coconut tree

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marie

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Aug 13, 2012, 10:33:29 AM8/13/12
to goagar...@googlegroups.com, Miguel Braganza
I have a coconut tree that is around 8 years old.  It has never given any fruit. As the agriculture dept. suggested chemical fertilisers when i planted it and since i did not want to use chemicals i left it to grow without any manure.

This year i decided to remedy this.  Dug a trench around the tree in May (when i could get labour).  Found that in doing so roots were also cut !!  Any way since i had managed to get organic manure - slurry from a gobar gas pit and goat manure - i put this into the trench.

I am now told that digging around a coconut tree should be done in August, leaves put into the trench, and after 8 days put in organic manure (2 Kg from the shop in the Sub-Yard in Mapusa) and cover the trench with mud.

Since i had already done this in May do i need to repeat this now? 

Please do advise.  Thanks

marie

Miguel Braganza

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Aug 15, 2012, 12:27:10 AM8/15/12
to marie, bsg, Goa Gardeners
Dear Marie,

Since the 8 year old coconut tree has never borne nuts, it needs the Potash [M.o.P is a mined fertilizer, not manufactured] to help trigger the panicle initiation [12 months before you see the flowers and another 10 months from flowering to get the first mature nut!]. Since you have already applied the rest of the manure in the soil 'basin' around the tree, the M.o.P can be dissolved in a bucket of water and poured in the soil basin when it is not raining heavily. Once it goes into the soil, it is bound on soil particles and will not wash away.

The normal dose of manures for coconut tree [nut bearing stage] is:
1. one head-load [boro] of green leaves [Uski or Getonia/sarem zadd or Glyricidia]
2. Compost or Neem cake 1 to 5 kg, as per need
3. one gamela/basket[small] firewood ash[20% Potash, 20% calcium]
 or 1.5 kg M.o.P [KCl is 60 % Potash, 40 % Chlorine]

All this is to be put in a trench/ring one foot wide and one foot deep one metre away from the trunk.

Goat pellets [pounded or minced to break open] can be applied as a slow release manure.
Coir dust/pith or coir [katho] is a good source of Potash and also helps to increase water holding capacity [WHC] of the soil, critical in summer.

Adding of Panchagavya, EM or straw from spent mushroom bags is beneficial. Those who want to know all about the organic practices need to come to the MAHAMAYA Organic Agriculture LEARNING CENTRE in SAL [near Dodomarg and spend a day, weekend or a week to learn. We do not teach, you learn by doing.

Since the subject is of interest to all who have coconut trees and need to manure now as the rains are receding, I am posting it on the net groups. We are in the midst of manuring the coconut and areca nut palms at Mahamaya these days ...after ploughing to sow a legume, with seeds treated with Rhizobium culture to fix nitrogen better. The "weeds" are our biomass for composting. 

SMS "Coconut" followed by your name if you want to attend a learning session on Saturday 15 September, 2012. It is a personalized learning process, with not more than 20 learners at a time.

There will be interactions on gardening and plantations
1.on 19 August at Aldona Church 
2 from 25 to 27 August at the Festival of Plants & Flowers, SFX School, Siolim
3 from 1 to 3 September, Centenary Celebrations, Sacred Heart High School, Canca-Parra
One can pick up plants, manures, garden tools from the two festivals.

Mog asundi

Miguel

On Tue, Aug 14, 2012 at 8:47 AM, marie <dsouza...@gmail.com> wrote:
Thanks Miguel for your very quick response.

Do i dig a trench and put in Muriate of Potash every August?  and what about the other manure - slurry and goat manure? How much of it ?

In May i put in quite a lot - may be 5 Kg of each.

regards

marie 


On Tue, Aug 14, 2012 at 8:29 AM, Miguel Braganza <braganz...@gmail.com> wrote:
Dear Marie,

No need to repeat.

However, I would advise that you buy Muriate of Potash from Goa Bagayatdar Society in the subyard at Mapusa @ 1.5 kg per coconut tree and put it in the ring/trench, put a little soil over it and water it. M.o.P is mined from the ground, not manufactured. It cost Rs.12.50 per kg. sold loose. Take a bag to carry it.

The roots will grow afresh at the cut end. Recommended distance for the trench is 1 metre away from the trunk. The traditional method was closer. In any case the deeper roots are still intact.

Mog asundi

Miguel

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Miguel A. Braganza, House No.5/4-A
Opposite Zonal Agriculture Office & Farm
Xettiavaddo, MAPUSA- 403507 Goa. INDIA
Ph +91-9822982676; 91-832-2255139
www.pgsorganic.in www.ifoam.org/inofo
Horticulture.Facilitation.Networking
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marie



--
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.
Miguel A. Braganza, House No.5/4-A
Opposite Zonal Agriculture Office & Farm
Xettiavaddo, MAPUSA- 403507 Goa. INDIA
Ph +91-9822982676; 91-832-2255139
www.pgsorganic.in www.ifoam.org/inofo
Horticulture.Facilitation.Networking
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

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