 | 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 |
| | Suggested question paper |
Choosing the site
15. If a cocoa tree is to grow well, it needs more than anything else a soil
· of good structure,
· permeable and deep.
The cocoa tree has tap- roots. The tap- root descends straight into the soil. The branch roots go down very deep. But many small branch roots also grow near the surface.
If the soil is of good structure and contains much humus, the roots penetrate well. You can improve the soil structure by spreading manure and working it into the soil. If the soil is deep, the roots can go down to a good depth.
Never plant cocoa trees in soil with a lot of stones, or in soil where there is some hard layer.
Small surface
roots
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