See, how easy tree planting is

I sometimes feel that Malawi is a place where every plant can grow. I feel some plants do not grow because we do not know the right time of the year that guarantees excellent performance.

Some plants, I also feel, do not grow because we do not know how to properly nurture them.

I am a fan of trees. My heart is filled with peace every time I look at a happy tree. I praise God, every time I sit under a tree shade. I enjoy seeing areas covered in green.

It pains me to see people cutting down trees without replacing them. It pains because trees are not that difficult to plant.

A few years ago I planted berries (commonly known as mabulosi in vernacular) in my backyard. I was surprised to hear people, some older than my humble self, asking me how I managed to plant mabulosi. The key question was where did I get the seed? I enjoyed seeing the embarrassment on their faces when I explained to them that I simply used the stems and planted in the same way we plant cassava. That is what I mean when I say planting trees is a simple endeavour.

I have a number of fruit trees in my yard which came into being out of ‘careless’ planting. Out of ‘laziness’ we found ourselves not planting fruit seeds in the recommended tubes. Members of my household were just planting seeds by simply scratching any part of the yard of their choice and burying the seeds there. After a couple of months we found ourselves surrounded by young trees growing at random locations. The trees have grown with very little care and we are just waiting for them to bear their first fruits. You see, that it is how simple tree planting is!

The winds and the water also help in the reforestation effort. They bring seeds into our yards. A keen eye easily notices any strange plants growing in the yard and with keen interest, one discovers which plants should be nurtured. A word of caution though, I wandered into a home where an old woman was nurturing a green shrub not knowing that it was a chamba tree! Hope you see how simple it is to plant trees.

Now I wonder, to find a settlement that was occupied a decade or so a go without enough vegetative cover. I feel sorry for the children who grow in such settlements, they miss the fun of climbing trees. They also miss the joy of eating fresh fruits plucked straight from a tree.

Wishing you, dear reader, a week full of activity. Remember, if you want it perfectly done, do it yourself! n