What soil and spacing suit Gmelina arborea and can I intercrop early on?

Gmelina arborea does best on deep, fertile, well drained, moist soils and reacts strongly to good site quality, growing fast on good land and poorly on dry, shallow or waterlogged soil. Spacing for timber is commonly around 8 by 8 feet to 10 by 10 feet, roughly 430 to 680 trees per acre, with thinning as they grow. In the first two to three years, while the canopy is open, you can intercrop short crops like pulses, vegetables, turmeric, ginger or fodder for early income during the gestation period. As the canopy closes, intercropping reduces. Choose your land carefully for this tree and give early water for good establishment. Confirm spacing and suitable planting material with a forestry nursery near you.