How to plant Gulmohar

Plant a nursery-raised gulmohar sapling at the start of the monsoon, in a sunny, open spot with plenty of room, and protect it from goats, cattle and trampling for the first two years.

When to plant

ICFRE says nursery seedlings become ready for planting by the rainy season. So plant once local rain has properly wetted the soil. As a guide: July or August in the north-west dry zone (including Rajasthan), the northern plains and central India; June to August in the east and the southern peninsula; May to July in the north-east; and June to July on the west coast. October to November applies only where the main rains come with the north-east monsoon, as on the Tamil Nadu coast. These months are our guide, not a rule from a source: the best month depends on your district and on that year's monsoon. Avoid planting in the hot, dry months of April to June, and in frost-prone areas do not plant in winter.

Choosing a sapling

Buy a healthy polybag sapling from the forest department or a nursery you trust; roughly 1–1.5 m tall is our rule of thumb. ICFRE warns that plants kept in the nursery for more than nine months get too tall to handle, so a very tall plant in a small bag is not a bargain.

Pit, spacing and protection

• Site: full sun and open space. ICRAF notes that the shallow surface roots can break pavements and walls.
• Distance: about 8–10 m from houses, compound walls, paved paths, septic tanks and underground pipes is our rule of thumb, but it is only a rough starting point, not a safe distance; ask your local forest or horticulture office if space is tight.
• Pit: about 60 cm each way is our rule of thumb for a polybag sapling. Refill with the dug soil mixed with well-rotted farmyard manure, and plant at the depth the sapling stood in its bag, without burying the stem.
• Spacing: roughly 8–10 m between trees in an avenue or park row is our rule of thumb, because the crown spreads wide (ICRAF).
• Basin and guard: shape a saucer-like basin (roughly 1 m across is our rule of thumb) to hold rainwater, but never let water stand at the stem. Put up a sturdy tree guard where goats, cattle or trampling are likely (practical guidance).

Growing from seed

Gulmohar grows easily from seed. ICFRE says pretreated seed is sown in unshaded nursery beds in September–October or as late as April, or 4–5 seeds to a polybag, and the seedlings are ready by the rainy season. The seed coat is very hard, so nurseries usually nick or soak it before sowing (practical guidance).

First-year watering (practical advice)

None of our sources gives a watering schedule for gulmohar, so the intervals below are our rough starting point for a new sapling in a hot, dry area, not trial results. Check the soil a few centimetres down near the roots first: water deeply when the root zone is drying, skip watering after rain, and never let water stand around the stem.

• Monsoon (Jul–Sep): usually only after a long dry break.
• Post-monsoon and winter (Oct–Feb): about every 1–2 weeks if the soil is dry.
• Spring (Mar): about weekly if the soil is dry.
• Summer (Apr–Jun): about every 3–4 days in hot, dry places, less if the soil is still moist.