nursery site selection

the selection of a suitable nursery site is the most important decision affecting the efficient production of good quality plants for bioengineering. before you start to select a site carefully define the objectives of the nursery, including:
     - the number of plants of each species to be produced each year;
     - the type and size of plants;
     - the location of the planting sites to be supplied;
     - the expected life of the nursery.

you must choose the site at least six months before the first seed is to be sown.
you should carefully consider the district's bioengineering site plans over the next few years. nurseries need to be as close as possible to the sites they will serve but at the same time, the location must be technically suitable. you will rarely be able to get everything just right, so the final selection should be based on evaluating the relative advantages, and disadvantages of three or more possible sites after you have thoroughly inspected the area.

water supply
a reliable, adequate water supply is essential for all bioengineering nurseries. Ideally, it will come from a perennial stream located above the site and close to it. water may be available from an existing irrigation canal.
whatever the source of the water, check that it is available throughout the year, especially check the flow in the driest months: March, April and May. also see who else uses the supply and if, for example, it is cut off at times to water winter crops. you can only discover this by discussing fully with local people. if there are other users you must make sure they clearly understand the effect that nursery requirements will have on the supply. conflict over water use easily occurs even though there may be sufficient for everybody. all users must clearly understand each other's needs, especially with regard to quantities and the times when water is required. you may be able to combine the Description of a water supply for a new nursery with an improved supply for a DoLIDAR camp or even a nearby village. again, you must obtain clear agreement on water use and make careful estimates of supply and demand before the nursery in established.

in the Terai, if the site is not close to a stream or irrigation canal, you may need to sink a well and install a hand pump. check to see if there are other wells in the area and how deep and efficient they are before starting to sink a new one.

a guaranteed supply of 1,000 litres (1 m3) of water per day is needed for a nursery of 20,000 plants watered with a watering can. surface irrigation requires considerably more.

general location
the site should be as close as possible to the centre of the area to which plants will be supplied and near to the road.

physical features
aspect is very important. North facing slopes are cooler and more humid and are better for nurseries at lower elevations, whereas nurseries above 1200 m are better on warmer southern slopes. make sure this benefit on a south-facing slope is not lost by shading in the morning or evening by adjacent ridges. this is most important in nurseries at higher elevations.

in the hills, you will usually have to be built nurseries on terraces. however, if the land is too steep, making terraces that are wide enough for a bed and working space alongside it will be difficult. moving in the nursery and gaining access to it will be also be difficult. avoid land, which is too steep. at lower elevations and it the terai flatter sites are likely to be available. a slope of 2-3 % is necessary to allow water to drain off without causing erosion. it the nursery has to be built on a completely flat site, you will have to build a drainage system to prevent waterlogging.

consider natural hazards. avoid areas threatened by landslides or flooding or strong winds. at higher elevations, avoid sites that are particularly liable to frost. these include valley bottoms and other places where the downward flow of cold night air is interrupted either by topography or other obstructions such as a dense belt of trees or shrubs below the site.

availability of materials and labour
if the plants are to be produced in beds you should select a location with a deep loamy soil, if possible with good content of organic matter (2 %), on a well-drained site.
in nurseries where plants are grown in polypots you will need large quantities of soil. this has to be carried to the nursery, so you need a large source of sandy loam or loam soil, preferable forest topsoil, as close as possible to the proposed site. if only heavy soils such as clays are available, they will have to be mixed with sand. pines also require mycorrhizal soil. see if there is an area nearby where foliage and litter can be collected for compost making. the soil at the nursery site itself is not so important except that is should be well drained.
the quantity of soil required is often under-estimated. a nursery with a target of 20,000 usable plants would fill 25,000 pots. for 10 – 17.5 cm (4" – 7") pots, this would require 12.25 m3 of potting mixture. for a 2:1:1 soil:sand:compost mixture you would need about 6.2 m3 of soil and 3.1 m3 of sand, which would weigh about 9 and 5.5 tonnes. if sieving was done in the nursery, you need 15 % more soil and 5 % more sand.
easy access to stone for building the nursery wall and beds as well as other items, such as a water tank, a shed and a compost bin, is also an advantage.
a lot of labour is required for constructing the nursery and later on for tasks like carrying soil and pot filling. you should locate the nursery where it is possible to obtain labour without difficulty at most times of the year. siting a nursery near a village will also increase awareness of it and enable the Naike to carry out their extension work more easily.

land ownership
if possible, nurseries should be on land owned by the DoLIDAR. if the Department does not own enough suitable land, it will have to be purchased or other government-owned land assigned for the Department use. Make sure this assignation is guaranteed for at least ten years.

spacing nurseries along the road

nurseries should be established at intervals along the road according to need. there in no set distance and for each road you have to balance the requirement for plants against the terrain crossed by the road and the budget available for the work.
you should consider the following points:
     - each climatic area where work is to be carried out should be represented
       by at least one nursery;
     - ideally plants are produced in a nursery immediately next to their eventual
       destination although this cannot be achieved in every case.

one some mountain road s crossing much unstable terrain and a wide variety of climatic zones, one nursery per 10 km may be necessary. elsewhere a distance of 25 km between nurseries may be adequate.

permanent nurseries with a production capacity of less than 100,000 grass slops, or 25,000 shrub or tree seedlings, are not usually economically viable. however, there are other reasons why a number of small nurseries can be better than one large one:
     - the risk is spread during the planting season: blockages of the road which
       disrupt transport are less likely to jeopardise the planting programme;
     - the dangers of drought, disease or poor management in one nursery will
       affect only part of the total stock;
     - transport of stock from nursery to site is minimised which saves money
       and reduces stress damage to the plants;
     - nurseries in each climatic zone allow a wider range of plants to be produced;
     - each nursery requires a trained foremen (Naike), this allows a greater
        transfer of skills which is a development objective;
     - nurseries act as a focus for work in the local community.

in any case, the costs involved in the original establishment and subsequent operation of nurseries are small relative to most road maintenance costs.

experience on projects has shown that small road line nurseries producing a combination of 15,000 to 25,000 grass plants and 5,000 to 7,5000 shrub or tree seedlings are well worthwhile. such nurseries can be sued to produce plants specifically adapted for the climatic zone of the nursery. the balance of plants not grown there can be produced in large nurseries.

in practice, ease of organisation, availability of DoLIDAR land and cost constraints often result in a restriction on the number of nurseries on each road length.

sizing and design of nursery

components of a nursery
the main components of a nursery are as follows:

general: office storage: water: beds:

compound wall or fence chowkidar's hut     Vehicle access and turning area     pathways to all parts of the nursery     working area nursery store     soil and sand stores     compost bays water tank and accessories     drainage systems seed beds    stool cutting beds    bare root plant beds    grass beds    bamboo beds    standout beds for polypot seedlings    shades for beds

other areas and corners for perennial grass and hardwood stock plants

equipment checklist:

Pate kuto, Chuche kuto Hansia Kodalo Chuppi Dante Crowbar/Chanti Scissors/secateurs Tin trunks with padlocks Seed trays Soil and sand sieves Tape measure

Shovel Kodali Khukuri Doko Watering can with roses Flit gun sprayer Leather or paper punch Plant carrying trays Safety equipment First aid kit

you must keep tools and equipment in good working order. replace defective items before they are needed and keep blades sharp.

checklist of materials for nurseries:

soil compost fertiliser insecticide heavy gauge polybags for storage shade material (bamboo, hessian) wire nails seedbed labels pens/pencils

sand seeds fungicide polypots: 4" ´ 7" heavy gauge polythene sheeting string wire mesh soap waterproof marker pens registers: nursery, seed, and visitor

expendable materials need to be re-supplied each year and you should order them well in advance, after discussion with the Naike.

calculation of nursery size

number of grass slips per planting drill
the planting drills described in the rate analysis norms consist of different numbers of slip. depending on the type of the grass, the nature of its rooting and the parts used for vegetative propagating.

the table below summarises the requirement of grass slips per planting drill by different means of vegetative propagation. an important point is that grasses with fibrous roots which are propagated by means of rooted slip cuttings need two slips per planting drill on site and you have to consider this in nursery planning.

propagation method	n. of slips per drill	examples of species
rooted cuttings of grasses with rhizome root systems	1	Amliso, padang, tite nigalo
rooted cuttings of grasses with fibrous root systems	2	Babiyo, kans, khar, phurke
single of double node stem cuttings	1	Dhonde, napier, narkat
single or double node stolon cuttings	1 or 2	Dhubo, kikiya

calculation of grass slip multiplication and space requirements
the nursery multiplication of grasses by slips produces a three to seven times increase in the number of plants each time the grass clumps are split out the multiplication rate depends on the species, altitude and time of planting in the nursery. at altitudes below 1200 meters, slips of grasses except amliso can be multiplied by seven times; amliso can usually only be multiplied by three times. at higher altitudes, usually above about 1200 meters, a three times multiplication is usually only possible. however, the timing of planting in the nursery bed also regulates the productivity. the table below summaries this information.

nursery altitude	species	slips first planted	number to plant
Terai to 1200 m	Amliso any other grasses	February February April/May	final site number/3 final site number/7 final site number/3
above 1200 m	any grasses	February/March	final site number/3

as an example, if a nursery at Bharatpur has to produce 100,000 kans grass slips for site planting in July, this should be the programme:

either: or:

January: February: July: Early April: April/May: July:

prepare 143 m2 of grass beds' plant 14,300 grass slips at 100 mm spacing; lift all grass clumps, split into 100,000 slips and plant on site. prepare 334 m2 grass beds. plant 33,400 grass slips at 100 mm spacing. lift all grass clumps, split into 100,000 slips and plant on site.

you must multiply this area by 1.5 for an unterraced nursery or by 3 for a terraced nursery, to allow space for the paths between beds and for terrace risers. an unterraced nursery would therefore need 1896 m2 for the main plant growing area, and a terraced nursery 3792 m2.

in addition you will need space for seed beds for shrubs/trees (total bed area required 5 m2), the chowkidar's hut, vehicle access road, irrigation leak or water tank, and areas for working, soil storage, and compost making. so the total area required is likely to be 2000 m2 (about 4 ropanis) on a level site or almost twice as much on a steep site.

the multiplication by three or seven when the clumps are lifted and divided are broad overall estimates. some clumps will produce more slips and some less. usually there is adequate extra to cover losses.

nursery space requirements
the amount of space required depends largely upon the number of plants to be produced, the time they will spend in the nursery and the density at which they will stand in the beds. it will also be affected by the slope and the quality of the site.

before you start to calculate the area needed, list the various components of the nursery that you require. these are:
     - seedbeds (for roadline Bioengineering nurseries usually a total bed area
       of 5 m2);
     - grass beds (main grass plant growing area);
     - polypot standout beds (main shrub/tree growing area);
     - paths, roads, irrigation leaks (kulos);
     - working area, soil storage (including thatched shelter), compost making area.
     - Chowkidar's sut/tool and seed store;
     - area for any future expansion.

calculate the nursery size based on the main plant growing area required. for example: a nursery is needed for the following average annual production:
                      500,000 grass slips;
                      18,000 shrub/tree plants in 4" ´ 7" polypots.

in this example, the grasses and half of the shrubs/trees need less than one year but the other half of the shrubs/trees in polypots require between one and two years in the nursery. once polypot seedlings reach a height of 20 to 30 cm, they have to be given additional space. this is done by separating the rows of plants across the bed, usually by about 5 cm.

a	500,000 grass slips assume that the average multiplication rate when planted on site is five. bed space is required for (500,000/5)=100,000 slips to grow into clumps which will give a multiplication by five times when the plants are taken to site. they stand at 100 per m2: 100,000/100=1000 m2
b	18, 000 polypots of 4"´7" size space is required for 22,500 (i.e. 18,000) POTS +25%) to allow for losses and culling. they stand at 128 per m2 when spaced out: 22,500/128 = 176 m2 but half of these plants require twice as much space because they will be in the nursery for more than 12 months: 88 + (88 ´ 2) = 264 m2.
grand total of beds = 1264 m2

general design
before you start construction, draw a sketch plan as accurately as possible. you can pace out distances but measuring with a tape is better. the plan must include:
     - fence or wall;
     - vehicle assess and turning area;
     - nursery store, office and Chowkidar's hut;
     - working area;
     - soil and sand storage;
     - compost making area;
     - water tanks and water distribution system;
     - drainage system;
     - internal paths;
     - seedbeds;
     - standout beds;
     - grass slop beds;
     - areas for grass and hardwood stock plants.

pay particular attention to the drainage and water supply systems.
if possible, make the nursery as nearly square as possible. this will make the minimum length of wall in relation to the area it encloses and will need less material. plan it so you can drive directly into the nursery from the road, so that soil and sand can be unloaded directly into the storage area.

compound wall or fence
you need a wall or fence to deep all animals out of the nursery. it must be strong and big enough to deep large animals out. a stone wall 1.8 m high is ideal. it should be about 45 cm thick, with 60 cm below ground and 120 cm above, when measured from the outside. a layer of thorny shrubs on the top will make it more effective. If stone is not available you can use other materials. make the gate simple, so it is easy to open and close. a complicated gate is much ore likely to be left open. any other entrances should be goat-proof stiles.

nursery store, office and chowkidr's hut
in larger more permanent nurseries, a store made out of local materials in needed for tools and materials. it can also serve as an office and shelter for the Naike. it should be well built and of a long-lasting construction. the walls can be of stone, with wood for the window and roof frames and thatch or corrugated iron for the roof.

other structures
a roofed soil and sand storage shelter is needed which is large enough to store all the potting mixture required and provide a working area. construct it of locally available materials with strong walls around one end of it, against which soil can be piled up. if possible made it so that there is a covered area where the soil can be sieved as well as stored under cover. for most bioengineering nurseries, 4 m ´ 2.5 m is large enough.
if the shelter is large enough our can use it for pot filling. also, it can be a convenient place to put germination trays. they should be raised off the ground on a bench, out of the reach of any animals, which may get into the nursery.

water supply
you can take water to the nursery through a buried pipe or an open channel. preferably pass it through a sedimentation tank. this may be a hole in the ground about 1.5 m square and 1 m deep, lined with clay to make it waterproof. build a stone-paved overflow to carry away surplus water from heavy rainfall. take the water off through a pipe located about half way up the side to the storage tank, which is usually about 5 m3.

many nurseries have problems with leaking concrete tanks. you can avoid these problems by ensuring that the tank is constructed properly with the correct materials. once it starts to leak it is very difficult to repair. for a small tank prepare concrete with one part cement, two parts washed sand and four of clean gravel. make the walls and base 25 cm thick. if you try to save costs by using less cement or building thinner walls the tank will probably leak. If stone is available, you can construct a stone and mortar wall 30 cm thick. whatever the construction, line the inside with a 2 cm layer of cement mortar made with one part cement and three parts fine washed sand, finished off with a skim of 1:1 cement: fine sand. this method of construction reduces the requirements of cement, sand and gravel.

water tanks lined with polythene have been tried widely in Department of Forests nurseries but without success.

old 200 litre bitumen drums and 250 litre bitumen drums and 250 litre oil drums are a simple and effective alternative, but you should not consider them a permanent solution for a main nursery.

whenever possible, site the tank at the highest part of the nursery so you can use gravity to distribute the water. the water can be led into a channel, which connects several smaller water holes. this reduces the distance the water must be carried, and so encourages more conscientious watering. you can let the water flow continuously through this system and then away from the nursery at its lower end, or fill the tanks when required, by diverting the source. whenever water is diverted away from the supply channels make sure it flows into the drainage system, or to a stable natural watercourse.

drainage
pay great attention to drainage, especially in nurseries on steep slopes. the object is to minimise erosion, while directing excess water away from the site. build drains along the top edge and down the sides of the nursery. make terraces slope very gently inwards, with a slight 'fall' along their length, so that water flows to the back of the terrace, where you can dig a small drain, and then along it into a main drain. construct drains alongside the paths, so that the paths do not become drains. where you have to lead water down steep slopes, make lengths of gently sloping drain with almost vertical steps between them, and face the steps with stone. finally directed water away from the nursery in gently sloping channels to natural watercourses or to areas where it cannot cause erosion or other damage.

nursery beds
do not plan beds wider than 1.2 m, because of the difficulty of reaching into the centre, or narrower than 1 m mean because the paths between them will take up too much space. make paths 50 to 60 cm wide so there is enough space to squat and work from. this means, terraces should be at least 2 m wide. the length of the beds will depend on the space available; 8 to 12m is convenient. if the beds are oriented east-west you can use shades most efficiently.

commence the preparation for constructing beds by making terraces about 2 m wide or levelling the ground in flatter areas. then mark out all the beds with stakes and string.
avoid sunken beds because of the risk of water-logging.

construction
when your plan is complete, check it carefully at the nursery site. consider the location of each component from the point of view of its own function and also its relationship with the other components. discuss any final improvements to the plan with the Naike before construction starts.

first clear the land of all rocks, stumps, trees and shrubs. where considerable earth works are necessary, as in the construction of terraces, build the drains as early as possible to prevent rain from damaging the works. if terraces are to be used for seedbeds, grass beds, stump beds or transplant beds, carefully collect the topsoil and store it so you can re-distribute it after the earthworks have been completed. this is not necessary where the terraces are to be used for standout beds for polypots.

nursery construction

grass slip beds
grass slips are very strong and resistant and as a result, you do not need to take as much care over the construction of beds for grass slip multiplication as for most other nursery plants. however, the soil should be fertile and either a loam or sandy loam in texture. use the following procedure for making the beds:

a		cultivate the original ground throughout the area and heap the soil into mounds to form beds. mark out the beds using line string and shape the mounds. cut pathways between the beds and heap the soil on the beds, so they are will drain;
b		if the soil has a high clay content add sand to make it into a loam or sandy loam;
c		if the soil is not very fertile lay 15 cm of forest soil and washed sand, n a 3:1 ratio, on the top of the bed; and
d		once the bed is shaped off, it should be no more than 30 cm high and no more than 120 cm wide at the top.

grass seedling beds
grass seedlings produced in the nursery are raised in 25 cm high beds made as follows;

a		compact and flatten the original ground, leaving a slight camber to facilitate drainage;
b		lay 5 cm of washed gravel on the compacted ground;
c		follow this by 5 cm of compost and forest soil mixed in a 1:1 ratio; and
d		finally lay 15 cm of forest soil and washed sand, in a 3:1 ratio, and flatten the bed off. the bed should be no more than 120 cm wide at the top.

beds for sowing tree and shrub seeds
these need to be made most carefully, as the seeds are often very small and young seedlings can be extremely tender. seed sowing beds should b a minimum of 15 cm high and 100 cm wide. make the bed up with the following layers from bottom to top:

a		5 cm of washed gravel of facilitate drainage;
b		5 cm of unsieved forest soil;
c		5 cm of a 1:3 mix of sieved forest soil and washed medium fine sand;
d		1-3 cm layer of washed sieved and sterilised sand.

cover the bed using a shade made from bamboo slats and plastic sheeting. it should be between 80 and 100 cm high. surround the bed with an edging of bricks, bamboo or stone.

standout beds for polypots
stand out beds are prepared for plants that are raised in polypots. make the beds 100 cm wide and as long as is convenient. build a frame 15 cm high made of bricks, stone or bamboo to support and protect the seedlings. compact the original ground well, and place a 5 cm thick layer of gravel on the soil to facilitate drainage. place shades made from bamboo-stacked covers that can easily be rolled up 100 - 120 cm above the beds.

beds for bare root seedlings and stumps
some species of tree are raised as bare root seedlings or stumps because they grow more quickly, develop better rooting systems after planting, are easier and cheaper to transport of site and are cheaper to raise that containerised seedlings. they require different forms of management and care which must be provided if this type of production is to be successful.

prepare beds as follows:

a		compact the original ground leaving a slight camber to allow for drainage; if available, bamboo sheaths placed on the ground are useful to prevent roots growing into the original ground;
b		place 2-5 cm of washed gravel as a drainage layer;
c		prepare a mixture of forest soil, fine compost (or gobar) and sand in a 2:11:1: ratio and out a 20 cm thick layer on top of the gravel;
d		place a 1:1 ratio of sieved soil and washed fine sand in a 20 cm thick layer on top;
e		after the seed has been broadcast sprinkle on sand, to the same thickness as the seed being sown.

after you have sown the seed, cover the bed with hessian jute until the seed germinates. erect bamboo shades 100 to 120 cm high with a bamboo-slatted cover that can be rolled on or off. gradually remove the shade over several weeks, exposing the plants to increasing amounts of sun each day.

stool beds for cuttings
stool cuttings are made by growing seedlings, cutting off the top and roots and planting them. this is used with species such as sisoo, kimbu, poplar and rudrakche. it produces vigorous plants. beds are generally prepared as follows:

a		dig the soil to a depth of 30 cm; add a doko of compost for every 5 m2 of bed to the soil and mixed it in well;
b		mix forest soil and fine compost (or gobar) in a 2:1 ratio and place a layer 20 cm thick on top of the original dug saterial;
c		add a 1:1 ratio mix of sieved soil and washed fine sand in a 10 cm layer on top;
d		use bamboo shades 100-120 cm high with a bamboo slatted rollable cover over the bed in the first weeks after planting the cuttings. place the cuttings at 50-cm centres. weed thoroughly and occasionally give a handful of compost to encourage growth. take the first cuttings after the second monsoon growth.

beds for bamboo culm cuttings
bamboo culms must be kept very wet; therefore, bunds and complete shade with heassian jute are important. beds are prepared as follows:

a		dig the original ground to a depth of 50 cm and lay 2-3 cm of gravel in the base. Mix the soil with forest soil in a ratio depending on the quality of the original soil;
b		lay 10 cm of unsieved forest soil on top of this;
c		follow this by 20 cm of sieved forest soil on the top;
d		bund the edges of the bed to help retain water.