CARE &

MAINTENANCE
Care & Maintenance

1. Watering
2. Shading
3. Weeding
4. Root Pruning
5. Pricking Out
6. Thinning
7. Hardening Off
8. Prevention and Control of Pests and Diseases
WATERING
Watering

Did you know that 90% of most plants is water?

 It goes without saying, the watering of seedlings is
necessary nursery operation for the excellent growth
of seedlings in a nursery. When grown in containers,
nursery plants have only a limited volume of the
substrate and do not have the ability of mature trees
to search for water from below the soil surface.
Watering

The amount of water seedlings require depends on:

 Seedling age. More water is needed after germination when the
seedling is young and at pricking out, but this requirement
reduces as the seedling grows in age. The amount of water
should reduce at the time when the seedling is nearing the
planting stage
 Amount of sunlight. The sun causes the leaves to lose water
through the transpiration process. As such, seedlings in sunny
areas lose more water compared to the ones grown in shady
areas. But, do not raise your seedlings in overly shaded areas to
avoid water loss. Remember, sunlight is also a requirement for
raising healthy seedlings. After all, plants need sunlight to make
food in the process of photosynthesis.
Watering

 Soil type. A sandy soil loses water faster than soil with high clay
content hence needs more frequent watering. The disadvantage
of clay soil is that it becomes hard cracks when dry. Ensure that
the soil used in the nursery is collected and mixed correctly.
 Watering the seedlings should be directed at the earth and not
the leaves. A watering can or a hosepipe with a nozzle should be
used to ensure uniform distribution water, and one should water
the whole bed and not just the plants in the center of the bed.
Also, you should ensure that water gets to the bottom of the
container.
Watering

 Too much water can damage the plants just as much as not
enough water because of waterlogging, which makes it difficult
for the roots to ‘breath.’
 Ideally, watering should be done in the morning and evening
when the sun is not intense. If this is not possible, then water
once a day in the evening.
 You can water the seedlings once or not all during rainy seasons.
Just to reiterate, you should avoid under-watering and
overwatering. Use an adequate amount of water, e.g., 20 liters
for 1,000 seedlings
SHADING
Shading

 The whole point of a tree nursery is protecting seedlings from

extreme environmental influences until they can better
withstand the conditions. Germinating and recently transplanted
seedlings need some protection from the hot sun (especially in
the tropics), heavy rain, and hard frost (in the temperate
regions). Some form of shading can assist in protecting the
seedlings from the environmental factors. Often, shading would
help in reducing the losses through the leaves (transpiration),
and it also reduces the temperatures of the plant and soil.
 You should remember that plants require sunlight for good
growth. As such, the shading needs to be regulated. Indeed, we
do not recommend 100% shading at all!
Shading

A poor, but unfortunately common, strategy in a nursery is to

maintain the plants under shade for the entire nursery period.
Plants with too much shade have the following characteristics:
 They are stunted or will grow slowly. Tall and skinny stems are
among the common indicators of seedlings in too much shade.
 They are dark green or will be yellowish (which is more common)
 They would be inevitably susceptible to disease and insect
attack.
Shading

 Silvica recommends that 40-50% shading is sufficient for most

species. Also, as the plant ages, the shading is reduced. Shade
reduction should be a gradual process. The sudden removal of
the shade may cause burning of the seedlings.
 Plants put under too much shade will adapt to the dark
condition. Sudden exposure to sunlight makes it difficult for the
chemical processes in the leaves to adapt fast. 
 Nursery managers prefer natural shade for obvious reasons.
They are cheap and mimic the natural conditions for the tree
seedling. Regardless, nursery owners should ensure the trees do
not provide too much shade.
Shading

 The shade trees should also allow sunlight to penetrate. An ideal

shade tree would retain its leaves during the dry season and lose
them during the rainy season. A tree that pollards well is also
advantageous as it can be pollarded during the wet seasons.
Shading using natural trees is a disadvantage for bare-rooted
seedlings as the trees would directly compete for nutrients with
the shade trees.
 Construct a shade to protect the seedlings from direct sunlight
for two to three weeks after pricking out.
 You can use locally available materials such as grass or shade
nets for shade construction.
WEEDING
Weeding

 Weeds are a threat to healthy seedlings development as they

compete with seedlings for nutrients, water, and light. Hence
they must be controlled. As one of the nursery operations, tree
nursery managers sometimes neglect to weed. They assume
that weeds do not affect the growth of tree seedling. A good
nursery operation ensures that seedlings are free from weeds.
 Process
 With your hands or a dibble, gently pull out unwanted growth
(rouging) where weeds are observed.
 Remove all the weeds around the beds with a jembe ( garden
hoe).  Do not leave any rubbish around unless you want to
turn it into compost.
ROOT PRUNING
Root Pruning

 Root pruning is the tree nursery operation that involves cutting

the roots of seedlings that have overgrown the containers or pots
in the nursery bed. Many people I train have a concern about
root pruning, but researchers have established that it is one of
the beneficial nursery operations.
 Why root prune? When seedlings have reached a certain size,
and their roots become longer than the depth of the pots. The
problem is that when the roots are left to grow, they will develop
root systems in the nursery. You see, if a nursery
foreman/manager allows this, it would be hard to move the
seedlings when the time for planting outcome.
Root Pruning

 Moreover, if the roots are cut when the seedling is old, the
procedure is likely to result in a weakened plant. As such,
periodic root pruning is recommended to avoid the problems
associated with seedlings developing roots beyond their beds’
height. The period and interval of root pruning tree seedlings
depend on different species and other conditions. Nevertheless,
root pruning is done when seedlings’ roots have started to
penetrate under the surface. 
Root Pruning: Procedure

 Water the seedlings properly before root pruning.

 Cut the long roots underneath the container using a sharp knife,
scissors or available cutting material.
 Water the seedlings well after root pruning. This watering helps
the plant withstand moisture stress.
 Some nursery managers choose to place the seedlings on stones
or polythene sheets to reduce the need for root pruning.
 Seedings on a raised bed can be pruned by using a sharp object
underneath the bed after watering.
PRICKING OUT
Pricking Out

 one of the most traditional nursery operations in forestry 

 Pricking out refers to a nursery operation where seedlings are
transferred from the seedbed to the containers. The correct time
to do pricking out is when the seedlings start to show true
leaves. You should know that the first leaves from seed are the
germination leaves. True leaves develop after the germination
leaves.
Pricking Out: Process

The pricking out process involves:

 Before starting to prick out seedlings from the seedbed, you
should ensure that your pots in the nursery bed are ready for
seedlings.
 Watering the seedbed and containers with enough water before
starting
 Prepare shade to reduce the exposure of the seedlings to direct
sunlight.
 Fill a container with water.
 Use a dibble or pencil-sized stick to loosen the soil.
 Gently pull out the seedlings and place them in the container
with water. The roots shouldn’t be exposed to the sun as they
may dry out
 Do not take very many seedlings from the seedbed at once.
Pricking Out: Process

Now it is time to plant the seedlings to the nursery bed.

 Make a hole at the center of the planting pot using a stick or
dibble.
 Cut the roots if they are too long for the pot.
 Avoid holding the stem as they are too feeble and tender.
 Ensure that the air pockets around the roots are closed by
pushing the soil towards the seedling
 Water the pots well after completing the planting process. It is a
good idea to arrange seedlings pricked out at the same time in
the same nursery bed.
Pricking Out: Process

 The use of seedbeds to establish seedlings is becoming an

outdated nursery operation in forestry. Modern foresters
recommend nursery operations that involve planting seeds
directly to pots after pretreatment. However, seedbeds are still
useful for some species and circumstances. For instance, species
with very low germination rates are still best raised under a
seedbed. Additionally, one can plant seeds in a seedbed in case
he/she has the seeds, but the soil and or pots are not ready yet.
 Pricking out is mainly done when an individual wants to transfer
seedlings from a seedbed to the nursery bed or pots. But even
for seedlings raised in pots, the pricking out process is necessary
when you want to transfer seedlings from pots that have two or
more seedlings to those that have none. 
THINNING
Thinning

 In order to grow strongly and develop correctly, plants cannot be

crowded. However, seeding is generally best done in relatively
concentrated rows, particularly when starting seeds indoors.
Thinning is the process of removing excess seedlings to help
ensure healthy growth for others.
 When growing plants from seed, you will often have seedlings
heavily concentrated in a row. This is particularly true when
starting seeds indoors, but also applies to in-ground sowing. As
the seeds germinate, they produce seedlings. If left alone, the
seedlings would eventually choke each other out, resulting in
poor growth, and even in the death of plants. Thinning is used to
prevent this.
Thinning

 Thinning is exactly what it sounds like – the removal of specific

seedlings from a row in order to create more space between the
remaining seedlings. This provides room for root growth, stem
growth, and leaf development, while also ensuring there are
adequate resources for the seedlings that remain. It also helps
with moisture control by providing better air circulation between
the remaining seedlings.
 One or more thinnings may be needed as seedlings grow to
maturity, depending on the size of the adult plant, and the
density of the planted seeds. During all thinnings, it is best to
remove seedlings that seem thinner or weaker than their
neighbors, as well as any that are obviously struggling or
diseased.
Thinning

 Thinning is also a process commonly used on fruiting plants.

Blackberry vines and blueberry bushes must be thinned
regularly, as must grape vines. Even fruiting trees must be
thinned from time to time to encourage the right growth habit
and ensure that harvesting is as easy as possible.
 In the end, thinning is a vital step in growing plants, whether
fruits or vegetables, and helps ensure healthier adult plants.
HARDENING OFF
Hardening off

 The process of hardening-off aims at acclimatizing tree seedlings

to the harsh conditions of the field. The nursery operation is vital
for the survival of tree seedling during planting out. While in the
nursery, the seedlings are pampered as they are protected
against sunlight, are watered twice a day, etc. The life in the field
for a tree seedling is not as rosy. Often, seedlings have to
encounter challenges ranging from excess sunlight to wildlife to
livestock to human interference.
 Although nursery managers cannot extensively prepare
seedlings for the challenges in the field, they can gradually
prepare the seedlings to the harsh conditions in the field using
the hardening off nursery operations technique.
Hardening off: Process

 The shade should be removed for some period before the

seedling is planted out.
 Reduction in watering intensity (quantity) and frequency e.g.,
water twice a week and later once a week
 Before planting out, root pruning should be carried out frequently
or re-arrangement of pots to allow more adoption to stress.
 Good preparation for out planting results in good field survival,
therefore hardening off should be done 2 – 4 weeks before out
planting time.
 PREVENTION AND
CONTROL OF PESTS
AND DISEASES
Prevention and Control of Pests
and Diseases
1. Avoid using too much high nitrogen fertiliser as this
promotes lots of soft leafy growth which is particularly
appetising to garden pests.
2. Erect physical barriers - covering crops with fleece or
planting fruit in a fruit cage will often prevent pests from
reaching your crops.
3. Know your enemy - Many pests and diseases are specific to
particular crops. Find out what is likely to attack your crops and
the type of damage that it will cause. Once you know what you
are looking for it is much easier to identify a problem when it
occurs.
4. Keep your eyes peeled for the earliest signs of attack and
take action. Don't let the problem get out of hand.
Prevention and Control of Pests
and Diseases
5. Practise good garden hygiene. Keeping your garden, your
greenhouse and tools clean and well maintained can prevent
many diseases.
6. Improve your cultivation practises. Plants can become
stressed by poor watering regimes, lack of nutrients, inadequate
light and ventilation, or poor soil conditions. These stresses
make them more susceptible to damage attack by pests and
diseases.
7. Encourage natural predators to the garden. Ladybirds and
lacewings will happily munch their way through aphid colonies,
preventing their spread throughout your garden.
8. If you need to resort to using chemicals then make sure
that you read the label carefully, and follow the manufacturer's
instructions to the letter. Never spray chemicals near ponds and
other water habitats. Always choose a still, calm day to