Cultivation of turmeric plants

The seeds used are quality or certified seeds. Turmeric can be propagated from the mother rhizome and the offspring rhizome. The rhizome to be used as seed is healthy, 9-10 months old, if the rhizome is broken, there will be lots of fibers, the skin of the rhizome is not wrinkled, not easily peeled, shiny and full. If using offspring rhizomes, it weighs between 15-20 grams or if using the mother rhizome, it can be divided into four parts, one mother rhizome is split into 4 lengthwise, weighs between 20-30 grams, 3-7 cm long. For the mother seed, it is better to use a uniform rhizome.

The seeds are sown on a 3-5-layer straw mat so that the rhizome to be used as seed sprouts quickly. After 3-8 weeks in the nursery, the shoots on the rhizome begin to grow. Each piece of rhizome seed should consist of 2-3 shoots.

The cut seeds are sprinkled with kitchen ash or smeared with vaseline so that the cut wound is not overgrown with fungus. The seeds are ready to be planted in the field after the cut wounds have dried and the shoots have grown.

Land Cultivation and Fertilization

During land cultivation, basic fertilizer (manure) is given as much as 1-2 kg per planting hole and left for 1-2 weeks.

1. If necessary, inorganic fertilizers (Urea, SP-36, and KCl) can be given with the LEISA principle (Low External Input and Sustainable Agriculture) with a dose of 100-200 kg/ha each. SP-36 and KCl are given at planting time while urea is given in 3 divisions (1,2 and 3 Months After Planting (BST)).

Planting is done at the beginning of the rainy season, according to the planting distance with a planting depth of around 5-7 cm. The seeds are carefully placed into the planting hole with the position lying down and the shoots facing upwards, then the soil around the seeds is slightly compacted, so that the seeds are sturdy, then the seeds are covered with soil.

Embroidery

Embroidery is carried out until the age of 1.5 BST using reserve seeds that have been selected and sown.

Watering

Turmeric is a plant that does not like stagnant places. The critical period of water requirements for turmeric plants is until the optimum vegetative growth stage (6 months after planting)

Weeding is done by carefully removing weeds until the age of 6 months after planting.

Harvest

Turmeric rhizomes are harvested when all the leaves and stems have turned yellow and dried (sanesen), generally occurring when the plant is more than 9 months old. Harvesting is done by forking the soil to lift the rhizome of the plant as a whole, after which the soil and roots attached are cleaned.

Post-harvest

For consumption needs, the harvested rhizomes are washed clean with running water, then drained and air-dried, then put in sacks and stored. For the manufacture of rhizomes, the rhizomes are washed clean, drained, then sliced lengthwise with a thickness of 2-5 mm, dried under the sun on a clean bamboo mat and covered with black cloth until the water content is 9-10% or dried in an oven at a temperature of 40-60oC. The dried rhizomes are packed in airtight containers. The containers or packaging used should be inert, meaning they do not react easily with other materials; non-toxic; able to protect the rhizomes from active evaporation; the effects of light, oxygen, water vapor, microbial contamination, dirt, and insects. The packaging is labeled with information on the name of the material, production date, production location and net weight. The packaged rhizomes are stored in a clean, cool (room temperature 10-15oC) and dry storage room. For seed purposes, the cleaned rhizomes are put in mesh sacks, or arranged on shelves/racks, in a cool, ventilated, leak-free, well-lit storage room, not exposed to direct sunlight, and free from warehouse pests.