Starting a Tree Nursery - Basic and Intermediate

Jul 17, 2026

Uploaded by Theodora

A practical guide for establishing and managing a tree nursery at basic to intermediate level. It explains how to select an appropriate site, prepare the land and materials, choose containers and soil mixtures, collect and store seeds, and manage young seedlings for around four months. Clear step-by-step methods cover sowing, watering, using bags, nursery beds, pricking out seedlings, and setting up movable boxes for growing up to dozens of trees, including adaptations for local conditions.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLifestyle

FormatPDF

Pages17

Reading Time26 min

AccessFree to download

Choosing a Site

Preparation

Tools and Containers

Soil Mixture and Seeds

Care of Young Seedlings

Sowing in Bags

Nursery Beds and Pricking Out

Boxes and Beds

Starting a Tree Nursery lavel: basic / intermediate English Agriculture Starting a Tree Nursery Adapted from Footsteps 5 the literacy publication of Tearfund with kind permission English Oxfordshire, England Copyright © 2020, MissionAssist [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/](http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) You are free to make commercial use of this work. You may adapt and add to this work. You must keep the copyright and credits for authors, illustrators, etc. Adapted from Footsteps 5 the literacy publication of Tearfund with kind permission This edition published in the United Kingdom in 2020 by MissionAssist Permission is granted for non-profit reproduction and other use of the MissionAssist materials. Thank you for using MissionAssist Shell Books Where an asterisk (*) appears in the text, the word after it is likely to have local variations and you should change it to suit your own particular setting. Instead of using personal names, we have used *M1, *M2 or *F1, *F2 etc to show male or female characters. Please change these forms to local male or female names. You can also substitute local names for plants, medicines, vaccines, food, tools, animals or any other item. If you can, ask a local medical or nutritional expert to verify the advice given in a booklet, if appropriate. You can change the text as you desire and you can also change any of the illustrations if you need to. When you print the book it will be A5 size, each page on a separate sheet. If you want to make it into an A5-sized booklet, Word can do this automatically for you. You should: • Go to “File” • Select “Print” • click on “Page Setup” • From the “multiple pages” drop-down box, select“Book fold”. • Click “ok”. The book should now print as a booklet for you. If you do not have a printer which will print automatically on both sides of the paper, you will need to turn the paper over manually when prompted. We hope you enjoy using this Shell Book . Please delete these notes before printing Starting a Tree Nursery Choosing a Site It is very important to choose a suitable site for a tree nursery. There are several things to bear in mind: · it needs to be close to a permanent supply of water, so that you are able to irrigate during the dry season; · it must be on well drained land; · it must be close to a supply of fertile soil; · it will need to be protected from animals; · it should face west to east. Preparation Tools You need a hoe, machete (or large knife), a shovel and a watering can (improvise with a large tin with holes in the base if you don’t have one) . You will also find that a wheelbarrow will be very useful. Containers Plastic forestry bags (6cm x 15cm) are ideal, although you may need larger ones for fruit trees. These can be openended in wet areas and closedended in dry areas. Alternatively try using tins with holes for drainage or milk containers. Even better are nursery bedsand wooden boxes (see below for how to construct these) . Soil Mixture Mix together well with a shovel: · 4 parts fine topsoil,· 2 parts sand,· 1 part old manure. Seeds Collect ripe seeds from as many trees as you can, but make sure you only take the best. You could also ask for seed from other nurseries or from Government forestry workers. Store seed in air-tight containers with clear labels. Care of Young Seedlings You should keep your seedlings for about four months in a nursery before planting out. Sow them so that the seedlings will be ready during the rainy season. Very hard seeds, such as Acacia and Leucaena, should be soaked overnight in very hot, but not boiling, water to help germination. Sowing Seed in Bags Fill bags or containers, shaking down the soil and place in groups of 100. With large seeds sow 2 or 3 seeds in each bag. Water very well. Nursery Beds If you do not have bags or containers use nursery beds made up with very fine soil, ma

FAQs

What key factors should be considered when choosing a site for a tree nursery?

The site should be close to a permanent water supply for irrigation, on well-drained land near fertile soil, protected from animals, and ideally face west to east.

What soil mixture and tools are recommended for preparing a nursery?

Use 4 parts fine topsoil, 2 parts sand, and 1 part old manure, mixed well. Recommended tools include a hoe, machete (or large knife), shovel, and a watering can (or an improvised tin with holes), plus a wheelbarrow.

How should seeds be handled and seedlings cared for before planting out?

Collect ripe seeds from the best trees, store them in airtight labeled containers, and soak very hard seeds like Acacia and Leucaena overnight in hot (not boiling) water. Keep seedlings in the nursery for about four months and sow so they are ready during the rainy season.

Jul 17, 2026

Uploaded by Theodora