Turmeric presentation.ogs.2013

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Turmeric Production Susan Anderson East Branch Ginger 207-313-4358 info@eastbranchginger .com

description

Turmeric Production Presentation Given at Organic Growers' School, March 9th and 10th, 2013

Transcript of Turmeric presentation.ogs.2013

Page 1: Turmeric presentation.ogs.2013

TurmericProduction

Susan AndersonEast Branch [email protected]

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What are we talking about today?

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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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Turmeric - Presprouting• Presprouting can take upwards of 4-

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

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

pieces when transplanting–Be sure soil or media receiving

transplants is warm

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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

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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”

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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

• Value added ideas–Dried turmeric–Dyes

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Questions

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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

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