Peepal Tree (Ficus religiosa): How to Plant and Care for It in Jaipur

When to plant

The best time is July to mid-August, soon after the first soaking monsoon rains. Jaipur's monsoon runs from about the end of June to mid-September, so a monsoon planting gives the roots two to three months of natural moisture before the dry season.

A second option is February to early March, but only if you can water reliably through April–June, when temperatures cross 40 °C. Avoid planting in April–June (extreme heat) and in December–January (cold snaps).

Choosing a sapling

Buy a nursery-raised sapling rather than starting from seed. Relatively few seedlings survive and establish from seed, so a nursery plant is the simpler choice. A good sapling is about 1–1.5 m tall, 12–18 months old, in a large polybag, with a stem that has started to harden. Taller plants tend to survive better in dry areas.

Pit, basin and spacing

• Dig a pit about 60 × 60 × 60 cm. Where there is a hard kankar layer, go 90 cm to 1 m deep.
• Refill with the dug soil mixed with well-rotted farmyard manure. If termites are common, add neem cake or another termite precaution.
• Make a saucer-shaped basin about 1–1.5 m across so rainwater collects around the plant.
• Keep it at least 12–15 m from other large trees and at least 15 m from buildings, boundary walls, borewells, water tanks and underground pipes.
• Fix a tree guard. Goats, cattle and nilgai will browse young plants.

First-year watering

As a practical guide (adjust to how moist the soil is):

Season	How often	Amount
Monsoon (Jul–Sep)	Only after a 7–10 day dry spell	10–15 L
Post-monsoon (Oct–Nov)	Weekly	15–20 L
Winter (Dec–Feb)	Every 10–14 days, in the morning	10–15 L
Spring (Mar)	Weekly	20 L
Summer (Apr–Jun)	Twice a week	20–25 L