SOWING IN A NURSERY
Some vegetables and trees must first be sown in a nursery and then later transplanted to the main garden or to the orchard, when they have sprouted. These are generally plants with small seeds (tomato, eggplant, pepper, cabbage, lettuce, onion etc.).
This method makes it possible to give maximum care to weak seedlings (watering, shade, protection against diseases and insects), and saves seeds, space and water.
Nurseries can be owned and managed by individual farmers, by self-help groups, by schools, by churches and/or by a range of other local institutions. They provide income generating opportunities, act as models for further nursery development, provide seedlings more cheaply to planters, and can raise the particular species that local people are interested in.
We want to encourage people to look after local gardens, natural forest land and to plant woodlots, on either a family or a community level. Together with the students from Mbwiriwiza, Thundwe, Chasato, Champheta and Bawa we created several nursery beds to sowing not only trees like moringa, passion fruit and avocado pear but also an array of vegetables.
Until now we visited 5 primary schools to demonstrate the simple procedures for establishing and managing effective nurseries and hence to produce high quality seedlings.
Topics addressed in the Schools related to:
PUTTING UP A SMALL-SCALE NURSERY
1
Factors to consider in selecting a nursery site
2
3
Structures Needed in a Small-Scale Nursery
Common Tools and Materials Needed in the Nursery
4
5
Pre-Sowing Treatments
Seed Germination and Germination Media
6
Seedling Maintenance Activities