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up with chikoo NATURE’s bounty is unlimited. Mother Earth gives you a wealth of nutritious food as also various fruits. You only have to select the ones you want. Those living in submontane belt comprising Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Hoshiarpur, Ropar, Chandigarh and parts of Patiala district have an exhaustive list of plants to select from. This is due to the fact that similar climatic conditions prevail in all these places. Mango and litchi trees are very common in the above mentioned places and bear excellent fruit. Another fruit that is plentiful and needs mention is chikoo. Chikoo grows well in places where litchi and mango grow successfully. Besides being a rich source of minerals, it also has many other advantages. It does not get infected with insects and pests and bears plenty of fruit. It is not plucked and straightaway eaten. Before it is ready for eating, it has to be wrapped in a piece of paper and kept in a sealed container. It is interesting to note that most people ask how one can determine when the fruit is ready to be plucked. Look at the size of the fruit. It should be the same size as you see in the market. Two, scrape the skin a little. If the flesh is green, wait for a few more days. Yellow |
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There are a few known varieties of chikoo like cricket ball, chattri, kalli-patti etc. Cricket ball is round in shape, whereas the other two varieties are oval and elliptical. People usually prefer the latter two, as these are more sweet. One major complaint of gardeners is about the barrenness of chikoo tree. People want to know if this is because the tree is growing singly and has no partner. No, it does not need one. It can bear fruit even when growing singly. But there are some stray chikoo plants which do not bear fruit. They must be uprooted. Chikoo trees bear fruit twice a year but during summer months, says Dr Amrik Singh Sandhu, Head of the Department of Horticulture, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, due to lack of humidity and hot winds, there is very little fruit. During August-September, the maximum fruit is borne. |