The document discusses the Astra campus nursery site location and propagation structures. It notes that the current nursery site lacks a continuous water source, proper drainage, and gently sloping land. The area is too small for the nursery's needs. The nursery also lacks proper propagation structures like greenhouses and shade houses needed to control the environment. There is no isolation between young seedlings and mature plants. The propagation media is not being properly sterilized, potentially introducing diseases and pests.

1. Comment on the Astra campus site location,
propagation structures, propagation media
and propagation success.
Group members
Bothwell Madhanzi
Tawanda O Mukosi
Kudzanai A Mukarati
Wisdom J Bita

2.  A nursery site must be located with the realization that a perfect site does
not exist and that choice of site will require compromise.
 However, careful attention to the selection of a permanent nursery site
will repay all the effort expended.

3.  Ideally, Astra campus nursery should be sited in close proximity to a
continuous waters supply to reduce pumping and transport costs.
 The current water source of Astra campus nursery does not supply water
throughout the day and in same case it can go for more than a day
without water. .

4.  The Astra campus nursery also lacks proper drainage system.
 The area for nursery establishment is preferably flat with a gentle
slope to allow for drainage.
 Astra campus nursery it’s not gently slope so as to facilitate the
drainage of water and also it has a lot of potholes within the nursey
which holds unnecessary water.

5.  the land is too small for the nursery operation to be
done on full scale.
 For a big institution like Bindura University to have
such small space is under utilization of its specialised
personal.

6.  Propagation structures play a vital role in propagation of various seedlings
and grafts in nurseries i.e. green house, shades houses
 These structures helps to maintain climatic conditions for better germination,
easy rooting and hardening of seedling.
 Plant propagation structures helps the successful and healthy production of
seedlings.
 This structures will result in faster rooting of the cuttings, create optimum
Microclimate for better root initiation and development and higher success
rate found in propagation of hard wood cuttings. Which lacks at astra campus

7.  The Astra campus nursery does not allow for isolation between young
seedlings and fully grown plants
 the propagation media is not being sterilized, there are high chances of
reduction in propagation success as the media can be a source of diseases
and pests

8.  Successful nursery production of container-grown plants is largely
dependent on the chemical and physical properties of the growing media.
 An ideal potting medium should be free of weeds and diseases, heavy
enough to avoid frequent tipping over and yet light enough to facilitate
handling.
 Presence of yellow nutsedge proves that their sterilization method is poor
since it is failing to reduce weed problems in the nursery.

10. Justification
1) Fence construction is done to totally exclude all animals and thieves from
the nursery.
2) Free movement to both humans and machinery within the nursery site
3) continuous supply of water (borehole and irrigation pipe lines)
4) Working place
5) Properly defined nursery structures
6) area for later expansion