How to Grow Jatropha
- 1). Dig a hole big enough for the root ball to set into. The entire root ball should be underground. Plant seeds or cuttings spacing them 6 to 8 feet apart in the row and at least 8 feet between rows. Jatropha grows well in full sunlight, and is partial to light shade. Soil should be well-drained.
- 2). Fertilize plants by mixing organic fertilizer with the soil between the rows. Jatropha plants get nutrients from the soil around them.
- 3). Water after fertilizing to avoid wilting the plants. Keep soil moist but not wet. Jatropha does not require much water and over-watering could kill them.
- 4). Weed jatropha crops four times a year. Prune the tops of the trees for the first time when the plants are between 3 and 4 months. Trim the top of the plant to about 2 feet up from the bottom. Plants will grow new branches quickly.
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