How to prepare media for propagation of fruit tree seedlings

1. SOWING MEDIA
PREPARATION

2. Objective
• The objective is to produce quality plants
by providing an ideal environment for root
growth and plant anchorage through use of
good media.

3. Qualities of a good media
• A good media will be light
• Well-aerated
• Retentive of adequate moisture in the soil
• Able to supply adequate nutrients
• Media consists of a mixture of soil, sand
and organic matter

4. Preparation of media
• Collecting enough quantities of topsoil, sand
and manure/organic matter to the nursery
site before pot filling.
• The quantity will vary based on the capacity
of the nursery, species being propagated and
their associated pot sizes

5. Preparation of media
• 2000 guava, pawpaw seedlings = 4mt soil.
• 2000 citrus seedlings = 5Mt soil
• 1000 mango seedlings=5mt soil.

6. Preparation of media cont..
• The soil, sand and compost should be
sieved to remove debris, large particles and
other unwanted matter.
• The screened materials should be mixed
on a clean concrete floor in right
proportions
• This depends on the texture of the soil, its
fertility and plant species or propagation
method

7. Preparation of media cont..
• More sand, for instance, will be used for a
mixture to root cuttings than in that for
growing general container-grown nursery
stock.

8. Preparation of media cont..
• The soil-sand-manure mixture should be
moistened prior to potting
• The moistened soil mixture should stay for
2-3 days to allow the moisture to spread
evenly
• Sterilize with steam at 60o-82oC for 30
minutes to kill weed seeds and pathogens

9. Preparation of media cont..
• Some traditional loam-based potting mixtures
commonly used in Malawi are:
Soil Sand Manure
Rooted cuttings 1 2 1
Container grown plants 2 1 1

10. Preparation of media cont..
• There is, however, no single, ideal mix
• They vary from place to place depending
on cost, propagation system, availability of
media components and the nature of soil
prevailing in the area.

11. Preparation of media cont..
• Where soils are light, the proportion of sand
should be reduced but increased in very
heavy soils.
• In order to produce high quality nursery
plants, each nursery should strive to come
up with a mixture that best supports plant
growth in the locality.

12. Preparation of media cont..
• Container mixtures require amendments
with fertilizers and/or manure to sustain
plant growth.
• Slow release fertilizers are best for potted
plants

13. Preparation of media cont..
• The plants should be top dressed every two
weeks by a 2% CAN fertilizer solution i.e
20g CAN/10 litres of water.
• Other media which can be imported i.e peat
moss and vermiculite.

14. Preparation of media cont..

15. Potting of media
• Polyethylene tubes/pots are widely used in
Malawi for plant propagation.
• The size will vary with the length of the
propagation period
• In general containers should be big enough
to grow a good quality seedling.

16. Potting of media cont…
• The following are convenient pot sizes
used in most fruit tree propagation
nurseries:
• 7.5cm x 15cm for seedlings that will be
planted out one month after emergence e.g
most forest trees.

17. Potting of media cont…
• 12.5cm x 20 – 25cm for seedlings to be
transplanted 3-4 months after emergence
e.g guava, pawpaw, passion fruit.
• 15-20cm x 25 – 35cm for seedlings that will
stay in pots for two seasons before planting
out i.e. mango, cashew, avocado, orange,
tangerine

18. • End of Presentation