Ensuring survival — what happens after a tree is planted

A tree dies for one of four reasons in the first three years: inadequate watering during the first dry season, competition from invasive grass species, pest infestation at the root zone, or physical damage from animals or vehicles. Our 94% survival rate is built around removing each of these risks systematically, not heroically. There is nothing clever about it. It is boring, consistent work done on a schedule.

In the first monsoon, we mulch each tree with a 10-cm layer of dry biomass — typically composted coir and leaf litter — to suppress grass competition and retain moisture. After the rains, we install a drip line at the root zone for the dry season. Our team walks every row twice a week in the summer, checking soil moisture and looking for signs of stress. When a tree wilts, we respond within 24 hours.

Tree guards are non-negotiable. We use cylindrical wire mesh, 90 cm tall and 60 cm in diameter, staked to a bamboo pole. This prevents damage from nilgai, rabbits, and the occasional errant tractor. We remove the guard when the trunk diameter reaches 5 cm, which typically happens in year two or three, depending on species. None of this is expensive. It is, collectively, the reason trees survive.