Better Farming Series 22 - Cocoa (FAO - INADES, 1977, 32 p.): Taking care of the plantation: Pruning cocoa trees

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

Pruning cocoa trees

32. The cocoa tree is a tree that develops well. It has a single, straight trunk. A crown of 3 to 5 main branches forms about 1.5 metres above ground level.

33. Sometimes, during the first year, several shoots form on the trunk. Cut off these shoots and leave only the strongest. Sometimes the crown forms too low down, at less than 1 metre above ground level.

A new crown will then form at a good height, and the first crown will stop growing.

Young well- grow cocoa tree

Choose a shoot which grows straight up and let it develop

4. Always cut out all dead branches, dry twigs and suckers.

A sucker is a twig that grows upward out of the trunk. Cut off the suckers very close to the trunk.

Always cut out all dead branches

35. When a cocoa tree gets old, it no longer yields many pods. But you can make cocoa trees young again by letting one or two suckers grow low down on the trunk where they can develop their own roots. Then cut down the old trunk, and you will again have a cocoa tree that yields many pods.

Old cocoa tree