Gardening: Primed for tree-planting

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Zahrah Nasir

Despite an endless succession of monsoon tree-planting campaigns, Pakistan still retains the abysmal claim to being one of the least forest-covered country on the planet. Given that billions of rupees have supposedly been invested in trees for a sustainable future, in the recent years alone, the scenario is indeed a cause for great concern.

The reasons for our ever-depleting forest cover are manifold: the timber industry and associated timber mafia, uncontrolled exploitation of firewood resources, population expansion, linked habitation and cultivation pressures all being extremely high on what could effectively be termed a ‘doomsday list’.

Pakistanis are far from being alone in scandalously overexploiting our increasingly precious trees, as many other countries are doing exactly the same.

But with Pakistan listed as one of the top 10 countries most at risk from climate change, it is high time that we took our trees seriously.

Many of us profess a love for trees and find ways and means of growing and planting as many as we possibly can, but sadly, we are vastly outnumbered by those who have absolutely no respect for trees at all.

With this summer promising to be a furnace like never before, nature is literally screaming at us to do something to save our environment whilst there is still a chance. We can at least initiate the necessary proceedings to ensure some kind of livable climate for generations yet to be born.

With the summer monsoon nearly over, now is the prime time to do your bit towards the preservation of life on this earth. Remember, plant indigenous trees!

Generally, planting trees is recommended in two periods of the year because of anticipated rainfall. These are the weeks of both the summer and winter monsoons, but as with most things related to growing and caring for living plants, there is preparation to do beforehand to allow the selected baby trees a fair chance to survive and thrive.

On a garden scale, (forests and orchards having different requirements) before planting even a single tree, there are a number of things to be considered.

1. The position of overhead cables in respect to the potential height and spread, at maturity, of the tree species you wish to grow. No point in planting a tree which doesn’t have the necessary space in which to reach its full potential. Select something smaller so that it doesn’t have to be pruned back to an unattractive stump each year.

2. The exact location of underground cables, water tanks, and both water and sewerage pipes. The height and width of a mature tree is reflected in the spread of its root system, which so many people tend to overlook. For example, a tree reaching a height of 50ft and a spread of 40-60ft, is liable to develop a root system of a similar size at least.

   
   

The roots provide the tree with essential food and water, while firmly balancing it, in the process. Fragile as some of them may appear, tree roots are incredibly strong and tenacious, slowly but forcibly penetrating whatever barriers they find in their path, and seeking out water sources. Tree roots penetrating water tanks and water pipes is a common, extremely difficult and an inordinately expensive problem to resolve.