Nutmeg (Jaathi)


This was planted  about 3 years ago. it grew about 7 foot but didn't yield, so we got the budding done last month(december) and we are waiting for the results.We use cow dung and ellupodi as fertilizer once every 3 months.

Usually it starts fruiting when it is about 6 months and grows about 3 to 4 feet high.It doesn't grow too tall.We have 5 of them planted which have started fruiting.The fruit looks like apricot, though it is quiet hard and yellowish in color when it ripes. pluck them once they are ready

A very good hing about this fruit is every single part of this is useful.
The outer shell can be used for making chammanthi( a thick chutney), wine and can be shredded into salads( only a little)
Its very good for better digestion. Add a couple of its leaves to your drinking water when boiling the water. its again good for your stomach.
Once you take its cover off, you would see a black seed in oval shape covered with red line shaped flower around it. The seed is called 'Jaathikka' and the flower is called 'Jaathi pathri'.
Jathikka is used as a home remedy for diarrhoea. Take half a spoon of the jathikka grinded and add equal amount of honey and take it 2 0r 3 times for diarrhoea.
Dried Jaathipathri is used as a spice in many recepies flavour and aroma.

It is also a good option if you would like to make little income from farming because Jaathikka costs around Rs.360 - 380/ Kg and jaathipathri costs abut Rs.1100/kg. Make sure you don't break the flower when you seperate it from jathikka and make it yellowish in shade in drying since unbroken flower with yello shade is considered as the supreme quality.