Tip: Want to view our Tree Planting Calendar? Download the printer-friendly version here.
We at SEEDS have placed the following statement on every “How to Grow” page in this web site to encourage people to be aware of what they are planting and growing.
Please DO NOT use Genetically Modified Seeds (GM or GMO). Ask your seed provider and if they cannot give you written proof, do not buy the seed.
Try to save your own seed that you know is safe and you will get more money for your vegetables if they are organically grown, which means no pesticide use for the previous 5 years.
It is our goal at SEEDS to stop production of Genetically Modified foods, both animal and vegetable on our globe. It is our opinion that the key to feeding our global populations is through the combination of permaculture and organic farming through small local farms instead of large industrial farms. We need to nourish the soil, not modify genetic make up. So spread the word!
Using an agro-ecological approach, cities could produce vast quantities of food organically and without the use of heavy machinery (chemical inputs and machinery being the two major sources of Greenhouse Gas emissions – if we take livestock out of the equation).
Our SEEDS web site will continually be updated, but we have only included the “ How to Grow” trees we will be planting in the years 2014/2015 in Zambia Africa. I have purposely left the instructions for starting seeds indoors, as we have to do here in our cooler climates, so people in the cities of Africa may do the same and adjust the growing style accordingly.
The following is a Tree Planting Guide we will be using as our model courtesy of Ripple Africa.org, a charity in Malawi who “Give a hand up, not a hand out!”
A big thank you to you all at Ripple Africa!
Establishing the Tree Nursery
A suitable location for the tree nursery needs to be identified.
Water: A permanent supply of water close to the nursery is essential.
Area: The area required will depend on the number of seedlings to be planted.
Soil: There should be good quality soil available nearby, either from a dambo or forested area.
The ideal soil will be light and sandy, well drained, and free of weed seeds and stones. Avoid choosing heavy clay, waterlogged, or dimba soils.
Flat ground: The nursery needs to be located on flat ground which will not be exposed to flooding and running water. Nurseries can be located on slopes if the areas are terraced.
Sun: Avoid east-facing sites. Seedlings exposed to morning sun may suffer from heat shock which may lead to seedlings dying.
Equipment and Resources Required
Compost: Compost needs to be made in April by the club so that it is ready for tube filling in June (compost can be ready for use in six weeks). Typically, compost should be made in pits – a pit of 2 metres long by 1 metre wide and 1 metre deep will produce enough compost for up to 8,000 small polythene tubes.
Compost making process: The first layer in the bottom of the pit is 10cm (4 inches) of forest or dambo soil.
The second layer is 10cm (4 inches) of leaves or grass which should be compacted by walking on top of it. The third layer is 10cm (4 inches) of manure. Except for the first layer, each
layer should be watered with three watering cans of water before adding the next layer. These layers are then repeated in the same order until the pit is full. Normally, there will be three layers of each material in a 1 metre deep pit.
The compost pit should be completed with a final 10cm (4 inches) layer of soil which is compacted by walking on it, and the finished compost heap should be the same level as the surrounding ground.
Minimum basic equipment required: Two watering cans, two buckets, two metal basins, two hoes, two slashers, two phanga knives, one shovel and one rake.
Polythene tubes: Polythene tubes are supplied in quantities equal to the estimated number of trees required. These tubes can be used for two years and must be carefully saved after planting out.
Seeds: Seeds are supplied in plastic bags according to the calculated number of trees required.
Tree Nursery Site Preparation
Establish the size required: Typically, an area of 10 metres by 10 metres will provide sufficient space for 5,000 tree seedlings and a suitable area for tube filling, seed beds, piles of compost
manure, soil and sand, etc.
Clearing: The area for the tree nursery needs to be cleared, the size of which will relate to the number of trees to be raised.
Fence: A fence made from grass and poles should be constructed around the nursery site to the height of a person. There also needs to be an entrance with a door. The fence will keep out
animals and people, and will shield the seedlings from the wind.
Shade: Ideally, a structure of poles with thatching grass should be erected to provide shade for the delicate tree seedlings. This should be at a height so that people can comfortably walk underneath it. Some clubs establish their nurseries under the shade of trees. This can be done, but it is not as good as providing a structure with shade as this can be more easily controlled and can be removed four weeks before planting out to harden off the tree seedlings.
It is essential that careful, accurate records are maintained at all stages. These will include dates of compost making, tube filling and quantities filled, and seed sowing of various species together withquantities. A drawing of the nursery layout showing the groups of tubes, types of trees and dates planted, should be made. In addition to this, labels can be made from chibuku packets (as these are waterproof) using a ball point pen to show the tree species and quantities, and these should be placed by the respective groups of tubes.
Our Goal-Pictures courtesy of Ripple Africa.org