Nursery Practices

Raised beds (30 cm high, supported with split areca stems) of 10 m x 1 m are formed. Sand and soil mixed with FYM form the top layer. Sowing is done after the bed is watered. Usually the sowing is done by broadcast method or dibbling in April-May. Seed rate is 3-5 kg of seeds per bed. After sowing, the seeds may be pressed into the beds. A thin layer of soil also can be sprinkled to cover the seeds. The beds are also mulched with green leaves to reduce evaporation losses. The bed is then dusted with carbaryl 10 per cent to prevent insect attack.Traditional mulching materials may be substituted with a single layer of newspaper.

One-year-old seedlings of 1-2 cm (thumb thickness) at the thickest portion below the collar are uprooted from mother beds and used for making stumps. Stumps with 15-20 cm of root at 2-3 cm of stem prepared with sharp knife are commonly used for planting. Teak seedlings can be produced in shorter duration by using polythene bags or root trainers. Three to four month old teak seedlings are pricked out from the germination beds into polythene bags (30 cm x 20 cm) in the month of March/ April. Three- month-old root trainer seedlings are also popular, of late.