Setting Up A Tree Nursery
1. Gain knowledge on growing trees in your region
If possible, visit local nurseries and talk to the people running them. Get support: valuable ideas and suggestions can sometimes be obtained from government forestry, agriculture and parks departments, extension offices and research stations; private growers, large and small; and agroforestry projects run by local non-governmental organizations.
2. Decide what tree species to grow
It is a good idea to try out the beds and the running of the nursery with some well-known soil-improving crop plants first, such as beans or groundnuts. This is likely to increase soil fertility, while giving useful produce to the nursery team; show up any problems with the growing environments or techniques; and act as a training session before starting to grow the trees.
See chapter Selecting Tree Species.
