ELEMENTS TO BE

OBSERVED IN PLANTING
TREES AND FRUIT-
BEARING TREES
Planting, just like cooking, requires systematic
way of doing things. It requires a step-by-step
procedure on how to select and prepare the soil,
the seedlings, the tools, and the location for
planting.
With these requirements, all that is needed
is a thorough knowledge and skill on how to do
the planting process and the manner on how
plants are to be taken care of.
 Elements to be observed in planting trees and fruit
bearing trees
A. Proper Care of Plants and Soil
Proper care of plants and soil is necessary for a healthy and bountiful harvest.
Do the following:

1. Choose the best place for planting.

Trees and fruit trees require more space for growth than ornamental plants or
crops. This is because trees and fruit trees grow tall and wide . There are trees
that roots that expand sideward and those that move downward. Choose a place
where trees will grow freely without obstruction like street fences or walls. Have
enough space allowance between trees, or between the streets, fences, or walls.
Consider the type of soil and the amount of sunlight.
2. Choose the seeds that best suit the season and the soil.

This means that the seeds come from a good quality

mother and the seeds are healthy, mature, with no
blemishes or cuts, and of the right size and form. Seeds
must be prepared before planting. Planting should be done
preferably during the rainy season. The soil must be suited
to the type of seeds to be planted. Consult an expert on
what type of soil, or where do trees like acacia, narra,
mango, rambutan, or coconut grow best.
3. Put sufficient fertilizers in the soil.

It is advisable to prepare the soil before planting. This means

cleaning the soil and its surrounding area and mixing the soil with
organic fertilizers. Organic fertilizers are safe and economical to
use, while inorganic or commercial fertilizers have to be regulated
because overuse can poison the soil. A rich soil is 40 percent clay
loam, 30 percent compost, 20 percent dried carabao manure or
chicken dung, and 10 percent sand. Remember, plants need
nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium to grow and to make them
resistant to pests and diseases.
4. Take care of the soil and the plants regularly.

Caring for the young trees means removing the grass and weeds around them
so they do not compete in getting the nutrients from the soil. Keep the soil
always moist and this is no problem during the rainy season. However, during
the dry months, there is a need to water them regularly. Watering is done during
sunrise or after sunset to keep the evaporation of water from the soil slow. Make
a ring of cultivation around the young tree with the size matching the
circumference of the crown of the tree.
The soil in this ring is loose and slightly hilling up. In case of pests or insects
infestation, do this by building a fire and allowing the smoke to penetrate the
foliage. Use the appropriate pesticide or fungicide to control plant disease.
Consult an expert on this. Likewise, prune the young tree by cutting off infected
or unproductive branches. Do not leave excess branches on the trunk to avoid
infection which occurs when the cut has not healed.
B. Methods of Planting
Different trees are cultivated in different ways. There are two ways of
planting: direct and indirect. Direct planting is a method of planting where the
seeds or parts of a plant are directly planted in the soil where it will germinate
and grow into full-grown trees.
The use of high quality seeds results in high productivity. High quality
seeds have a high percentage of germination and correct moisture content
and are free from seed pests, diseases, and other physical impurities. They
should come from a tree with a uniform height and heading, a characteristic
known as varietal purity. To maintain high quality seeds, the following steps
are recommended:
1. Remove off-type, diseased, and damaged seeds.
2. Label seeds properly.
3. Select and preserve only mature seeds and dry them under the sun until
proper moisture is attained.
C. Preparing Seeds for Planting
There are different ways of preparing seeds.
One way is by:
1. placing the seeds under the sun before planting.
One example of this is the ipil-ipil tree.
2. Some seeds like the mango have to be removed
from their hard shells before planting.
3. Seeds like santol need to be dried before planted
in the soil.
4. There are also seeds that need to be soaked in
water before planting, like the seeds of ipil-ipil.
5. Seeds of avocado are planted as is with the
bigger end of the seed below the soil surface.
D. Seed Germination

Seeds need moisture, warmth, oxygen, and, in some instances, sunlight in order to
germinate. Small seeds are sown in a seed box before setting them out in the field. Seeds can
also be germinated in small plastic trays, pots, and other relatively small containers filled with
soil medium recommended for seed propagation. The bottom of the seed boxes should have
tiny holes to allow drainage.

Before the seed is sown, the soil should be moistened with a fine spray of water until the
soil has absorbed enough moisture. Make rows with pointed sticks. These rows should be
twice as deep as the size of the seeds. Sow the seeds evenly in rows and cover them with
loose soil then press the soil gently. If you will plant trees, the space should be 10 meters in
distance depending on the size of the tree.
The seed box should be kept in a shady place until the seeds have sprouted. It should be
protected from pests, animals, and adverse weather. Cover the seed box with a sheet of paper
to keep it from drying out too fast during the dry season. When the seeds have sprouted,
make sure they get enough sunlight for proper growth.
B. Preparation of Seedlings Before Transplanting

Mortality is high during transplanting if the seedlings are not given proper care. To
ensure a higher rate of survival, the following processes are needed:

1. Thinning – There are times when more seeds are sown than necessary. To produce
strong plants, pull out some crowded seedlings so that the remaining plants will have
more room. Thinning accelerates the circulation of air and provides a greater feeding
area for seedlings to make them sturdier and healthier.

2. Pricking – This is done by transferring seedlings from one seed box to another to
provide more space for proper development. Water the seedlings before pricking.

3. Hardening – This process is done 7 to 15 days before transplanting. The purpose is to

make the tissue of the plants harder in order to survive the rigors of transplanting. The
water intake of the plant is gradually decreased and the seedling is exposed to sunlight
for a longer period of time.
F.Indirect Planting

In indirect planting, the plant needs to

be transferred to its permanent place.
This is commonly done with trees.
Nowadays, you can avail seedlings
planted in small plastic bags, ready for
transfer.
Follow the general steps in the proper transferring of plants:
2. Dig the area where you want to plant them. The length and
1. Place the seedlings away from direct sunlight. Make sure depth of the hole should be according to how big the tree will
the seedlings are healthy and fresh before planting. become. Leave two inches allowance in the length and depth
of the hole to allow the new roots to breath. For big trees like
santol, mango, or acasia, the hole is one meter wide, one
meter deep, and one meter long. For small trees like atis, chico,
avocado, and kasoy, the hole should measure 20 inches deep,
20 inches wide, and 20 inches long.
3. Remove the plant from the plastic
4. Slowly and carefully place
bag. Do not remove the soil which
the seedlings
holds the roots.
in the hole. Make sure the
main roots
are not bent.
 6. Water the new plant early
5. Cover it with soil. the next morning. Use a
Lightly press the soil
. water sprinkler. It is
important to water the soil
that surrounds the plant.
7. Remember: Plant your seedlings in the
afternoon when sunlight is no longer hot
to avoid withering.
Draw a happy face on practices that are good and sad face on practices that are
not good.

1. I join community projects like planting. ______

2. I wear the appropriate working clothes when planting. ______
3. Choose good quality seeds coming from a good quality mother. ______
4. Plant all types with equal distances from one another. ______
5. I prefer to use organic fertilizer as it is safe and economical. ______
6. Keep the soil moist around young trees by watering them early ______
morning or late afternoon.
7. Spray insecticide often to avoid insect infestation. ______
8. Indirect planting is a better method than direct planting because ______
Germination is easier in boxes or plastic bags.
9. Study the type of tree and the kind of soil it needs before planting. ______
10. Be scientific in planting by knowing the needs of plants and how to ______
take care of them.
A.Fill in the blanks with the correct answer.
1._______ is the amount of space between two trees when
planted.
2._______ is the number of days before watering the plants
that have been newly planted.
3._______ is the time of the day when planting is ideal.
4._______ is the way wherein the seeds of the plant or part of
the plant are planted directly
Into the soil.
5. _______ is the amount of space allotted between two tree
seedlings when planted.
ANSWER:
1. 20
2. 1
3. AFTERNOON