Introduction
Planting trees is a very good investment of time and effort for small scale farmers in the rural areas of the tropics. Integrating trees into other agricultural activities and raising of livestock will greatly benefit farmers. This page will discuss the basics of planting and taking care of trees, and integrating them into small farms.
Uses for Trees
Some trees, such as those from the genera Leucaena, Albissia, and Acacia, can supply firewood for cooking or providing heat. Wood can also be used as a building material for housing, furniture, fences, etc. Regenerating forests will ensure that residents of rural areas do not run out of this precious resource.
Many trees provide direct sources of food in the form of fruit. Examples include bananas, guavas, mangoes and avocados. These fruits can also be sold in market as a source of income.
Some trees can provide a direct income to the farmer such as coffee, cloves, cacao and coconut. These trees can often be harvested when other crops have not yet yielded any useful product.
Many trees, such as Calliandra, Leucaena(ipil-ipil), and Cliricidia Sepium (madre do cacao) also provide important food for livestock. They can be used to to feed animals during dry seasons, and other times when sources of livestock feed become difficult to attain.
Planting Trees
From a Seed
The simplest way to plant a tree is from a seed. For best results, care must be taken to choose a seed from a tree with good characteristics. The tree must be healthy, free from diseases and insects, and be known to have high yields of the desired product (firewood, fruit, leaves, etc). The best time to take a seed is when the fruit of the tree is fully ripened. This will help to ensure that the seed with germinate, and that it will do so quickly.
Some seeds will need special attention and care before being planted. This can range from drying to peeling to soaking in hot or cold water. Consulting with other local farmers, program workers, or agricultural extension agents is the best way to gain this knowledge.
Fast growing trees, such as those used for firewood, are often planted directly from seeds. In very dry regions however, it is often best to germinate the seeds first in a nursery, to ensure they survive the germination process.
From a Cutting
Some types of trees are best planted from 'cuttings', or 'stakes'. These types of trees are often used for planting living fences. Preferred species for planting living fences from cuttings included Gliricidia, Erythrina, and Lannea.
This section of the book was summarized by User:Mike Saunders 15:54, 31 January 2010 (UTC)
Bud Grafting
Bud grafting involves detaching a bud or group of buds from the scion (the healthy plant you want to reproduce) and attaching it to the stock, which is the main stem of another plant.
Preparing the Stock Plant
Stock plants should be grown from a seed that is not from the scion tree or other grafted trees. Plant them in containers using the same soil as that of where the tree will be planted in the ground. Stock plants should be healthy plants that are not adversely affected by bugs, disease, or weather conditions. When the stem of the stock plant is about the size of a pen (1/2 cm) and the plant is 8-12 months old, it is a good time to graft onto it. Scrape away a small area of bark near the base of the plant using a sharp clean knife. Be careful to only scrape the bark and not the wood underneath.
Preparing the Scion and Bud
A bud is a small knob-like feature of a tree or plant where a branch is about to grow from. Depending on the type of tree it may only be a 3-5 cm long. When choosing a tree to take the bud (also called an “eye”) from make sure it is healthy, produces good fruit, and is no less than 36 months old. Cut off a branch with a similar diameter to the one you are grafting to and be sure to trim it to 20-30 cm. With a single cut of the knife slice the bud off of the scion branch, making sure the surface area of the cut is about the same as the area scraped off of the stock plant. The slice should be at least twice as large as the bud itself. Be sure to cut into the wood under the bark. Cautiously peel the bark from the bud. In the above steps always use a sharp, clean knife and be very careful not to damage the plants.
Attaching the Bud to the Stock
Use tape or plastic string to securely fasten the bud to the peeled area on the stock plant, making sure not to cover up the tip of the bud. Keep the plant in the nursery or greenhouse while it is just starting out. When the bud grows so that it is attached to the stock, remove the fastener material.
Caring for the Plant
When the bud is growing prosperously, cut all of the other branches of the plant so they hang loosely, and eventually remove them. This should only be done if the bud is growing well. Use a stick to support the new growth if needed. When the plant is strong enough it can be transplanted into the ground.
Conclusion
It is a wonderful thing to grow plants because they provide fruit, a home for animals, and wood for building and burning. If you follow the instructions in this book, plan well, work hard, and take care of the plants you can have success!
This section of the book was summarized by Krystal 02:16, 31 January 2010 (UTC)
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