TurmericProduction

Susan AndersonEast Branch Ginger207-313-4358info@eastbranchginger.com

What are we talking about today?

• Turmeric Production–Presprouting–Protected Culture–Container vs. Soil–Fertilizers/Soil Amendments–Harvest–Marketing

Turmeric – The Plant

• Curcuma longa, Zingiberaceae family• Rhizomes – grow out and down in all

directions• Foliage tall (3-4 ft) with wide leaf blades• Petioles originate at base of plant• Worldwide very economically, culturally

important crop• India top producer with almost 650,000 tons

Turmeric – The Spice of Life

• Has curcuminoids, and many other compounds, studied to be beneficial to health

• Antioxident, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, anticarcinogenic

• Recently published findings and ongoing research into the benefits of turmeric

Turmeric Production• Containers or Soil Culture• Drip Irrigation• Takes at least 8-9 months from start of

presprout – need protected culture in temperate climates

• Rhizomes grow out and down from seed piece so little to no hilling required

• About 10-16 pieces per pound; use avg. 13

Protected Culture• Hoophouse–Presprout then transplant into soil or

containers to hoophouse• Heated Greenhouse–Direct seed rhizomes into growing

container/soil if root zone kept 70-80F from time of seeding

Turmeric Seed Pieces• Seed should be healthy and fresh• All pieces of rhizome will produce new crop• Some better than others:– In order here from best yielding to least,

with caveat that all do produce yield:• Primary fingers•Mother rhizomes (rounds)• Secondary rhizomes

• DO NOT CUT SEED PIECES – leave rhizomes whole for seed

Turmeric - Presprouting• Receive seed pieces and presprout• Can hold for 5-14 days – well ventilated,

warm (80F) out of direct sunlight• Shallowly plant– Fingers placed horizontal onto the media–Open flats, individual pots, bulb crates

• Presprout at 80F for 4-6 weeks–Goal: get roots and shoots going and the

“mother rhizome” started

Turmeric - Presprouting• Presprouting can take upwards of 4-

6 weeks• Keep very warm, 80F• Be patient

Turmeric - Transplanting• Sensitive to transplant–Be gentle with presprouted

pieces when transplanting–Be sure soil or media receiving

transplants is warm

Turmeric - Transplanting• Mulch or cover soils/containers prior to

and after transplant until shoot emergence to keep soil temps warm (70-80F)– Low tunnels, black plastic mulch (remove after

emergence), row covers

• Use thin mulches after emergence to help increase yields and aid in weed control• Examples: compost or straw with no

weed seed

Turmeric – Container Culture• Media– Coconut coir– Well-drained, good water holding capacity– Neutral pH– Not binding of nutrients– Not mucky

• Containers– Grow bags, flexible plastic or fabric, nothing

fragile or valuable– Depth of at least 12”

Turmeric – Container Culture• Spacing in Container– 3-4 seed pieces in a 15 gallon grow bag (about

6” away from seed piece to seed piece)– If smaller container use only 1-2 seed pieces– If larger, add about 1-2 seed pieces per five

gallon increase– If some pieces are very small, use more pieces

than recommended; vice-versa for larger pieces– 5# will plant about 20-23 fifteen gallon grow

bags

Turmeric – Container Culture• Container Spacing – pot to pot–Make banks of pots for ease of

watering, fertilizing, shade root zone, increase humidity around canopy, weed control

Turmeric – Container Culture• Planting–At least 4” of media in bottom of pot–Media should be premixed with dose

of ferts, micronutrients, organic matter–Place presprouted seed pieces onto

media–Cover with about 1-2” of media

Turmeric – Soil Culture

• Well-drained, good water holding capacity• pH around 5-6– Can be wider range if nutrients are made available

• Get soil test

• Not binding of nutrients• Not mucky• No heavy clay with low OM• Loose, workable soil – good carrot soil

Turmeric – Soil Culture

• Spacing– 6” from seed piece to seed piece– 5# will plant about 30-35 row feet– 3 foot centers, row to row

• Planting– Dig a 1-2” trench (allows for some soil use later if

hilling required)– Place presprouted seed pieces at recommended

spacing – cover with about 1-2” of soil

Watering• Watering – drip recommended–Turmeric yields better when watered

consistently through the growing season–May have to increase frequency of

waterings if media very well drained – increase feedings if watering daily–Decrease waterings as crop goes

dormant in late fall

Fertilizing• Depends upon media/soil–Well balanced (about 5-5-5) fed about

4-5 times through the growing season–Another feeding a week before harvest

– water in–Amend initial media/soil with

fertilizers, compost and/or worm castings–Higher yields with regular fertilizer

applications

Fertilizing – Other Amendments•Use gypsum to promote nutrient uptake – check with OG cert agent before using any new products•Beneficial microbes increase yields greatly–Examples: Trichoderma, Root

Shield, Actinovate, Contans, worm castings, well-aged compost

Mulching• Mulch the crop with a thin layer (½-

1”) at each feeding• Examples – compost, worm castings,

straw with no weed seed

• Mulching aids in water retention and weed control• Turmeric tall, skinny so little shading

of weed competition

Harvest• Just prior to harvest, water once to

make harvest easier• Dig samples at 6-7 months to monitor• Trim all leaves off a few days prior• Containers–Tip bags or containers on side–Pull root ball from container

• Soil–Undermine and gently lift using broadforks

Processing/Storage• Wash and separate rhizomes• Handle gently so no scarring or nicks on

skin• Store until sale at room temperature up

to 5-10 days– Recommend to end users to store at room temp

for a few weeks – no bags• Store for longer at 60-65F, no sunlight, dry,

well ventilated, up to 30-90 days

Saving Seed

• After harvest and processing (be gentle with rhizomes saved for seed)

• Allow rhizomes to air cure for 5-10 days–Well ventilated, dry, shady location

• Can be placed in crate or bucket with DRY loose soil or sand

• Place stored rhizomes in cool, dry location – 60-65F

• Hold for up to 90-100 days

Culture Tips• Hill with about 1-2” media/soil if

rhizomes peek out of soil surface• If leaves yellow then feed a bit more• If saving seed do not overfeed• Turmeric will grow in shade but

yields will be reduced–25% shade at most

• Yields about 5-10 fold, depending upon crop culture through season

Turmeric - Uses• Uses– Curries and many other culinary applications

• Mortar and pestle to make pulp

– Pickling– Food Coloring/color stabilizer– Ayurvedic Medicine

• Aches, liver disorders, wound care, pulmonary, gastrointestinal, skin

– Conventional Medicine• Anti-inflammatory in conjunction with others meds,

gastrointestinal, Alzheimer’s, cancer

• DO YOUR RESEARCH, TALK WITH HEALTH CARE PROVIDER

Turmeric - Marketing• Farmers’ markets• Restaurants• Winter markets–Store rhizomes for later sales

• Value added ideas–Dried turmeric–Dyes

Questions

Sources• http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/662.html

• http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17101300• http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19110321• http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17569205• http://220.227.138.214:8080/dspace/bitstream/123456789/96/1/Vol.+VIII+No.1+(49-55).pdf

Sources• http://botanydictionary.org/tunica-corpus-theory.html

• http://www.sigmaaldrich.com/life-science/nutrition-research/learning-center/plant-profiler.html

Sources• http://www.naturalstandard.com/• http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2008/02/25/turmeric-overca/