by Yahaya Shabani

1. WHY KEEP YOUR OWN PLANTING MATERIALS?

1. Saves money (no need to buy every season)
2. Maintains local, adapted varieties
3. Improves food security
4. You control the quality and purity of your crops

2. CROP SPECIFIC GUIDELINES

A. Sweet Potatoes

Planting material: Vines (cuttings)

How to select:

• Choose healthy, disease-free vines from the best-yielding plants.
• Select vines with 4 nodes (leaf joints).

How to store between seasons:

1. Field Storage: Leave some plants in the ground; harvest when needed for vines.

2. Dry Season Storage Pit: Dig a small pit in shaded area, line with dry grass, coil vines inside, cover with grass and soil, keep moist but not wet.

3. Shade Bed Storage: Plant vines in a small shaded bed (under tree shed) and water lightly to keep them alive until next planting.

4. Identify areas with a reliable water source, such as a stream, spring, or shallow well, make raised beds, and plant vines or cuttings there during the dry season, then transfer the planting material to other fields for production when the rainy season arrives.

B. Cassava

Planting material: Stems (cuttings)

How to select:

• Use mature stems (8–12 months old) from healthy plants.
• Avoid stems with pest or disease damage.

How to store between seasons:

1. Cut stems into 1–1.5 meter lengths.

2. Tie in bundles, stand upright in a shaded, cool area.

3. Sprinkle lightly with water every few days to prevent drying.

4. Short storage: bury stem bases in moist soil/sand in shade.

C. Leucaena & Gliricidia

Planting material: Seeds or cuttings

How to collect & prepare Seeds:

1. Allow pods to dry on the tree until brown.

2. Harvest before they shatter.

3. Dry seeds further in shade (not in direct sun).

How to store seeds (Organic methods):

Wood ash method:

• Mix seeds with dry wood ash (keeps insects away).
• Store in a sealed clay pot, tin, or plastic bottle.

Neem leaf method:

Dry neem leaves, mix with seeds, store in airtight container.

Fill container halfway with ash, add seeds, top up with ash, seal tightly.

Cuttings (for Gliricidia):

Select healthy, thick stems (2–3 cm diameter, 1 m long).

Store standing in shade, bases buried in moist soil.

3. KEY POINTS TO REMEMBER

• Always store only clean, healthy, mature planting material.
• Keep storage places cool, dry, and shaded.
• Avoid direct sun and excess moisture.
• Label containers with crop name and storage date.
• Use older seeds first (First In – First Out).