Shop at deodar-seeds.com 
About this seed
Cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum) is a perennial in the ginger family (Zingiberaceae) and a slow starter from seed: germination begins about a month after sowing and can continue for up to three months.
Also known as: Green cardamom, True cardamom, Small cardamom, Elaichi (Hindi), Choti elaichi (Hindi), Elakkai (Tamil), Cardamomo (Spanish), Cardamome (French), Kardamom (German), Kakule (Turkish).
What the plant becomes
A herbaceous, shade-loving perennial native to the Malabar Coast of India. Plants reach about 30 cm after two years and about 120 cm in the third year. The pods are small, spindle-shaped and triangular in cross-section, light green, and hold small black seeds.
Germination
- Emergence takes about 30–90 days in shaded, moist nursery beds (approximate, a guide for the species, not a result for this lot).
- Fresh seed is the norm: the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University guide treats fresh seed with acid for 20 minutes and then washes it, a commercial nursery step.
- Keep the bed moist but never waterlogged.
Growing steps
- Sow in a bed of equal parts well-rotted manure, wood ash and forest soil, and cover with a thin layer of fine sand.
- Mulch and shade the bed.
- At the 3–4 leaf stage move seedlings to a shaded secondary bed or 20 × 20 cm bags, spaced 20 × 20 cm.
- Plant out at 18–22 months in loamy, acidic soil (pH 5.0–6.5) under 50–60% shade, away from strong wind.
When it does not work
Full sun, wind and standing water are the common ways to lose seedlings. Commercial guides place cardamom at 600–1500 m elevation; in a warm lowland, give it the shade and humidity of a nursery bed.
FAQ
Nothing has sprouted after a month. Is the seed dead?
Not necessarily. Sprouting normally starts around a month after sowing and may continue for three months, so keep the bed shaded and moist before giving up.
How long until the plant bears pods?
Plan on several years: about 18–22 months in the nursery, then roughly two years after planting out before bearing starts.
