Beli is popular for its fragrance. It is prized as a scented flower in the bouquets and garlands used at most festivals and ceremonies in the country. Beyond its beauty, it is now considered a cash flower and is grown commercially in nurseries across the country.

Three types of beli are found in the country: a single, strongly scented type; a medium-sized double type; and a large double type.

Beli is propagated by air layering, ground layering and stem cuttings. It can be grown in all soils except sandy soil and heavy clay. The land should ideally have arrangements for both irrigation and drainage.

Plough and ladder the land four or five times to make it fine and level. Apply organic manure, urea, phosphate and MP during land preparation. Plant seedlings about 1 metre apart. After planting, apply urea and irrigate.

Beli layers or seedlings can be prepared from late summer to the end of the monsoon. The guide also gives a spacing of 50 centimetres between plants and between rows. For planting, dig holes, leave the soil in the sun, mix it with organic manure and wood ash and refill the holes. Then set a beli layer in each hole. Planting during or towards the end of the monsoon is best, though with good irrigation layers can also be made in spring.

Beli can be grown in pots of loam soil rich in organic matter, mixed with suitable amounts of urea, TSP and MP. The pots can be kept on a veranda or a rooftop.

Weed control also needs attention in a beli garden. Weeds should be cleared regularly from the land or pot. Spreading chopped straw on the soil reduces the need for irrigation and keeps weeds down.

Beli plants should be pruned every year, in mid-winter, cutting them back to 30 centimetres above the soil surface. Apply fertiliser to the land or pot a few days after pruning.

Harmful insects are rarely seen on beli, but mites can attack. They leave a white coating on leaves, and affected leaves curl and roll up.

Mites can be controlled by spraying the leaves with sulphur powder or sulphur-based miticides such as Sultaf or Kelthane. A fungal disease with yellowish spots also appears on beli leaves; it can be controlled with Agrosan or Tracel-2.

Source: Staff Correspondent. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.