NURSING OF SEEDS

 

Amaranth seeds (amaranth fotete variety) can be nursed using a raised seed bed or sunken bed. The size of the bed used here is 1 meter wide and 2 meters long. This 1-meter wide of the seed bed is used in order to avoid stepping on the seed bed / seedling when carrying out cultural practices.  The method we used here in nursing the seeds is drill method (sowing of seeds in lines in the seed bed). This drill method was chosen in order to allow easy weeds control and also to carry out cultural practices easily.

Amaranth seeds (amaranth fotete variety) can be nursed using a raised seed bed or sunken bed. The size of the bed used here is 1 meter wide and 2 meters long. This 1-meter wide of the seed bed is used in order to avoid stepping on the seed bed / seedling when carrying out cultural practices.  The method we used here in nursing the seeds is drill method (sowing of seeds in lines in the seed bed). This drill method was chosen in order to allow easy weeds control and also to carry out cultural practices easily.

 

What is a nursery bed?

A nursery bed is a prepared plot of land for raising seedlings. It serves as a temporary home for young plants until they are eventually planted in a main plot. A poorly constructed and managed nursery bed can lead to poor seeds germination or diseased seedlings. The seedlings may fail to grow when transplanted. Nursery beds should be prepared by adding sufficient organic manures and fertilizers.

 

What is drilling in nursery /planting?

Drilling is a process of dropping the seeds in furrows in a continuous flow and covering them with soil. This method is very helpful in achieving proper depth, proper spacing and proper number of seed to be sown in the field.

 

What is a nursery?

A nursery is a place, where seedlings, trees, shrubs and other plant material are grown and maintained until they are positioned in to their permanent site. Seedlings at early stages deserve special attention which is only possible in nursery.

 

Site selection

1. Nursery should be established in the important production areas.

2. Nursery soil should be deep, fertile, well drained and free from pathogens.

3. The site should be well connected by different means of communication and must be easily accessible.

4. The area should be well protected.

 5. Soil and micro-climatic conditions should be appropriate.

6. Availability of irrigation and power supply should be ensured.

7. Sufficient labour and skilled person should be available to handle different operation.

8. Availability of progeny/mother stock (bud wood source tree) and root stocks should be ensured.

9. Availability of propagating/growing structure, hardening chamber etc

 

What Materials/tools are required?

 Spade, rake, pegs, surveyors tape measure, watering cane, rake, garden lines, plastic sheet, manures and fertilizer insecticide, pesticide, fungicide etc.

 

How to Prepare a nursery bed

 Nursery beds of 1- 1.20 m wide and convenient length 5-6 m are considered ideal. In between two parallel beds a space of 50-60 cm should be provide for cultural operations. The height of bed should be 15-20 cm particularly during rainy season and 10-15 cm during winter season from the soil surface.

 

What are the types of nursery beds?

  Raised Nursery bed (During rainy season, it avoids losses through water stagnation by facilitating proper drainage of excess water).

  Flat Nursery bed (During winter and spring season, seedlings is raised in flat bed. In this case, cost of preparation is less).

Sunken Nursery bed (During summer, seedlings should be raised in sunken type of nursery bed. It protects the plants from hot dry winds).

 

How to treatment the soil/ Sterilization of Nursery beds

Several times, soil contains certain injurious pathogens, which inhibits with growth and development of seedlings. These harmful insects can be eliminated by pasteurization, solarization, changing the sight of nursery or by chemical treatment.t