Proper nursery establishment and management is essential to ensure a high germination of seeds into seedlings.
After sowing, it takes 5 to 10 days for seeds in a nursery to germinate. When 50% of the seeds have sprouted, remove the mulch from the nursery and water. Removing of the mulch at this stage prevents growing of the seedlings into the mulch and this would cause damaging of the seedlings when removing the mulch.
Nursery management
One to two days after removing the mulch, apply preventative fungicide onto the seedlings and then after begin regular spraying after given intervals.
Four days after removing the mulch, apply a starter foliar fertilizer and 5 to 7 days after removing the mulch, apply a preventative insecticide.
When the seedlings are 4 weeks old, change the foliar fertilizer from starter to vegetative. This helps the seedlings to be strong and harden for transplanting.
Always keep the beds weed free. Its advisable to use hands to avoid damaging the root system. Also ensure that the top of the bed is level to prevent erosion.
Transplanting
When the seedlings are ready for transplanting, but there are no rains to facilitate transplanting, give them less nutrients to control their growth.
If your land is sloppy, make planting ridges across the slope to control soil erosion.
After transplanting, keenly monitor fungal diseases and pests like thrips, aphids and mites.
If the soil is low in phosphorous, add Di ammonium phosphate at transplanting.
