VANILLA PLANTS-CULTIVATION

VANILLA GROWING

A Climbing Orchid valued for its pleasant flavour.Second most expensive spice after Saffron and indegenous to south east mexico in the humid tropical rain forests.The Source of natural vanillin is cured Beans.
Vanilla plantation

The vanilla seedlings grown as nursery crop ready for planting. Vanilla plantation

Deatiled view of a vanilla plant after 2 years of growth under natural tree shade. Vanilla plantation

See the fruit set on this plant which have been hand pollinated and the pods are 3-4 months old. Vanilla plantation

Fully matured seed pod ready for picking. see one bunch of pods ... This needs to be cured for further period before Vanillin can form.

A visit to the vanilla growing area in Pollachi district of southern India

Mostly this belt has a abundance of coconut plantations and under coconut vanilla is grown as an intercrop.

Typical undergrowth and vegetation before the planting

A view of the farm location

You can see the vanilla at the backdrop of the intercropped coconut area.

Usually Glricidia is planted at spacing of one meter for the plant support. For this around 1inch dia plant stems are taken and the cutting is rooted out before used a s support for the vine.