SFB 301

Nursery Management

Agriculture and Forestry

University

Aviral Neupane
MSc. Forestry
(Visiting Lecturer)
Content

 Definition, importance of forest

nursery
 Objectives and classification of
nursery
 Site selection of nursery
Forest Nursery: Definition and Importance
Etymology (origin of word) of Nursery
Derived from old French word – “nourice”; ‘nurse’ (a person
employed or trained to take charge of young children)

Nurse + ery = Nursery (a place where young children

and babies are taken care of)
(English) (Suffix)
Definition
Forest nursery: An area where young seedling trees/plants are raised for
subsequent planting out (plantation) in the forest.
(A place where plants are grow to a useable size)
It is an area, in which new saplings are raised and nourished until they
are ready for sale or transplanting at a permanent place in a field.
Importance

 Very important for artificial regeneration

 Raised seedlings under controlled conditions and supplies
basic inputs – planting stocks or nursery stocks for
artificial regeneration.
 Support plantation/afforestation at large scale with short
rotation, fast-growing species and introduction of exotic
species such as Eucalyptus, Tectona etc.
Forest Nursery: Objective and Classification
Objectives
 To provide seedlings every year, even in case of
species which do not seed every year. Seed
collected during moderate to good seed years can
be kept stored properly sown every year
(depending on its viability) in a nursery to ensure
a regular supply.
 To provide hardened plants for specific sites such
as dryer to barren areas, roadsides etc. where only
very healthy plants would give uniform success.
 To raise tall and healthy plants for successful road,
cannel and avenue plantation.
Forest Nursery: Objective and Classification
Objectives
 To grow an adequate stock of slow growing species. A
number of forest species are rather slow growing, due to
which, if their seeds are sown directly in the field, the
seedlings are likely to fail largely because of intense
competition. However, in the nursery, proper conditions for
their growth can be maintained, and when they have
passed the critical stage of their growth, they can
confidently be planted-out in the field.
 To try and grow exotic species such as Eucalyptus, Teak,
Tropical pines, Ceiba pentendra etc. These can best be
introduced by nursery raised seedlings.
 To provide stock for replacement of casualty or beating up
of failures, it is best done by nursery raised seedlings.
Classification
 On the basis duration and their use  On the basis of
◦ Permanent nursery structure used
◦ Temporary/Short-term nursery ◦ Hi-tech nursery
 On the basis irrigation facility ◦ Open field nursery
◦ Dry nursery- without any irrigation or other ◦ Thatched roof
artificial watering [not having permanent source
◦ Shade-net
of water (Acassia’s)]
◦ Poly-tunnel
◦ Wet nursery- having perennial source of water
◦ Greenhouse or poly-
 On the basis production
house
practices/ownership
◦ Social/Community nursery
 On the basis of Area Size
◦ Private nursery
◦ Small nursery (3 ha)
◦ School nursery
◦ Medium nursery (3-10 ha)
◦ Village nurseries
◦ Commercial nurseries ◦ Large nursery (more than 10 ha)
◦ Farmers nurseries
◦ Individual nurseries  On the basis of size of seedling
 On the basis of Planting stock ◦ Seedling nursery
◦ Bareroot nursery ◦ Transplant nursery
 A. Permanent nursery- established permanently for the continuously
production of planting stocks for a long time on a permanent basis.
(i) Feet for large and intensive work, where seedlings or
transplants are grown year after year on the same site. It may
continue for 50 or more years.
(ii) They should be situated at a place where supervision is
easy, communication facilities are available, and easily
labour should be available throughout the year.
(iii) They are of centrally situated, so as to serve as large an
area as possible.
(iv) The more capital outlay can be invested as it can be spread
over a long period of time.
(v) Intensive manuring and soil working can be done so that
vigorous stocks are raised year after year on the same site.
(vi) Centrally located with respect to planting area, so as to
reduce transporting cost.
(vii) It is usually made in a control place in the range near the
quarter of some subordinate for proper supervision.
(viii) Used for large scale afforestation works, or distribution
to the villagers under community and private forestry
programme.
(ix) In hills, they are located at the lowest altitude in a way
the sites are easily accessible and seedlings are grown
without much difficulties in a shorter time.
(x) The works of nurseries could be started earlier and there
would be less injury by frost.
(xi) They require a large labour force; original cost of
formation is high but is cheaper in the long run than several
temporary nurseries.
(xii) They are large in extent and intensively managed. A
high level of both materials and human input is required.
(xiii) There is greater economy in nursery operation and
supervision.
 B. Temporary nursery- supplying nursery stocks for a short
period after which it is abandoned
(i) It is usually established for a short period of time,
comparatively smaller in size, but it may be increased or
decreased with the demand for planting stocks.
(ii) It is located near planting or inside the planting area and is
used for supplementing the natural regeneration or for casualty
replacement.
(iii) It is abandoned after a couple of years when soil
productivity falls down and/or planting area becomes distant.
(iv) Manuring is not necessary because of freshly felled forest
area contains rich organic matter in soils good enough for a
short period of time.
(v) There is an opportunity to raise the nursery stock in the
same vegetational zone as the plantation area. This is
particularly true for the hilly regions.
(vi) Elaborate soil preparation is not necessary.
(vii) The cost of transportation to the planting sites is low on
account of nearness. This is an important factor when the
nursery stock is of larger size or has to be transported in
containers as in the case of Chirpine.
(viii) Where mixed crops with different soils requirement is
to be raised, temporary nurseries are better than permanent
ones.
(ix) The gap between lifting the stock from the nursery and
actual planting in the field is substantially reduced.
(x) Intensive supervision is difficult an account of their
scattered nature of location.
 Site selection of nursery
▪ Site selection is a crucial/vital and one of most difficult tasks in nursery
management.
▪ Requires careful evaluation of various (technical) factors (location,
terrain, aspect, soil conditions, availability of water, distance from road;
plantation sites; market, wind, frost, hail, damage from wildlife, fire, flood
etc. (particularly mountain areas- difficult to get favorable conditions.)
◦ Course
 Area
 Location
Others
 Soil
 Proximity to forest
 Water Supply
quarters/Access
 Availability of suitable soil
 Exposure to frost,
 Natural zonation
strong winds,
 Topography
flooding
 Aspect
 Transport
 Labor Supply
 Area (Nursery)
▪ Where nursery should be constructed
▪ Sufficient to meet the requirement (proposed plantations, villagers,
educational institutions and other needy organizations.
▪ Demand for seedlings should be assessed in advance.

The area of nursery depends upon

 Number of plants and species to be raised
 The age of the seedlings or transplants required.
 Number of pricking out to be done.
 Number of seedlings and types of seedlings or transplants required,
depending on the space to be adopted in the plantation.
 Nature of nursery whether temporary or permanent.
 Prospects of nursery extension for future need.
 The total number of plants required and the spacing in the nursery
beds and the width of polythene bags in case of polythene bag
raised seedlings
Area (Nursery)

Where,
A, N and C stand for same.
Location (Nursery)
 As close as possible to the center of the area (/near to plantation site)
to which plants will be provided which has many advantages (takes
less time for transportation from nursery to planting sites; lesser
transportation shock to plants; better chance of survival percentage
and success of plantation.
 Near to road and possible to drive vehicle at all seasons of the year
(connected with main road)

Soil (Nursery)
 An important factor for success of forest nursery.
 Ideal soil texture: sandy loam to loam
 pH value: 5-7.5 (near neutral)
 Should contain organic matter (not less than 2.5%) including
mycorrhiza and rhizobium.
 Free from big boulders, gravels which are not suitable for nursery
 Good capacity of water retention
Availability of suitable soil (Nursery)
 To raise seedlings in polytene pot, soil of the actual nursery itself is
not important.
 Should be suitable source of soil- old natural forest topsoil and sand
within easy reach of the nursery.
 To fill ten thousand 3 inch * 7 inch (7.5 cm * 18 cm) lay flat
polypots – 3m3 of soil or 2m3 soil plus 1m3 sand needed.
 The soil with presence of symbiotic organisms (Mycorrhiza,
Rhizobium) are better because they help in nutrient/minerals uptake.
(found naturally but in some cases artificial inoculation are needed.)

Water Supply (Nursery)

 A reliable and adequate source of water supply is essential.
 Ideal situation: is a perennial stream at a higher level than the nursery
level, fairly close, so, can bought in pipes or channels through out the
year.
 Regular monitoring of channels (farmers can divert) and maintenance.
 Construction of storage tank which can filled up overnight.
Water Supply (Nursery)

 At Terai, installation of pump or from wells.

 Water requirement will vary with the climate and the species to be
grown.
(In Zambia it is estimated that more than 30 liters per day needed per 1000
Eucalyptus plants in polythene tubes. Using this figure as guide a small
communal forest nursery, raising 20,000 plants in a year, will need upto 600
liters of water a day one cubic meter allowing a margin for safety.)

Natural Zonation (Nursery)

 As for as possible, the nursery should be located in the natural,
physiographical and altitudinal zone of the species which are to be
raised in it.

Topography (Nursery)
 On average sites, a gentle slope not exceeding 5˚ (<3% slope) is the
best. (For heavier soils- gentle slope and for light soils leveled site
should selected)
Topography (Nursery)
 In western Himalayas, northerly aspect is preferred. At higher
elevation it is necessary to minimize the frost damage; shelter of a
high forest may be available to avoid damage by high winds.
 Slopes facing south are much warmer than those facing north. So,
above 1200m southern aspect is preferred whereas at low elevations
(in the hot areas) north facing slope is preferable.
 Steep slope should be avoid.
 Should avoid flat land as likely to become waterlogged during
monsoon rains.

Aspect (Nursery)
 At low elevations in hot areas a north-facing slope is preferable.
 At lower hills northeastern aspect is comparatively congenial.
 At high altitudes, above 1200m southerly (southwestern) aspect is
preferable.
 The nursery site should avoid the shadow of nearby ranges of hills.
Transport (Nursery)

 Transport of the planting stocks from the nursery to planting sites

should take least time.
 If possible, construct motorable road to connect nursery with main
road and should useable all year round ( in all seasons)

Labor supply (Nursery)

 Labor should be available without difficulty preferably near a village
(come on work and back to home in short time)
 Site selection where adequate labor available throughout the year even
in the time of agriculture.

Others (Nursery site selection)

 Success of nursery work depends a close frequent and strict
supervision; hence proximity to forest (posts) headquarters is desirable.
 Swift and stormy winds are harmful for nursery.
 Frost is the worst enemy of young tender seedlings.
 Never established on sites where there is a danger of flooding.
Content
 Nursery materials, machinery, tools
and equipments
 Layout of nursery, survey and
demarcation, clearance of site, soil
working, leveling, terracing
 Nursery beds, types of beds, soil
management and use of manures,
introduction of mycorrhiza, inoculation
Nursery materials, machinery, tools and equipments
1. House- soil shed, labour shed, office and store.
2. Fencing materials.
i. Barbed wire, mesh wire
ii. Wooden or R.C.C poles.
iii. "U" nails
iv. Hammer
v. Wire puller, strainer or cable puller or iron rod hook
vi. Coaster, Enamel paints.
vii. Plain nails.
3. For surveying – prismatic compass, plain table with accessories abney's
label, measuring tape, ranging rod, arrows etc.
4. For bed preparation
i. Spades (small & large), pick axes
ii. Wooden hammer
iii. Ropes, cotton or steel tape
iv. Wooden pegs
v. Shavels, Khurpa, sickle, axes
vi. Wooden planks, bricks, stones, split bamboo's etc.
Nursery materials, machinery, tools and equipments
5. For house – Thatch, weeds, leaves, thakal, Bamboo's, polythene sheet,
wood.
6. Iron or wooden shade frame.
7. Water cans, polythene pipe, sprinkler, tube well for irrigation
8. Sprayer – for irrigation of small seeds sown in beds or seed trays and for
spraying insecticides.
9. Polythene bag or tubes – for soils filling and transplanting or direct seed
sowing.
10. G.I. (Galvanized Iron) net for sieving sand and soil.
11. Wooden seed box or metal or plastic seed tray for seed germination and for
transporting seedlings.
12. Thick poly bags, canes, container or glass jar far storing seed.
13. Small metal sieves and Naglo- for sieving and winnowing of seeds.
14. Cutting plier, sharp knife, bill hook- for branch and root shoot cutting.
15. B.H.C. powder, potash, Metacine, Malathene and other insecticides,
fungicides and pesticides.
16. Forest topsoil, coarse and fine sand, compost, chemical fertilizers, small
crushed or round gravel.
17. Storage tank, Wheel byerer, Basket etc.
Nursery materials, machinery, tools and equipments
Layout of nursery
Clear plan before construction should be made for well-designed nursery.
Focus is on facility that produces plants matched with plantation site.
 Survey and demarcation
◦ To avoid legal complications, available land should be surveyed,
mapped and demarcated
◦ Calculation of area and establish a permanent boundary
◦ An area should be fenced properly to protect from game wild
species/cattle/ deer etc.
◦ On the map of nursery layout/plan, fence, nursery beds, water
supply, arrangement of beds, roads, paths, cross paths, channel,
entrance etc. should be clearly shown.
 Clearance of site
◦ Tree felling and bush removing should be carried out at the site.
◦ The unwanted debris, felled materials and uprooted stumps should be
removed.
◦ The site should be free from big boulders, stones and unwanted wastes.
Layout of nursery
 Soil Working, Leveling, Terracing
◦ Soil work varies according to the site and its topography.
◦ Cutting of the slopes and refiling (with fertile soil from the forest)
the cut earth might be requires in accordance with the site.
◦ In low hills and high hills, layout should be given across the slope
i.e. along the contours.
◦ Depending upon the slope, height of retaining wall to be
constructed.
◦ Gentler the area, lesser the soil work and height of retaining wall.
◦ The leveling should be done in such a manner that there is light
inward slope so that maximum moisture is retained.
◦ The soil used for refilling the terraces and leveling should be free
from stones, gravel, pebbles, roots, twigs etc. preferably the soil
should be sieved before refilling.
◦ In plains, soil work and construction of terraces are not required but
the layout should be appropriately given to orient east-west beds.
Construction of nursery
 After cleaning of an area and construction of terraces the outline of beds,
buildings, sheds, storage tank etc. should be set out using pegs and lines
and then necessary construction made. The plan must include basic features
such as fence/wall, water tanks, internal paths, seed beds, soil storage,
working area, compost making area etc.
Nursery beds
 Nursery bed is a land, free from weeds, stumps, stones, pebbles, etc.,
and is used for sowing of seeds to raise seedlings and multiplication of
different species of plants through asexual means.
 Beds should be 1-1.2 m wide and up to 10m (8-12m) in length. Width
of the bed is important for weeding and watering.
 Orientation
. of bed is from east to west to provide better shade against
the mid day sun and frost at night.
 On terraced land terraces should be at least 2m wide.
 Seed beds – for sowing seeds; Stand out beds for seedling in polythene
pots (tubes); Stump beds for stump cuttings.

Types of beds
 On the basis of practice  On the basis of moisture requirement,
◦ Seedling Beds beds can be of three type
◦ Transplant Beds ◦ Flat/Level Beds
◦ Standout Beds ◦ Raised Beds
◦ Sunken Beds
Seedling Beds
▪ A bed in which the seeds germinate after sowing.
▪ The young seedlings remain in these beds for a short period of time after
which they are usually picked out and transferred to transplant beds or
standout beds.
Transplant Beds
▪ These are beds in which pricked out seedlings are raised (transplanted
from the seedlings beds before planting out in the field).
▪ In transplant beds, the seeding are spaced out of more evenly, than
compared to seedling beds.
Standout Beds
▪ These are beds in which seedlings that are ready for plantation are kept for
short period.
▪ These beds are framed with suitable materials or locally available materials
preferably stones (longer lasting and no need to remade every year).
▪ After leveling the area for the beds, corners and edges are marked with
string and stick.
▪ Flat stones can be then set on edge in trenches along these boundary lines to
support the beds leaving at least 12 cm protruding above soil level.
▪ Split bamboo or poles, bricks or wires can also be used.
Level/Flat nursery bed
▪ During non-rainy (winter and spring season), seedlings is raised in flat
bed (cost of preparation is less).
▪ For efficient management, the whole area is divided into uniform size of
small beds.
▪ Usually, a flat bed is 1-metre wide and has length according to the slope
of the field. Irrigation channels are prepared between the rows of the beds
through which each bed is connected.
▪ These also act as drainage channels in case of heavy rain or excess
irrigation.
▪ When preparing a flat bed, preference for sandy or sandy loam soil is
given.
▪ Suitable for the species that the water requirement is moderate and
cannot tolerate standing water such as Terminalia, Grevilia, Eucalyptus,
Sapindus mukorossi (Ritha), Tuni etc.
Raised nursery bed
▪ The seed beds which are prepared above the ground or path level is
called raised bed in heavy moist area, which are liable to be water logged.
▪ During rainy season, it avoids losses through water stagnation by
facilitating proper drainage of excess water.
▪ This type of bed is prepared about an average 15 cm (10-15-20 cm) high
from the ground level which can be supported either by
bamboos/bricks/stones to protect edges from being eroded away during
rainy season or by irrigation or outside water from seeping into the bed.
This enables adequate drainage during rains and checks water stagnation.
▪ The common species raised on beds are Deodar, Kail, Spruce, Fir,
Robinia, Bird cherry etc.
Sunken nursery bed
▪ The seed beds which are prepared below the level of the ground or path
are known as sunken beds.
▪ In dry areas, the bed is kept 10−15 cm below the ground level, which
helps in conserving water (in case of water scarcity, it conserves water).
▪ During summer and high wind, seedlings should be raised in sunken
type of nursery bed that protects the plants from hot dry winds as
seedlings are covered.
▪ Sunken bed facilitates the deposition of irrigation water or rainwater for
a longer time (easily irrigated during dry season).
▪ This type of beds are used are used for raising stock through vegetative
propagation like cutting of Poplar, Sissoo, Mulberry, Willows, and
Bamboos off sets. Besides these Acacia nilotica, A. benthenwii, Prosopis
juliflora etc.
 Preparation of seed beds
▪ After aligning (staking) the actual beds, these should be dug 30 to 45 cm
deep, excavated soil should be roughly cleaned of stones, roots, and other
unwanted materials.
▪ Any kind of seed beds (raised, level, sunken) with paths can be
prepared.
▪ Drainage should be ensured and side should be covered with the support
of stones, planks, split bamboos, bricks.
▪ Burning of dry grass and shrubs piled on beds reduces weed growth and
is very beneficial for species having minute seeds eg. Adina cordinfolia.
Soil management and use of manure
▪ Soil management can be divided into three (physical, chemical,
biological) or four (including organic matters) general areas. In real world
they all are interconnected and altering one factor often change another as
well.
▪ Physical aspects- soil texture (essentially permanent), soil compaction,
water infiltration and aeration.
▪ Chemical aspects- soil fertility, acidity, nutrients (macro and micro).
▪ Biological aspects- Mycorrhizae, pathogens, insects, weeds,
microorganisms
▪ Organic matter- Humus, cuts across and integrates all others.
Nursery soil management: Physical property
considerations
▪ Based on soil diversity, problems also differ nursery to nursery.
▪ Some soil properties are permeant such as texture we may modify them
but seldom truly change them.
▪ Compaction of soil results in impeding root growth, reduce drainage,
poor soil aeration. Thus, minimize it, avoiding extensive traffic in nursery,
ensuring all vehicles use only roads and paths.
▪ Due to slight slopes of nursery fields, minor changes in surface
configuration are expected and unnoticed. Use of land plane can easily
correct such problems.
Nursery soil management: Chemical
▪ Fertilizers and lime are not only things added to soil.
▪ All nursery use irrigation and water quality affects both soil fertility and
acidity and should be taken in consideration at initial stage of nursery
establishment and developing management plan.
▪ Necessary to install either water treatment or relocate nursery (in few
cases).
▪ Wells have advantages over surface water sources as provided consistent
in quality, hopefully dependable in supply and free of weed seeds and
sediment.
Nursery soil management: Chemical
▪ Like organic matter, soil fertility is always declining. To maintain it,
applications of fertilizer or lime at appropriate times throughout the
growing season.
▪ Not only the amount and timing of nutrient applications are important,
but the form of nutrient can be very important. For e.g. Keeping supply
constant, nitrogen form (ammonium, ammonium nitrate/nitrite) affect
Nursery soil management: Biological
▪ Nursery soil may contains both harmful pests and beneficial organisms.
▪ Pests include pathogens, insects, and weeds.
▪ The beneficial organisms are mycorrhizal fungi, nitrogen fixing bacteria
or actinomycetes (in few trees species). Also, myriad of saprophytic
microbes that decompose cover crops and added organic materials
(sawdust, bark).
▪ Symbiotic microorganisms
Nursery soil management: Organic matter
considerations
▪ The addition of readily-decomposable organic matter results in
improved soil structure, increased water-holding capacity (and usually
increased water availability), and the suppression of pathogens. Also,
enhancement of mycorrhiza formation.
 Nursery soil management: Organic matter
▪ The primary source of boron is the organic matter. It is true that many
nursery soils are sandy, we found low organic matter content frequently
leads to a boron deficiency.
▪ Green junks (low quality trees) sawdust, bark and other similar residues
can be applied to enhance organic matter in the soil.

Introduction of mycorrhiza
▪ Mycorrhiza
▪ It is a composite structure - neither root nor fungi showing symbiotic
relationship.
▪ Root hairs are be invaded by non- pathogenic soil fungi known as
mycorrhiza.
▪ Absorbs soil moisture by increasing the area of absorbing surface.
▪ Helps in the absorption of minerals.
▪ Fixes nitrogen from the raw humus.
▪ Mostly it is needed for Pine and other species are Deodar, Popplus,
Taxus, Salix, Eucalyptus etc.
 ▪ Rhizobium
▪ Bacteria, which form nodules on the roots of leguminous plants.
▪ Rhizobium can take nitrogen from the air in the soil and convert into salts that
tree can absorb. This process is
▪ known as nitrogen fixation.
▪ Mostly found naturally but some species like Ipip-ipil needs artificial
inoculation.
▪ It is found in Acacia, Albizzia, Dalbergia, Leucaena species.

▪ Very often the trees acquire these organisms naturally, but in some cases
artificial inoculation is necessary to ensure the tree growth well.
▪ To ensure good inoculation with mycorrhiza the soil can be brought
from a well-growing pine stand/forest.
▪ The soil should be used (no later than 10 days) as soon as possible after
it is collected.
▪ The mycorrhizal soil should be kept moist though not wet, and stored
under shade as many mycorrhizal fungi are killed by extremes of heat and
drought.
▪ These should be well mixed with potting mixtures or interplanting
imported seedlings with mycorrhizae in nursery beds.