Our Top Tips For Growing Melia Dubia – Invest in Your Farm’s Future!

Our Top Tips For Growing Melia Dubia – Invest in Your Farm’s Future!

If you own a farm in India and you’re interested in growing Melia Dubia (also called malai vembu in Hindi and hebbevu or kaadu bevu in Kannada), you may be looking for some top tips on how to grow this tree, which is also called Malabar neem.

Melia dubia is growing in popularity with farmers in India as a great way to supplement income earned from other crops. This tree is extremely sturdy, hardy, and quickly-growing – reaching maturity in just 5-6 years, and offering the opportunity to double your investment after harvest.

So, in this blog, we’ll take a look at some tips on how you can grow Melia Dubia more effectively in India, and make sure that you maximize your investment in this unique tree. Let’s get started.

Plant Seeds That Have Been Extracted From The Drupe

Usually, Melia Dubia seeds are harvested around January-February, and are gathered from the ripe fruits that drop from adult Melia Dubia trees. You can purchase these whole drupes – but this is not typically the best idea.

Unfortunately, Melia Dubia’s biggest drawback is difficult germination. If you use whole drupes, germination rates are usually around 25%. So, what’s the answer? We recommend purchasing seeds that have been extracted from the fruit. When extracted from the fruit and soaked overnight in a 100 PPM GA solution, Melia Dubia seeds that have been extracted have a germination rate of 50-60%

Space Your Melia Dubia Trees Properly

The spacing you’ll use to cultivate your Melia Dubia trees is partially determined by the purpose for which you would like to use the wood. For example, growing trees for pulpwood requires smaller gaps compared to growing trees for plywood.

For pulpwood, Melia Dubia can be planted at distances of 5’ x 5’ or 6’ x 6’. However, if you are intending to use it for plywood, your minimum distance should be 4m x 4m or 5m x 5m, as the tree will need more space to grow and develop high-quality wood.

Irrigate Your Malabar Neem (Melia Dubia) Trees Regularly

During the rainy season, irrigation is typically not required at all. This tree thrives in moist, damp environments, so the excessive rain is typically not a concern. However, during the non-rainy season, Melia Dubia typically responds well to irrigation every 10-15 days. Use your best judgment to determine if your trees require more water.

In addition, you should note that Malabar neem trees do not typically have a taproot. While they do enjoy a wet, damp environment, they are not ideal for a farm or plantation where monsoons commonly cause high winds, which can damage them as they grow. If you are located in an area with high winds, you may wish to plant Melia Dubia in an area sheltered from the wind, such as a valley.

Prune Annually

While Melia Dubia naturally has few branches, annual trimming of these branches can help encourage a better-quality trunk and get a straight, cylindrical bole that’s easy to process when sold.

Fertilize Twice Per Year

Melia dubia responds well to twice-yearly applications of NPK fertilizer. We recommend the use of 25-50 grams of product per tree. Mix the PNK with water and distribute it evenly around the tree to provide the necessary nutrients that your Melia Dubia trees require to grow and thrive.

Make Sure Your Seedlings And Saplings Get Enough Light

If you are raising seedlings in a nursery and planting saplings, you must make sure they are in an unshaded area where they can get maximum light exposure. Melia dubia responds poorly to low-light conditions, and requires ample light to grow strong and healthy. This is also why it is important to space out your Melia Dubia trees properly to avoid the shade from one tree falling onto another.

Follow These Tips For Better Melia Dubia (Malabar Neem) Production!

We hope these tips for raising Melia Dubia (Malabar neem) trees have been helpful. This tree offers great opportunities for Indian farmers who are interested in growing trees for industrial use in the plywood industry – so start planting today.