InBonsai

Spices & Medicinal Herbs

TURMERIC

(Curcuma longa)

Turmeric is a widely used spice in daily life for cooking, food coloring, and as a valuable medicinal herb for various ailments.

Spices & Medicinal Herbs

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Care Notes

content_cutRhizomes
Turmeric - Curcuma longa

TURMERIC

Curcuma longa

10-12
Months to Harvest
Spring
Best Season

1. Characteristics

Perennial herb with strong rhizomes. Leaves are large like canna leaves, soft and fragrant.

Medicinal Value: High

2. Uses

Cooking spice (curry, coloring), food dye, and treatment for stomach ulcers.

Versatility: 95%

3. Technique

Plant in Spring (Feb-Mar). Requires loose soil, plenty of Potassium.

favorite I. USES

Turmeric is a spice widely used in daily life. It is used to cook dishes like curry, snail stew, taro soup, or for marinating food.

Turmeric is also used as a very safe natural food coloring.

Turmeric is a precious medicinal herb used to treat certain diseases: stomach ulcers, duodenal ulcers, etc.

spa II. BIOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS

  • Origin: Turmeric is a perennial herb, originating from tropical South Asia, in warm temperature regions.
  • Stem & Rhizome: The rhizomes (tubers) develop strongly and swell to become the usable part. The pseudostem is formed by leaf sheaths. It can grow up to a meter high depending on the variety and conditions.
  • Leaves: Large and broad like Canna leaves, but soft and fragrant.
  • Climate: Prefers scattered light, can grow at forest edges or under the canopy of unclosed woody trees. It is drought-tolerant.
  • Soil: Grows well in soil with a thick cultivation layer, loose, porous, and rich in organic matter.
  • Nutrition: Very sensitive to potassium deficiency in the soil. Therefore, turmeric soil must be adequately fertilized with potassium.

agriculture III. CULTIVATION TECHNIQUES

1. Season

  • North: Areas with warm spring plant in February, March, or latest by mid-April.
  • South: Can plant at the beginning of the dry season, from November to December.

2. Soil & Fertilizers

Soil Preparation: Plow thoroughly, clear weeds. Raised beds should be 1.0 - 1.2m wide, 0.25 - 0.30m high.

  • Organic Fertilizer: 1.5 - 2.0 tons
  • NPK: 40 - 50kg
  • Super Phosphate: 20 - 30kg
  • Potassium Chloride: 15 - 20kg

* Basal dressing: All organic fertilizer, phosphate, and 1/3 potassium. Mix well with soil in holes/furrows.

3. Spacing & Planting

  • Spacing: 40 - 50cm (rows) x 25 - 30cm (plants).
  • Planting: Choose healthy rhizomes without pests, cut into sections with 2-3 buds. Place the seed tuber, press lightly to contact soil. Cover with fine soil 5-6cm thick.

4. Care

  • Watering: Keep moist daily 1-2 times. Provide ample water during strong growth periods. Stop watering 3-4 weeks before harvest.
  • Hilling & Weeding: When plants emerge, hoe lightly to break surface crust and hill up gently while weeding. Hill up high when plants have 4-5 leaves.
  • Top Dressing: Fertilize at stages: 1-2 leaves, 2-3 leaves, 4-5 leaves, and during tuber development. Dissolve fertilizer in water (1-2%) or apply dry 7-10cm from base then water.
  • Note: Do not overuse inorganic nitrogen (excessive foliage harms tuber growth). Provide sufficient Potassium during tuber formation.

inventory_2 IV. HARVEST

After planting for about 10 - 12 months , when the turmeric is old, basal leaves turn yellow and wither, and tubers are yellow, it can be harvested.

Method: Use a hoe to dig soil on both sides of the bed, then pull up the whole plant, use a knife to cut off the stems and leaves, then sort.

Storage: After drying the skin, store in a dry, cool place.

Growing Conditions

Fertilizer per 1,000m²: check_circle Organic Fertilizer: 1.5 - 2.0 tons check_circle NPK: 40 - 50kg check_circle Super Phosphate: 20 - 30kg check_circle Potassium Chloride: 15 - 20kg * Basal dressing: All organic fertilizer, phosphate, and 1/3 potassium. Mix well with soil in holes/furrows. 3. Spacing & Planting Spacing: 40 - 50cm (rows) x 25 - 30cm (plants). Planting: Choose healthy rhizomes without pests, cut into sections with 2-3 buds. Place the seed tuber, press lightly to contact soil. Cover with fine soil 5-6cm thick. 4. Care Watering: Keep moist daily 1-2 times. Provide ample water during strong growth periods. Stop watering 3-4 weeks before harvest. Hilling & Weeding: When plants emerge, hoe lightly to break surface crust and hill up gently while weeding. Hill up high when plants have 4-5 leaves. Top Dressing: Fertilize at stages: 1-2 leaves, 2-3 leaves, 4-5 leaves, and during tuber development. Dissolve fertilizer in water (1-2%) or apply dry 7-10cm from base then water. Note: Do not overuse inorganic nitrogen (excessive foliage harms tuber growth). Provide sufficient Potassium during tuber formation. inventory_2 IV. HARVEST After planting for about 10 - 12 months , when the turmeric is old, basal leaves turn yellow and wither, and tubers are yellow, it can be harvested. Method: Use a hoe to dig soil on both sides of the bed, then pull up the whole plant, use a knife to cut off the stems and leaves, then sort. Storage: After drying the skin, store in a dry, cool place. Fertilizer (per 1,000m²) compost 1.5-2 Tons Organic science 40-50 kg NPK science 20-30 kg Super phosphate science 15-20 kg Potassium Growth Process Planting

Spring (Feb-Apr) or early Dry Season.

Care & Top Dressing

Stages: 1-2, 2-3, 4-5 leaves. Hill up high.

Tuber Formation

Requires sufficient Potassium and water.

Harvest

After 10-12 months. Yellow leaves, mature tubers.