Better Farming Series 22 - Cocoa (FAO - INADES, 1977, 32 p.): Choosing seeds and growing seedlings: Lifting seedlings from nursery beds

Better Farming Series 22 - Cocoa (FAO - INADES, 1977, 32 p.)

(introduction...)

Preface

Growing cocoa

Cocoa is grown on trees

What varieties of cocoa can be grown in Africa?

Why cocoa is grown

Choosing seeds and growing seedlings

(introduction...)

Choosing seeds

Sowing seed sin nursery beds or in baskets

Lifting seedlings from nursery beds

Choosing and preparing the plantation site

Choosing the site

Clearing the site

Preparing to plant cocoa trees

Planting cocoa trees in a plantation

Taking care of the plantation

(introduction...)

Weeding and soil cover

Pruning cocoa trees

Applying fertilizers

Protection from insects and diseases

Harvesting the pods

Processing cocoa beans

Lifting seedlings from nursery beds

13. Six months after sowing, when the seedlings have two leaves, take the young cocoa tree seedlings out of the nursery beds.

If you wait too long, the seedlings will be too old and will not grow so easily.
Remove the seedlings from the nursery beds with a spade.
Be very careful not to break the roots.
Sort out the young cocoa seedlings.
Throw away diseased seedlings and badly grown seedlings.
Use only the healthiest seedlings.

14. If you have sown your seeds in baskets, place the baskets in holes dug in the plantation.
There is no need to remove the basket, as it will rot in the earth.
If you have sown your seeds in polyethylene bags, remove the bag.
Place the ball of earth with the seedling into the hole.