When and How to harvest cardamom?

 Cardamom plants start bearing the fruit in the 2^nd or 3^rd year of plantation. The fruits would mature @ 35 to 45 days intervals, with 5 to 6 pickings. Normally harvesting season for cardamom is from October to November. In Tamil Nadu and Kerala, harvesting starts from Aug to Sept and continues till Feb to March. In Karnataka, it starts in July to Aug and continues up to Dec to Jan. When fruits are in the ripped stage, capsules should be harvested. Over mature cardamom fruits split on drying floor, Whereas the unripe cardamom fruits shrivel on drying.