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Quality Management during Tree Planting & Growth

The farm applies all the golden rules for establishment of all eucalyptus and other planted tree species.

Quality Management during Planting

The farm’s factory has a strict acceptance/rejection standard for its wood originating from the different forests plantations we operate. This is why quality management is started early during projects, like the selection of appropriate sites for tree planting (having the right soils, gradient of slopes, weather- enough rainfall, and good drainage). This is done to ensure easy management of plantations, sufficient water for the trees, easy navigation, easy watering and irrigation, plus efficient weeding and pruning. The eucalyptus and pines trees grown are sprayed with the necessary insecticides to prevent disease infestations and disease spread. Quality is also managed through close inspection of tree growth to prevent being broken by wild birds, primates like monkeys and termites that eat the stems and roots of these plants.

Most, if not all eucalyptus species must be planted in lines in a space of 10x10 between plants or 8x8ft. This spacing is determined by whether the plants grown are for timber or fuel-wood. Closer spacing is ideal for fuel wood or small poles as it leads to an early canopy closure, while more spacing is used for those being grown for utility poles. This is because if trees are grown for utility poles, they must be left to mature to up to 6-8 years, and this would require enough space for the grown stems and branches to thrive. The farm obtains seeds from recommended sources. Care is taken to avoid hybridized seeds from sub-quality breeders which are not pure. In less fertile soils, the farm applies DAP, to stimulate root growth. Land is thoroughly prepared and seeds are planted early in the rains. After planting, growth is stimulated by application of fertilizers- mostly animal waste. These are applied depending on nutrient needs which conform to soil tests.

Summary

To meet the industry standards before processing the harvested trees at our factory, We ensure a regorous step by step procedure in growing the plantations as listed

  • Land slection
  • Approved quality species are selected for planting
  • Industry planting standards are followed
  • Weeding and prunning
  • Close monitoring and inspection

Quality management through weeding

Poor weeding is the single biggest cause of poor growth in tree plantations. Weed little and often is recommended rather than waiting until the weeds are a real problem. Unlike pines that may thrive with little weeding, Eucalypts do not tolerate competition. This is because they are particularly sensitive to grasses. Nonselective herbicides are used, with proper protection from the trees, to remove weeds. This, he suggests that a farmer needs to do round weeding which involves clearing the weeds around the plant. The farm’s plantation section ensures strict adherence to weeding needs of all our trees. For commercial scale (>25 ha) planting of eucalypts for example, the farm uses glyphosate herbicide as a very cost-effective tool of avoiding weeds. If correctly appliedwhich is what wee ensure, the vaccines used in weeding do not affect tree growth. Glyphosate is a non-selective herbicide, which means that

it can only be used safely before planting the trees. If Glyphosate is used after planting, the trees must be protected from the spray. All of these quality management systems are put in place to ensure the highest quality of products from our factory to the market. Experts advise that it is not wise to cut off lower branches for the first six feet. Faster-growing tree species are actually left to shed lower branches on their own. This is called non-pruning (self-pruning) of eucalyptus, and it happens after two or three years. When the branches die, knots are left in the woods. As recommended by Sawlog Production Grant Scheme (SPGS), which is the leading funder for Eucalyptus growing in Uganda, pruning branches up to seven meters is done for trees planted purposely for timber. This however is not done in most other Ambiance Tree plantations since our trees are basically grown for utility poles.