Seedling production system is a concept used in production of healthy seedlings especially those of vegetables, herbs, flowers, trees and many crops propagated from seedlings. These are seedlings with a controlled environment. Seedlings are produced in seed trays, with a growing medium either made out of peat / vermiculite or bark or other media found suitable. With controlled amount of sunlight, water and air flow, with a calculated fertigation system (water and fertilizer application) system.
ASSUMPTIONS
•Use trays (Hygrovents) size M105, M242, M200, M300, and M128. These trays used for the propagation of different plants:
M105 – Forestry and Cucurbits
M128 – Quick to medium rooting vegetables – brassicas, lettuce & tomatoes
M200 & M242 – All vegetables, slower rooting vegetables – brassicas, lettuce, tomatoes
M300 – Slower rooting vegetables – peppers & chillies
•Growing medium: well-refined peat moss mixed with vermicullite/polysterine (hygromix) can be used and is assumed to be the best growing medium. A substitute like pine bark can be used but well sieved to reasonable particle size. Hygrotech has a product called Hygromix, which is well-prepared, medium and ready to use in Hygrovents trays. •Sunlight – ideally seedling would benefit with a controlled environment of about 30 – 40% shade. A good shade cloth over the seedlings should provide this to allow for better response to phototropism and grow into well-balanced seedlings. •Fertigation: application of specialised fertilizers through irrigation. Specially formulated fertilizers are applied to achieve a continuous and well-balanced feeding of N P K and micronutrients to the delicate growing plants. •Plant protection – pests and diseases: seedlings should be health and therefore need to have a well articulated plant protection programmes against infectious diseases and pests. This will ensure transplants that are
free from diseases and pests.
Points to consider when doing a seedling nursery:
1. Location of shed net house:
Need to be easily accessible
With water supply system
Preferably a flat area
With barriers to strong winds
No danger of water logging
2. Shade cloth:
30 – 40% shade
Able to cover the top of shade house and the sides.
3. Trays – Hygrotech
Use trays that can easily be interchangeable with various crops e.g. M242 & M200
4. Growing Medium
– Hygromix is known to be very ideal
– A substitute would be bark
5. Fertigation
– Provide the water and fertilizer through micro jet system of irrigation.
– Or through irrigation with watering cans of suitable showerheads.
– Special fertilizers like Hyperfeed, Hygrofert A & Hygrofert B are available
Other Assumptions:
•Trays M200 – 200plants /tray, M242 – 242plants /tray
•Exterior dimensions of all the trays mentioned above are the same – 345mm x 675mm but the tray depths vary from one model to the other. •Trays Vs Hygromix – 1 x 25kg Hygromix is able to go in about 20 trays (25kg Hygromix = 20 trays) •Fertilization: Hyperfeed, Hygrofert A & Hygrofert B – application rate 2g /litre of water with last irrigation every day of the week for 6 days and 7th day irrigation with water only to wash accumulated salts in the trays. Start applying at 2-leaf stage of seedlings – about 10days from sowing. •Growing period: most seedlings especially brassicas, lettuces, tomatoes will reach transplanting stage at about 4 – 6 weeks depending on management and climatic conditions. The cooler the environment the slower the growth and vice versa.
PROPOSED 100 TRAY SIZED NURSERY
A nursery of this size would produce about 20,000 – 24,000 seedlings at full capacity depending on size of tray used
Area required: 675mm x 345mm ( Seed Tray Dimensions )
0.675m x 0.345m
Area = 0.233metre squared per tray.
Total area required 3.6m width x 12.2 metres length = 43.92metre squared
COSTING
Hygrovents @
Hygromix @
Shade Cloth @
Twine @
Hyper feed @ K
Hygrofert A @
