Pride Rock’s cinnamon plantation recently completed its second round of pruning — a vital step in maintaining healthy, well-managed plants.
Cinnamon cultivation isn’t just about the bark—it begins with healthy leaves. At Pride Rock Partners, we believe that high-quality cinnamon leaf oil starts with maintaining strong, disease-free bushes. That’s why we follow time-tested pruning and training methods to ensure our plants grow in optimal conditions.
Whether you’re a farmer, processor, or enthusiast, understanding these essential practices helps ensure both sustainability and superior oil yield.
Why Pruning Matters
Pruning is an essential part of cinnamon cultivation and is key to:
- Encouraging straight, harvestable stems
- Preventing disease and pest infestations
- Reducing competition for nutrients
- Enhancing airflow and sunlight at the plant base
The process involves removing:
- Crossed, tangled, or overlapping branches
- Dead or diseased wood
- Weak or pest-damaged shoots
We use a sharp, clean knife (Keththa), making upward cuts to protect the stem and ensure cleaner bark for future harvests.
Recommended Pruning Schedule
- At 1.5 years: Remove cross branches and leaves up to half the stem height
- At 2 years: Repeat pruning to shape the plant
- For mature plants: Prune up to 1 meter from the ground
Additionally, pruning should be done:
- 3 months before harvest
- At the time of harvest
- 3 months after harvest
After harvesting, remove excess or weak shoots (‘kola pela’) and retain only three healthy, strong shoots per cut to promote uniform regrowth.
