3.5 Transporting seedlings from the road to the planting site

Seedlings often have to be transported from the road to the planting site by pack animal or man. Since this is hard work, pack animals are preferable. The total weight to be carried during one day is considerable. In places where roads are sparse the seedlings may have to be transported long distances. If the planting site is large, a number of small deposit points should be set up so that hand carrying can be kept to a minimum.

Tools required for transporting seedlings

A back-pack model seedling carrier is preferable if seedlings have to be carried over long distances, and particularly when the terrain is steep and rough. These may be constructed from traditional baskets and can be used for both bare-rooted and containerized seedlings.

For bare-rooted seedlings there is one model where the seedlings are laid down with the roots toward the middle and secured with a cloth.

When seedlings are delivered in light-weight trays, a carrier on which the trays can be fastened is preferable. Wooden trays are heavy and should only be carried relatively short distances.

Yokes are less convenient than backpacks, but it is still far easier to use one than to carry the plants with ones arms. Yokes are sticks of a suitable shape put across the shoulders. The load is suspended on strings at each end.

Back-pack carriers

for containerized seedlings

for bare-rooted seedlings

yoke