How to grow Cassia Nodosa
(Pink Cassia)
Article by: Nashatul Zaimah Noor Azman & Ahmad Fauzi bin Mohd Shariff (Seed Technology Laboratory - Nursery Unit FRIM)
If you’ve managed to get your hands on a DIVE Tees For A Cause leaflet (which is being distributed at all participating retail outlets as we speak), you would have unearthed the seed packet by now.
Here are 9 easy steps to grow the seeds and build a tree in your very own backyard…
- Cassia nodosa seeds are hard in texture. Therefore, to speed up germination, soak the seeds in hot water for about 5 minutes.
- Prepare a medium for germination. You can use a plastic tray, which has holes at the bottom to prevent clogging during watering. The tray should have a minimum depth of 5 cm.
- Fill the tray with 3-part soil and 1-part sand. If necessary, the sowing media can be treated with natural fungicide and pesticide to prevent diseases and pest attack during germination period.
- Sow the seeds in rows for easy handling. Seeds can be sown upright, 45 o or by using lay down technique. Then, cover the seeds with fine river sand.
- Water the seeds once a day. Use a fine shower nozzle, as this is only to moisten the seeds.
- Cover the tray with glass or transparent plastic and black netting (which gives about 50% shade) until the seed germinates.
- Usually, the seeds take anywhere about 4-26 days to germinate (the emergence of root and shoot). Once the seeds have germinated, remove the tray cover. At this stage, watering should be done twice a day.
- As soon as 2 - 4 leaves emerge from the seedlings, transfer them into poly bags of 6" x 8".
- Transplanting to the ground can be done when the seedlings reach a minimum height of 2 feet so that the plants can compete with weeds easily.