Setting Up A Tree Nursery
3. Find an appropriate site
The size of the nursery will depend on the space available, the number of seedlings to raise and whether the seedlings will be grown in pots or beds or as cuttings. The size of the pots or the spacing between seedlings affects the space needed. The tree nursery also needs space for stores, seedbeds, compost and soil heaps, pathways between rows, windbreaks and drainage.
Land with a 2–5% slope is ideal for a nursery. Excess water can run off, avoiding waterlogging without eroding the soil. If the only land available slopes steeply, terraces should be prepared. Windy hilltops should be avoided as the wind will dry out the nursery and damage delicate seedlings. If this is the only available land, windbreaks around the nursery and smaller hedges between the beds can be prepared. Valley bottoms should also be avoided as they are easily flooded. If there is no other space, raised beds could be made and trenches for drainage dug.
It is preferable to have the tree nursery in the school grounds or adjacent to them, even if it requires a special effort to prepare an area. If there is no space for gardening at the school, the local authorities or nearby farmers may be able to lend some land.
