One of the most precious types of wood in the world is teak. Although plantations have been set up all over the world’s tropics, the species is endemic to South and Southeast Asia. The plantation’s primary goals are to produce high-quality timber in 40 to 80 years. Teak, or Tectona grandis, is renowned for its exceptional water resistance and longevity.
See also about:Sagwan tree
Teak tree: Quick facts
| Botanical name | Tectona grandis |
| Common name | Sagwan wood, Saag, Teak, Segun, Tekku |
| Family | Lamiaceae |
| Native to | South and Southeast Asia, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Burma. |
| Tree size | 130 feet tall |
| Tree colour | Golden or medium brown |
| Soil type | Deep, well-drained alluvial soils |
| Season | Flowering – June to September
Fruits – November to January |
| Toxicity | May cause eye and skin irritation |
Teak tree: Features
The Tectona grandis tree, indigenous to south and southeast Asia, is the source of teak wood, a dense, closely-grained kind of hardwood. With grey to greyish-brown branches and a height of up to 40 metres (131 feet), teak is a deciduous tree prized for its superior timber. Its sturdy, 2-4 cm long petioles support oval-elliptic to elliptical leaves, which measure 15–45 cm long by 8–23 cm wide and have whole edges.
Teak is known for its exceptional water resistance and longevity. Teak has the best level of decay resistance among all natural wood products due to its high oil content. The best wood comes from older teak trees, between 40 and 80 years old.
Source: Pinterest
All about the seasoning of timber
Sustainable teak tree plantations for future generations
To ensure a steady supply of high-quality for future generations, the way to follow is sustainable teak tree plantations. Mentioned are guidelines for the same:
Plan for long term: It takes around 20-25 years to harvest teak tree. So, while planning for sustainable teak tree plantations choose teak plants of various ages so that the supply of teak is steady.
Choose a place which will support teak growth for a long time: As mentioned teak trees grow fine in a warm and humid climate. Pick a site that has fertile soil, no problems for water and which has a sound drainage.
Responsible forest management: Maintain biodiversity, prevent soil erosion and outbreak of pests to get a very healthy yield
Efficient harvesting methods: During the time of harvest, use techniques that will reduce wastage and don’t affect the other trees in the plantation. Also, while harvesting ensure that you leave some trees so that biodiversity is supported for future growth.
From seedling to mature teak tree: A journey of growth
Soaking seeds
Teak seeds have a thick pericarp, or outer shell, which can prevent them from germinating quickly. To induce germination, soak the seeds in water: For 12 hours, soak the seeds in a tub or pail of cold tap water.
Stock of plants
- As planting material, stumps or seedlings are typically employed. The seedlings must be kept in the nursery for about a year to prepare the stump.
- You can then uproot the seedlings and utterly pull out their secondary roots and foliage, and stumps (four to six cm shoot with 15 to 20 cm tap root part) were made.
- In general, planting on stumps is recommended since it is portable.
- Young seedlings are moved to two polythene bags filled with soil mixture for seedling plantation and kept in the nursery for three to six months.
A biodegradable pot or another germination pot should have some coarse peat added to it before being covered in sand. Since sand drains water well, it is preferable. Before planting, evenly water this. Each germination container should contain one seed, with the micropyle pointing downward. Planting seeds at a depth roughly equal to the seed’s diameter would be best. Add another layer of sand to the root, about 1/3 to 2/3 of an inch thick.
- Spread out straw thinly over the seeds. Because of this, they won’t be able to move while you’re watering them. To keep the soil moist, water the seeds and repeat as necessary.
- Teak seedlings could begin to grow as soon as five to seven days after being planted.
- While some seeds might not germinate, others could take up to three months.
- When the seedlings are between 12 and 16 inches tall, they are prepared to be planted outdoors. For producing the teak, select a location with bright, filtered light to full-sun exposure while keeping the ideal soil requirements in mind.
Preparing the land
Bring soil to a fine tilth by ploughing a pitch twice or three times. To prevent water from standing in the field, level the ground. To transplant seedlings, create trenches that are 45 cm x 45 cm x 45 cm in size. In each pit, combine pesticides with well-decomposed cow dung.
Planting teak trees
Planting sites can be either flat or gradually sloping with excellent drainage. Teak grows well on gneisses, schists, and trap soils. Laterite or lateritic gravel, clays, black cotton, sandy, and gravelly soils formed from sandstone, are not ideal for teak plantations. Alluvial areas are superior for teak growth. Completely till and level the land. Mark the locations where pits will be dug by aligning and stacking.
- For planting, use poly spots or pre-sprouted stumps.
- Create trenches measuring 45 cm x 45 cm x 45 cm. After seasoning, combining Farm Yard Manure (FMY), and adding insecticides, replenish the soil. Replace the pit soil with good soil that contains good organic materials on poor grave sites.
- When planting, add 100 g of fertiliser to the pit. Then, add additional doses every two weeks to maintain the soil’s fertility.
- The monsoon is the best time to plant trees for teak farming, especially right after the first shower.
- Perform periodic soil work for improved plant growth. It might be sufficient to labour one hour in the first year and two hours each in the second and third.
- After planting, firm up the soil and use irrigation or water supplies as needed.
- Disbudding may be done early to enhance the timber’s quality.
Teak wood plant thinning
Depending on the quality of the land and the initial spacing’s size, the first thinning in a teak plantation occurs 5–10 years after the teak is planted. The first and second mechanical thinnings (1.8×1.8 m and 22 m spacing) are typically carried out in favourable sites at 5 and 10 years, respectively. After the second thinning, about 25% of the trees are left for additional growth and development.
Aspects influencing the growth
The teak plantation typically produces 8 to 10 m3/ha/year. Site quality, seed availability, and silvicultural management are the key variables determining the plantation’s growth and quality.
Growing a teak tree in a nursery
- You can prepare nurseries on slightly sloping land with well-drained sandy loam.
- Each bed is 1.2 m (12 m) in length and is separated from other beds by 0.3 m to 0.6 m and rows of beds by 0.6 m to 1.6 m.
- Each bed produces 400–800 plantable stumps.
- The area of the bed is excavated to a depth of 0.3 m after the earth has been ploughed. Stones, stumps, and roots are eliminated. The ground is finely fractured into clods of soil.
- After roughly a month of weathering, the soil is added to the nursery bed as sand and organic material.
Treatment of seeds
Teak fruits have a thick, hard mesocarp; hence several pre-treatments are applied to the seeds before planting in nurseries to boost germination rates. Traditionally, fruits are pre-treated by alternately soaking and drying them. This process involves soaking seeds in water for 12 hours, followed by 12 hours of sun drying. For 10 to 14 days, this wetting and drying process is repeated. Other pre-treatment techniques include the acid procedure and the pit method.
Calcium requirements
With high levels of calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), nitrogen (N), and organic matter (OM), teak soil is relatively fruitful. The soil’s calcium concentration also determines the quality of the teak site. In other words, the amount of calcium in the forest soil increases with the ratio of teak to other allied species.
Teak tree: Care
- Young teak trees respond better to fertilisers for promoting development than mature trees.
- Teak thrives in wet environments. A dry period of three to five months should be allowed to pass on the land to grow high-quality timber trees.
- The pH of the soil should be between 6.5 and 7.5. It is deep, well-drained, and alluvial, with high calcium levels, organic matter, and other elements.
- Teak requires a lot of sunshine to grow. Therefore, thorough weeding is crucial in plantations that are 1 to 5 years old.
Tree of teak: Uses
Source: Pinterest
- Teak is used for various things, including veneer, frames, carvings, exterior construction, indoor and outdoor furniture, and more.
- Teak from central India is prized for its aesthetic qualities and is used for furniture due to its colour, texture, and grain.
- It has been widely utilised for planking, rails, bulwarks, hatches, decking, and deck houses.
- Teak tree leaves can be used to induce bowel movements naturally. Teak leaves stimulate the gut and increase the discharge of faeces.
- The enormous teak trees from the Western Ghats region of high rainfall range are utilised for structural purposes, such as ship and boat building, construction, and bridge building.
- Because of its decorative figure, teak wood from the Godavari valley in Andhra Pradesh is used to make furniture and cabinets.
The economic and environmental benefits of teak trees
Economic benefits
- Teak timber has characteristics being long lasting, looking good and resistance to pests and rot. Owing to these, they are a high-value commodity that result in income for many businesses.
- Teak plantations support local economies by providing employment opportunities to people in the rural belt.
- On-going income: Teak tree plantation provides sustainable income for decades as these trees can be harvested repeatedly.
- Investments: As these provide sustainable incomes, it’s a good option to invest in teak plantations.
Environmental benefits
- Teak trees take in the carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and leave out oxygen. This helps in managing climate change.
- You can manage biodiversity with the teak plantation.
- Teak tree plantations aid in soil conservation. Prevention of soil erosion leads to soil stabilising and land protection.
Unlocking the potential of teak wood for luxury furniture
Teak wood is a popular choice for luxury furniture owing to its durability, resistance to pests and natural beauty.
- For luxury furniture, high quality teak wood is critical. These are got from mature teak trees. Also, they should have consistent grain pattern with reduced knots or defects.
- Luxury teak furniture are made by expert craftsman who can make intricate designs and neat finishes in the product. These can be customised to fit in unique designs and sizes.
- Luxury pieces are unique. What makes them a class apart is that they are durable and sturdy while exhibiting good designs.
FAQs
How can I tell whether the wood is teak?
The bright red-brown to golden colour of tropical wood makes it easy to tell it apart from other types.
Why does the surface of teak trees feel sturdy?
Teak trees have a high rubber content, which accounts for the wood's extreme oiliness and the surface's durability.
| Got any questions or point of view on our article? We would love to hear from you. Write to our Editor-in-Chief Jhumur Ghosh at jhumur.ghosh1@housing.com |