Azolla can be grown abundantly in lakes or ponds, rice fields with irrigation, concrete tanks, or containers or trays with soil about 3-6 cm thick, and immersed in water about 5-7 cm high. Azolla likes shade, and this grows fast from September-October when the days are short.
Dried azolla provides a rich source of nitrogen. Plant this in between rows of rice plants.
1. The rice seedlings must be about 13.2 cm and 6.6 cm apart.
2. Broadcast azolla between rows, about 53-66 cm apart.
3. If the rice seedlings are short, reduce this distance- make it 50 cm apart to provide shade for the growing azola.
4. Azola will grow and flourish in this way without disturbing the growth of the rice seedlings.
5. Azola should first be dried before using a fertilizer.
In the People’s Republic of China, the nitrogen fertilizer they use is dried azola. They can harvest 198 cavans of palay for every hectare, only with the use of this fertilizer.