Guardians’ bao babies 2021

Written by on December 23, 2021. Posted in BAOBAB FOUNDATION

Ivy Khorombi with daughter and grand daughters

December in the southern hemisphere, Limpopo and it is time to measure the Baobab guardians’ trees again. Did they grow fatter and higher and more handsome than before?

Tshiflaro Evah Ndou a fiercely protective and happy Baobab guardian.

Tshiflaro Evah Ndou a fiercely protective and happy Baobab guardian.

Sarah and Prince headed out on the 14th December to measure up the Guardians’ baobab babies. It’s the beginning of the growing season, the trees had not put on a lot of growth yet, but the summer rains have just started and all trees have lovely fresh green growth on the tips of their branches.

An interesting observation was that two of the baobab trees had sadly died of root rot. The cause is probably from over-watering during the winter season.  Baobabs go dormant in the winter and don’t like to get watered.

This sort of root rot has also been seen in seedlings that have been planted in soil that is too clayey. Baobab trees thrive best in deep sandy well drained soils and rocky outcrops where heavy summer downpours drain away quickly.

Malakia Matshavha, happy with all the lush green shoots

Malakia Matshavha, happy with all the lush green shoots

A huge thanks to our generous sponsors of this special conservation program: Unrooted Drinks, Lather Skincare, Skoon Skincare, Tri-K Industries, BaoMed, Amka and many individual sponsors who have made the Baobab Guardians project such a success.

Continue reading....

Find more interesting articles below

AT WHAT AGE DO BAOBAB TREES START TO PRODUCE FRUIT?

AT WHAT AGE DO BAOBAB TREES START TO PRODUCE FRUIT?

Flower and fruit production usually only takes place once a tree is a certain size. Baobab tree growth is dependent on access to water. Where trees grow in high rainfall areas (+1000mls …per year) baobabs can reach maturity much more quickly than in arid areas. We have worked out that in Venda where rainfall is […]

Read more
The Marvellous Brewers of Marula Beer

The Marvellous Brewers of Marula Beer

Each year marula beer connoisseurs make their annual pilgrimage to the far reaches of Limpopo to visit their favourite master brewers of marula beer. It’s a womens’ traditional craft and in order to get a taste of each woman’s brew you need to go ‘homestead hopping, visiting one home after another. Each one is different and this year Sarah Venter did her own tour of marula beer mavens and found out a few secrets along the way.

Read more
The Baobab is going to be around for a long time!

The Baobab is going to be around for a long time!

Recently, various media reports have stated that nine of the 13 biggest baobab trees in southern Africa had collapsed or died in quick succession. Some experts have suggested that climate change may have played a key role in their downfall, although research is still ongoing. These gnarly giants are very much a part of the […]

Read more