AGRI CALENDAR

Nursery preparation, weeding and first dose of fertiliser for early sown rice crop. Control measure against fungal diseases and rhinoceros beetle in coconut. Irrigation for cocoa, banana, nutmeg and clove continues till the onset of rain. Harvesting of cashew continues, nursery preparation and planting of seed nuts. Land preparation and making of trenches for planting pineapple. Intercultural operation and application of first dose of fertiliser for tapioca. Fertiliser application for pepper depending on soil moisture conditions and spraying of Bordeaux mixture. Mulching repeated for ginger and turmeric. Preparation of pits for planting cardamom. Removal of dried leaves and stubbles,  weeding and earthing up for sugarcane, irrigation continues till the onset of rain.

Nursery preparation for lowland rice, weeding for dry seeded rice, and first instalment of fertiliser. Planting of coconut ends, ploughing of coconut garden and sowing green manure crops, preparation of drainage channels. Bordeaux mixture spray against mahali in arecanut, land preparation for intercropping. Planting of cashew seedlings, pruning of died and disease infected branches and applying Bordeaux paste in the cut ends. Planting of cocoa continues; preparation of basins and fertiliser application. Ensuring good drainage and preventing water logging in banana, and earthing up. Land preparation and planting of pineapple, second dose of fertiliser for early planted pineapple. Weeding and first instalment of fertiliser for tapioca. Shade regulation and ensuring drainage for pepper, planting of vines. Top dressing for ginger and turmeric; plant protection.  Planting of cardamom. Organic manures and fertilisers for clove and nutmeg; planting with the onset of rain.  De-trashing in sugarcane.

First instalment of fertiliser for three week old transplanted rice crop, top dressing for six week old dry seeded rice crop, preventive measures against sheath blight. Preparation of basin for coconut, application of organic manures. Fertiliser application, weeding and shade regulation for arecanut, nutmeg, clove, sugarcane, cocoa etc. Planting of pineapple as intercrop. Do not disturb soil after bunch emergence in banana. Topdressing in ginger and turmeric, preventive measures against pest and diseases. Gap filling in cardamom, new planting, pesticide spray. Second instalment of fertiliser for clove and nutmeg.

Next instalment of fertiliser for rice crop. Weeding for coconut, planting  seedlings on mounds in ill drained areas, application of one tenth of the total recommended dose of fertiliser for already planted seedlings. Basin preparation, fertiliser application and covering basins in arecanut, Bordeaux mixture spray. Planting of cashew continues. Fertiliser application  for cocoa. Weeding and second instalment of fertiliser for summer planted banana. Fertiliser application, earthing up and hormone application for pineapple. Harvesting of intercrops in tapioca, weeding. Bordeaux mixture spray against foot rot in pepper, need based application of insecticides. Topdressing for ginger and turmeric. Weeding and first harvesting of cardamom.

Harvesting of first crop rice (virippu), collection of seeds, land preparation for mundakan crop,  prophylactic measures  against BPH and rice bug. Weeding in coconut garden,  fertiliser application depending on soil moisture status.  Management practice for arecanut to be continued as in previous month. Basin preparation and fertiliser application for cashew. Fertiliser application for cocoa. Planting of nendran  banana, removal of side suckers (de-suckering) till the emergence of bunch. Cultural operations  for ginger, turmeric, pepper and pineapple continue.  Preparatory operations for thulakappa begin. Harvesting of cardamom, raking the plant base in hard soil; application of second dose of fertiliser. Second dose of fertiliser for clove and nutmeg. Harvesting of short duration sugarcane crop.

Land preparation, incorporation of basal dose of fertiliser and planting of rice (mundakan) crop. Removal of non-germinated seednuts and nuts with dead sprouts in coconut nursery, weeding,  preventive measures against termites and bud rot in the main field, propping coconut bunches, crown cleaning. Ploughing, digging and weeding in arecanut garden, application of Bordeaux mixture. Digging and weeding in cashew plantations with the onset of north east monsoon, first round of prophylatic pesticide spray starts with flowering.  Planting of banana continues, gap filling. Hormone application in pineapple.  Planting of thulakkappa continues. Bordeaux mixture application in pepper garden against quick wilt; prune or tie back the runner shoots before the onset of rain. Harvesting of short duration ginger and turmeric.  Harvesting of cardamom continues, raking of soil, spraying of pesticide. Second dose of fertiliser for nutmeg and clove.

First dose of fertiliser top dressing for mundakan rice crop, second fertiliser dose for rice crops at tillering stage, plant protection measures. Propping of coconut bunches, mulching. Carrying out left out cultural operations of previous month for arecanut. Plant protection measures for cashew. Preparation of irrigation channels for banana, weeding, precaution against pseudo stem weevil. Hormone application, weeding and  covering of fruit in pineapple. Planting of thulakkappa continues. Harvesting of pepper, ginger and turmeric. Spraying insecticides against cardamom leaf thrips, harvesting. Harvesting and planting of sugarcane, top dressing for ratoon crops.

Second dose of fertiliser for  mundakan rice crop, first dose of top dressing in Kuttanad region. Collection and storage of seed coconuts, irrigation in drought affected coconut plantations, shading of transplanted seedlings. Irrigating arecanut palms once in a week, covering of stem with areca sheath or white washing the exposed portion,  collection and sowing of seed nuts. Flowering in cashew, second round of pesticide spray, mulching, irrigation. Preparation of planting materials (polybag seedlings) in cocoa, irrigation for the main crop. Weeding in pineapple, covering fruits with dried grasses, coconut and arecanut leaves. Weeding, top dressing and earthing up in tapioca. Harvesting of cardamom, pesticide spray against leaf thrips, nursery preparation. Harvesting of clove and nutmeg begins. Irrigation for nendran banana.

Harvesting of mundakan rice crop, ploughing the fallow and sowing gingelly, cowpea, vegetables etc. depending on soil moisture condition. Irrigation for coconut, shade protection of seedlings, selection of mother palms for seed nut collection. Protecting areca palms from south-west sun by wrapping trunk with areca sheath or white washing the exposed portion; irrigation and seed nut collection. Control measures against tea mosquito and stem borer attack in cashew. Cultural operations of previous months to be continued in cocoa. Second dose of fertiliser and irrigation for banana. Weeding, covering of fruits and harvesting in pineapple.  Harvesting of short duration varieties of thulakkappa. Mulching, shade regulation and  harvesting of mature spikes in pepper.  Harvesting and processing of turmeric and ginger,  collection and storage of rhizomes for planting. Harvesting of cardamom, spraying against cardamom thrips. Harvesting and drying of clove and nutmeg.  Harvesting of sugarcane,  new planting commences, top dressing for ratoon crop.

First and second doses of top dressing for rice (puncha) crop. Fertiliser application and irrigation for coconut. Harvesting of cashew, collection and storage of seednuts, need based pesticide application.  Second dose of fertiliser and irrigation for banana.  Harvesting of pineapple and tapioca. Nursery preparation for pepper, collection of standards. Harvesting of turmeric and ginger, storage of ginger rhizomes for planting. Irrigation of cardamom nursery, fertiliser application.  Irrigation and weeding of sugarcane.

Summer ploughing in harvested mundakan fields, collection and storage of grain for seed purpose, control measure against rice bug in puncha crop. Fertiliser application in irrigated coconut gardens. Fertiliser application and irrigation in arecanut gardens.  Harvesting of cashew continues, preparation of planting material (layer). Irrigation for banana, propping in wind prone area. Planting of summer season banana with the receipt of summer showers. Harvesting of pineapple continues. Harvesting of thulakkappa, planting of kumbhakkappa. Nursery operations for pepper, collection of standards. Taking pits for new planting and gap filling in cardamom, irrigation in nursery, mulching. Application of second dose of fertiliser and weeding for sugarcane.