• Flowering of vine commences usually by about the third year.
• The inflorescence is produced in the leaf axils.
• There is a tendency for some of the vines to maintain only vegetative growth.
• A light nipping off or pruning of the terminal shoots hastens flowering.
• Due to the peculiar structure of the flowers, self pollination is not possible.
• Hence hand pollination is adopted for fruit set.
• Best time for pollinating the flowers is between 6 am and 1 pm and a success of 80-85 per cent can be obtained.
• Successful fertilization is indicated by the retention of calyx and the stigma even after four days of pollination.

Harvesting

• The pods ripen in about 9-11 months time.
• Before attaining maturity the fruit is dark green in colour and when ripe yellowing commences from the tip of the pod.
• Collect the pods at this time, as this is the optimum time for harvesting the pod.
• If allowed to remain on the vine further, the pods split. Free vanillin is not present in the beans when they are harvested.
• Beans do not have the aroma at this stage.

Curing

• Vanillin is developed as a result of enzyme action on a glycoside during the process of curing of beans.
• Curing of vanilla involves immersing the beans (2-3 days after harvest) in hot water at a temperature of 63 to 65 °C for three minutes for the cessation of vegetative life.
• After a rapid drying on woolen blankets, when the beans are still very hot, they are kept in chests lined with blankets.
• Next day they are spread out in sun on blanket for three to four hours and rolled up to retain the heat. Keep the rolled-up blanket in the wooden chest as such.
• Repeat this for six to eight days during which beans lose their weight, become supple and can be twisted on finger without breaking. This is followed by slow drying in the shade for a period of two to three months.
• Properly dried beans are kept in trunks where the fragrance is fully developed.
• Finally, they are graded according to size and bundled and placed in iron boxes lined with paraffin paper.
• Thus aromatic properties of vanilla will fully develop and sometimes white vanillin crystals will be visible on the outside of the pod.
• The moisture content of the processed beans should be maintained at 18 to 20 percent. If the moisture content is too high, there is a risk of fungus mold.
• The vanillin content of properly cured beans will be about 2.5 to 3 per cent.
• Cured beans have a shiny copper-brown colour and is flexible enough to roll around the fingers.