Residents of Gesonso in Kisii County have started investing in trading plant seedlings as a way of generating income to earn a living.
Plant seedling traders started planting assorted types of trees and flowers in nurseries for sale after they discovered that people value environment beautification yet they do not have ready sources they need to plant on their premises.
According to Mr Dennis Ombongi who owns a variety flower and tree nurseries at Gesonso Junction, starting a flower or tree nursery is one of the easiest economic activities that one can undertake as a source of livelihood, so long as one is situated at a place with constant access by customers.
“You only need small nylon bags, good soil, water and a site where customers can easily access the plant seedling,” Ombongi said.
He revealed that many people who buy trees and flowers along the roadsides do not have prior plan to buy but once they get attracted as they pass by they make a quick decision to procure them.
“Upon seeing beautiful trees and flowers as they pass, many travelers do make stopovers and buy them to beautify their premises by planting trees or flowers,” he said.
He said like any other business, patience and passion is a must in the trees and flowers nursery activities.
Ombongi said some trees like ravanella palm (traveller’s plant) and cycad palm take a year to grow fully besides their beauty and value to the environment.
He added that plastic bags for planting the seedlings are bought at sh.150 per 100pieces.
Regardless of the high initial cost to start the business, he said that the practice of engaging in nursery earns them handsome money which helps them meet family economic needs among other things.
He encouraged unemployed youths to consider trees and flowers nurseries activities in order to better their live as one way of creating self employment.