Abstract

Weeding continues the whole year round. At certain times of the year, in the good growing weather before and after the monsoons, weeds grow very fast at these times a seed can grow into a full size plant which in its turn is producing seed in about 5 weeks or less. During the heavy rains the growth of weeds is less rapid, but weeds pulled out and left on the ground will continue to grow and flower. It is therefore necessary to collect them into big heaps which should be turned over after a few weeks to avoid spreading of seeds. In the dry weather there is little need of weeding, once the estates have been thoroughly cleaned up from the previous rains. It is usual for an estate to have seven, eight or nine complete rounds of weeding in a year. During the heavy rains only hand- weeding is done to avoid loosening the top soil too much and thereby losing it. With the hand weeders a few coolies are sent with weeding forks or kokras to clean up any grassy patches, but these being usually found in flat places forking will not cause much erosion. After the heavy rains are finished, clean weeding is started, using kokras. Fields which have recently been pruned and so have less cover from the tea will be the weediest and need cleaning up first. By the end of January an estate is usually quite clean. Kokra weeding is then continued until heavy and regular rain is falling i. e, about May.

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