clonal gardens.
  
  
• Spacing 1.8 m x 0.6 m (6800 plants/ha of clonal nursery).
  
  
• Shade and Irrigation is provided, 32 – 42 suckers obtained from each planting unit in 12 months