CraftsAfrica: Plant a Tree

Be Incredible! Plant trees to grow a forest!

Create eco-friendly postcards, invitations, bookmarks or inserts die-cut in a variety of shapes that encapsulate a single tree seed. Made from 100% recycled paper, these seed-embedded items will allow your customers to help the environment by planting trees that are indiginous to their region. It is truly a gift that keeps on giving! Each tree converts over 600 pounds of harmful carbon dioxide yearly into pure oxygen. That’s what a family of four breathes in every year! Examples of trees include:

Croton sylvaticus (also known as Forest Fever-Berry, Boskoorsbessie), which grows 7 - 13 m in height. It is an evergreen tree, with dense spreading rounded crown, spikes of cream flowers in summer, conspicuous orange berries in pendent clusters, eaten by birds, decorative shade tree.

Dias cotinifolia (also known as Pompon tree, Basboom, Gonnabas, InTozane), which grows 3 - 7 m in height. It is a small tree, with rounded crown, blue-green foliage, very attractive pink flowers in dense almost sperical heads cover the tree in mid summer; is fast growing, an excellent garden subject, ideal for small gardens.

Faurea salinga (also known as Proteacae, Beechwood, Transvaal Beech, Transvaalboekenhout), which grows 7 - 10 m in height. It is a slender graceful tree, with long narrow drooping fresh green to yellowish green leaves, red in autumn, young foliage pink, green-white to cream-white flowers in slender spikes during spring, honey scented. Valuable general purpose timber.

Kiggelaria africana (also known as Wild Peach, Wildeperske, Umkokoko), which grows 4 - 13 m in height. It is a medium-sized well-shaped tree, evergreen, bark is pale grey and smooth, darkening and becoming flaky with age, fast growing, recommended garden tree.

Planting Instructions

In the ground: It is best to plant the seed directly where the tree is intended to grow, and not transplant the seedling. The young seedlings are fragile and often cannot survive transplanting. To plant seeds directly in the ground: Choose an area with light and sandy soil, not heavy with clay or water-logged. Dig a hole about 2cm deep. Back-fill the hole with loose soil. Compost or manure will help the tree grow better. If you are planting more than one seed, plant each seed about 30cm apart. Keep the soil moist enough so that the top soil will not dry and choke the emerging sapling, but not too wet or else the seeds can drown and rot. When the sapling is four to six inches tall, keep the healthiest sapling in the ground and remove the rest. Take measures to protect saplings from termites and nematodes.

In Plastic Bags: When it is not possible to plant directly in the ground, fill plastic bags with light soil mixture, i.e. 3 parts soil to 1 part sand. Plant one or two seeds in each bag, about 2cm deep. Keep moist but not too wet. Germination will occur within two weeks. Remove extra seedlings, leaving one in each bag. Seedlings can be transplanted after four to six months, when they are 60-90 cm high.

In flower Pot: If you do pot the tree then make the pot as big as practically possible. The bigger the pot the bigger the tree. Follow the same planting instruction as above.

Transplanting: The ground where the trees are to be planted should be light and sandy, not heavy with clay or water-logged. Dig a hole 30 cm square and 30cm deep. Backfill with loose soil. Adding compost or manure will help the trees grow better. Water the planting holes one day before transplanting the seedlings. Plant seedlings in the late afternoon to avoid the hot sun the first day. Make a hole in the pit to accept all soil in the bag. Carefully cut open the sack and place the seedling in the planting hole. Be careful to keep the soil around the seedling's roots intact. Pack soil around the seedling base. Water only lightly for the first few days. If the seedlings fall over, tie them to a stick for support. Protect young saplings from termites and nematodes. In areas that experience frost and extreme cold (sub zero) it is advisable either to grow the tree in a small tunnel (heated) during Winter or to grow the tree in a suitable size pot and place it in a sunny spot indoors. In areas with frost but not extreme cold an ordinary plastic cover (a mini tunnel) should be fine in Winter.

Love and enjoy your tree! Add a 10 cm layer of mulch (leaves, straw, or strips of newspaper), around the tree. Once a week, water the tree through the pipe or bottle; this sends the water directly to the roots (and prevents wasting water). After the first year, water the tree only when the soil is dry. Hammer a straight wooden stake or stick into the ground next to the tree; using something soft - like a stocking or piece of fabric - tie the tree to the stake to help the tree to grow straight.

Contact Theresa for a quotation.