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Home/Cultivation Guide

🌱 Complete Cultivation
Step-by-Step Guide

From site selection to registration — every step you need for a successful sandalwood plantation.

📋 8 Detailed Steps 🌳 Host Plant Guide 💧 Irrigation Plan 🌿 Fertilizer Schedule ⚖️ Registration Process

📅 Annual Planting Calendar

Best months for each cultivation activity

Jan
Not
Feb
Best
Mar
Best
Apr
Good
May
Not
Jun
Best
Jul
Best
Aug
Best
Sep
Best
Oct
Good
Nov
Not
Dec
Not
Best planting (Feb–Mar, Jul–Sep) Good with irrigation (Jun) Fertilizer application (Apr, Oct) Avoid planting (Jan, May, Nov–Dec)

Key: Best = best planting month  ·  Good = good with irrigation (+ fertilizer)  ·  Not = Avoid planting
Split-colour cells suit two activities: the blue half always means good with irrigation, and the other half is the month's main status — green = best planting, orange = fertilizer, red = avoid.

1
Site Selection & Soil Testing
Foundation of a successful plantation

Site Requirements

  • Well-drained land with gentle slope (2–5%) preferred
  • Altitude: 0–900m (best for white), 200–800m (red)
  • Not on flood plains, river valleys, or waterlogged low-lying areas
  • Not in heavy clay soil zones or saline soil areas
  • Near water source for initial 3 years irrigation
  • Away from human settlements with adequate security

Soil Tests to Conduct

  • pH test (target: 6.0–7.5) — test from ICAR or private labs
  • NPK analysis — check for nutrient levels
  • Organic carbon content
  • Soil texture and clay content
  • Drainage percolation test (water absorption rate)
  • Micronutrients: Zinc, Boron, Iron
💡 Tip: Soil testing costs ₹200–500 at ICAR/KVK labs. This is the best ₹500 investment before spending lakhs on a plantation.
2
Land Preparation
Prepare the land 4–6 weeks before planting

Preparation Steps

  • Deep plough to 30–45cm in summer (April–May)
  • Disc harrow to break clods; remove weeds and grass
  • Add lime if pH <6.0 (2–4 ton/ha); gypsum if pH >7.5
  • Mark rows using string lines and stakes
  • Dig pits: 45×45×45cm (normal soil) or 60×60×60cm (rocky)
  • Keep excavated soil separate from subsoil

Pit Filling Mix

  • 50% excavated top soil
  • 30% farm yard manure (FYM) or compost
  • 20% coarse sand (for drainage)
  • Add to pit: 100g Single Super Phosphate (SSP)
  • Add to pit: 50g Muriate of Potash (MOP)
  • Mix thoroughly; fill pit 2–3 weeks before planting
📐 Spacing Guide: 4×4m = 250 trees/acre (most common) | 5×5m = 160 trees/acre (better spacing, easier management) | 6×6m = 110 trees/acre (for degraded land or large areas)
3
Host Plant Planting (CRITICAL — White Sandalwood ONLY)
Plant 2–3 months BEFORE sandalwood seedlings
⚠️ Most Critical Step: Without host plants, White Sandalwood forms minimal heartwood and may die. This step can make the difference between ₹3 crore and ₹30 lakh per acre at harvest.

Primary Hosts (Plant First)

  • Tephrosia purpurea — Best primary host, N-fixer
  • Cassia siamea — Excellent secondary, fast growing
  • Casuarina equisetifolia — Strong host, windbreak
  • Azadirachta indica (Neem) — Hardy perennial host, pest-repellent
  • Plant 3 hosts at 1–2m from sandalwood pit
  • Plant 2–3 months before sandalwood transplanting
  • Replace dead hosts within 2 weeks

Secondary/Companion Hosts

  • Pongamia pinnata — Good host + oil seeds income
  • Cajanus cajan (Pigeon pea) — Annual host + food crop
  • Groundnut (Arachis) — Interrow annual host
  • Acacia nilotica (Babool) — Hardy N-fixing host, ideal for arid zones
  • Maintain 1–2 living hosts per tree always
  • Host diversity reduces risk of all-host loss
  • Do NOT plant Eucalyptus — competes aggressively
✅ Red Sandalwood: Does NOT need host plants. Skip this step entirely if growing Pterocarpus santalinus.
4
Seedling Source & Transplanting
Source certified seedlings only

Approved Seedling Sources

  • KFDC (Karnataka Forest Development Corp.) nurseries
  • IWST-ICFRE certified nurseries
  • State Forest Department nurseries
  • ICAR Regional Stations (Bengaluru, Hyderabad)
  • Verify disease-free certificate before purchase
  • Avoid unknown or roadside nurseries (spike disease risk)

Transplanting Procedure

  • Transplant in evening or on cloudy day
  • Seedling age: 6–12 months, height 20–30cm
  • Remove bag carefully, don't disturb root ball
  • Place at center of pit; root collar at soil level
  • Firm soil; no air pockets around roots
  • Water 8–10 liters immediately; apply mulch
5
Irrigation Plan
Critical for first 3 years; reduces significantly after establishment
Year 1
3×/week
8–10 liters/tree/day
Year 2
2×/week
5–6 liters/tree/day
Year 3
1×/week
4–5 liters/tree/day
Year 4+
Rainfall Only
Drought tolerant; supplement in extreme dry
💧 Drip Irrigation: Install 4 LPH (liters per hour) drippers at root zone. Drip saves 60% water vs. flood irrigation. PM-KUSUM scheme provides 60% subsidy on solar-powered drip systems.
6
Fertilization Schedule
Less is more after Year 8 — heartwood forms under mild stress
Year FYM / Compost NPK (g/tree) Micronutrients Notes
1–310 kg/treeN:P:K = 50:25:25ZnSO₄ 20g + Boron 5gEstablishment phase
4–815 kg/treeN:P:K = 100:50:50Same + foliar sprayGrowth phase
9–1510 kg/treeN:P:K = 50:25:25 (reduce N)ReducedHeartwood begins
15+5 kg organic onlyStop NPKMinimalMaximize oil content
⚠️ Key Rule: After Year 8, deliberately reduce fertilizer especially NITROGEN. Rich nutrition = lush tree with poor heartwood. Mild stress = better heartwood quality and higher essential oil content.
7
Monitoring & Long-term Care
Biannual field inspection is essential

Regular Monitoring Checklist

  • Inspect for spike disease symptoms every 2 months
  • Check root rot signs after monsoon (wilting, yellowing)
  • Verify all host plants are alive and healthy
  • Replace dead trees and hosts promptly
  • Monitor leafhopper insect population
  • Check for bark borer damage on trunk

Annual Tasks

  • Apply fertilizers in May–June (pre-monsoon)
  • Apply second dose in September (post-monsoon)
  • Renew plantation certificate annually
  • Update tree count record with mortality data
  • Weeding around tree base in June and October
  • At Year 15+: Test heartwood with increment borer
8
Legal Registration (Within 6 Months — MANDATORY)
Register with Forest Department to legally sell your harvest

Required Documents

  • Land ownership records (7/12 or RoR or Patta)
  • GPS coordinates / survey number of land
  • Number of trees planted and species
  • Date of planting
  • Sketch map showing plantation layout
  • Your identity proof (Aadhaar + PAN)

Where to Register

  • Visit local Forest Range Office (FRO)
  • Submit filled application form + documents
  • FRO may conduct site inspection
  • Receive Plantation Registration Certificate
  • Renew every year
  • Keep all certificates safely — needed for harvest
⚠️ Legal Warning: Unregistered plantations CANNOT legally harvest or sell sandalwood. Failure to register = confiscation risk even of legitimately grown trees. Register within 6 months of planting without exception.

Ready to take the next step?

🔬 Disease Management → 🪓 Harvesting Guide → ⚖️ Government Regulations →