Fertilizer
application
The recommended
dose of fertilizer is 110:45:45 NPK/ac. This requires 4½ bags of urea, 2
bags of DAP and 2 bags of Potash. The
entire dose of DAP is applied as the basal dressing. The Nitrogen and Potash
fertilizer can be split and applied as 10 doses in
every month. Nitrogen application is a must for the production of dry
matters.
Plant
protection
Organic
gardeners in particular should find stevia an ideal addition to their yield.
Though nontoxic, stevia plants have been found to have
insect-repelling tendencies. Their very sweetness, in fact, may be a kind of
natural defense mechanism against aphids and
other bugs that find it not to their taste. Perhaps that’s why
crop-devouring grasshoppers have been reported to bypass stevia
under cultivation. In case any disease symptoms are noticed, spraying of
neem oil diluted in water is the best organic method.
Weeding
Removal of
weeds can be done manually. Since the crop is grown in raised beds,
intercultural operations are easier by manual labour.
Maintenance
Stevia plants
do best in a rich, loamy soil-the same kind in which common garden-variety
plants thrive. Since the feeder roots tend to
be quite near the surface, it is good idea to add compost for extra
nutrients if the soil in your area is sandy. Besides being
sensitive to cold during their development stage, the roots can be also be
adversely affected by excessive levels of
moisture. So take care not to over-water them and to make sure the soil in
which they are planted drains easily and isn’t soggy or
subject to flooding. Frequent light
watering is recommended during the summer months. Adding a layer of compost
or your favorite mulch around each
Stevia plant will help keep the shallow feeder roots from drying out. Stevia plants
respond well to fertilizers with lower nitrogen content than the
fertilizer’s phosphoric acid or potash content. Most organic
fertilizers would work well, since they release nitrogen slowly. Flowering of
the plant should be avoided. Since Stevia has a significant apical
dominance, the plant tends to grow tall and lanky. Pinching
of the apical bud would enhance bushy growth of the plant with side
branches.
Harvesting
Depending on
climate conditions one can achieve the yields of 2000-4000 Kilos in three to
six harvests annually. Another important
aspect of harvesting is the timing of harvest. It should be noted that at no
point of time plants should be allowed to flower since
after flowering the Stevioside percentage goes down rapidly and leaves are
rendered unmarketable. Leaves are harvested by
plucking in a small quantity, or the entire plant with the side branches is
cut leaving 10 to 15 cm from the base. The first
harvesting can be done four to five months after planting. Subsequent
harvesting can be done every three months, for three
consecutive years. The sweetener in the leaf is maximum till the plant
flowers. Just before flowering, the plant should be cut
completely leaving 10 cm from the ground. The new flush of leaves will
sprout from here. The new plant will be ready for
harvest again in three months. The plant yields around 3000 kg of dried
leaves from an acre of plantation every year.
Harvesting should be done as late as possible, since cool autumn
temperatures and shorter days tend to intensify the sweetness of
the plants as they evolve into a reproductive state.
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