1. Nursery Production and Management
3.00 Understand Nursery Management

2. 3.01 Understand Nursery Structures, growing environments and maintenance

3. Nursery Structures and Growing Environment
Consider climate, soil and topography, available water source, type of plant material, and production method when selecting a nursery structure or growing environment.

4. Shade Houses (Cold Frames)

5. Advantages of Shade Houses
Constructed of wood, PVC or galvanized steel
No artificial heat source, heated by solar radiation
Used for hardening off plants and hot weather holding
Protects plants from adverse weather conditions
Cover with white plastic during the winter to reduce overwintering injury to woody ornamentals as well as reduce temperature fluctuations during the overwintering period

6. Advantages of Shade Houses
A variety of plant material can be grown in a shade house structure.
Provides good air circulation
Provides filtered light when covered by a shade cloth
Inexpensive growing structures

7. Disadvantages of Shade Houses
Some plants cannot be grown year round
No heat source other than the sun
No heat or cooling

8. Hotbeds

9. Advantages of Hotbeds
Constructed of wood or galvanized steel, glass and/or plastic
Solar heated, electric cables, steam or heated by natural materials such as hay or manure
Used for starting plants earlier than in a cold frame
Inexpensive growing structure

10. Disadvantages of Hotbeds
Can be expensive to heat
Hay or manure needs to be replaced when the temperature in the hotbed drops below 50 degrees

11. Container

12. Advantages of Containers
Plants are easy to move and transport
Grown to sellable size in the container
Less shock to plants
Retailers can keep plants longer before selling
Uniform soilless media
Insects, diseases, fertility and pH are easier to control
Monitoring of water intake is easily controlled

13. Disadvantages of Containers
Requires more water
More labor intensive
May become pot bound
May require winter protection
May have a higher start-up cost: pots, potting media
Plants may have to be moved to a larger container
May be expensive to ship

14. Field Grown (Traditional)

15. Advantages of Field Grown
Plants are grown directly in native soil
Bare root plants are easy to handle and plant

16. Disadvantages of Field Grown
Requires equipment to be harvested
Plants may go into shock when moved or transplanted
Harder to control insects, diseases, fertility and pH
Soil must be well drained
Limited time to harvest
Supply cost: liners, burlap, wire baskets, twine, pinning nails
Expensive to ship

17. Pot in Pot

18. Advantages of Pot in Pot
No staking
No blown over containers
Cooler roots in the summer
Well insulated root system in the winter
Easy to move and transport
Is becoming a more viable option to the traditional field grown
Combines the benefits of field production with the marketing flexibility of container production

19. Disadvantages of Pot in Pot
Startup cost is expensive largely due to field preparation and purchasing two containers for every plant as opposed to one. 15 to 25 gallon pots are more commonly used.
Labor costs

20. Maintenance of Nursery Structures

21. Shade Houses (Cold Frames)
Need painting or replacing over time
Plastic covering will need to be replaced on a regular basis
Replacement of gravel and weed block
Debris removal

22. Hotbeds Change out heat source (straw, hay, manure) Pest control
Cover replacement
Debris removal

23. Container Pest control Replace weed block
Replace gravel on roads and under containers

24. Field Grown (Pot-in-Pot)
Replacement of damaged pots
Pest control
Replace gravel on roads

25. Field Grown (Traditional)
Erosion control
Pest control
Replace gravel on roads

26. Maintenance of Nursery Plants

27. Fertilizer
Needs to be replaced regularly in order for the plants to continue to grow and remain strong

28. Irrigation
Sprinkler or drip irrigation is determined by crop requirements and container arrangement

29. Shading
On newly established plants or plants that will grow in shady areas

30. Pruning Shape plant material Make plants more compact
Train growth to form into a mature plant (central leader or many stems)
Remove dead or diseased parts
Train into an espalier-a plant that is trained to grow flat against a wall, railing or trellis

31. Pest Control Methods
IPM (Integrated Pest Management)-a process used to solve pest problems while minimizing risks to people and the environment.
Chemical Control-uses chemicals to eliminate plant pests
Mechanical Control-manages pests by physical means such as the use of a barrier, screens, row covers, trapping, weeding or removal of the pests by hand

32. Pest Control Methods
Biological Control-uses living organisms such as predators, parasites and pathogens to control the population of pests.

33. Pest Problems-Insects
Identify insect-aphids, spider mites, whitefly, scale, etc.
Determine type of control-chemical, biological or mechanical
Treat based on method recommendations

34. Pest Problems-Weeds Identify weeds-henbit, chickweed, grasses, etc.
Dig or pull weeds
Treat based on method recommendations

35. Pest Problems-Disease
Identify disease-blights, fungi, rusts, etc.
Treat based on method recommendations

36. Pest Problems-Rodents
Identify the rodent-voles, moles, mice, squirrels, etc.
Trap or treat based on method recommendations.

37. Pest Problems-Mollusks
Identify mollusks-snails, slugs, etc.
Treat based on method recommendations

38. Winter Protection-Frost Blanket
Traps and collects heat during the day and releases it at night to keep your plants warm and growing.
In the spring it gives you a jump-start on plants and wards off pests.
In fall, use it to extend your growing season.
Float or drape the lightweight fabric over your plants.

39. Winter Protection-Water
Bud protection
Spray water on buds before a freeze
Often used on fruit trees and strawberries

40. Winter Protection-White Plastic
Reduce overwintering injury to woody ornamentals
Protects young plants in early spring

41. 3.02 Understand Nursery Production and Marketing Techniques

42. Types of Plants for Containers
Trees-container, pot-in-pot, balled and burlapped, bareroot
Shrubs-container, pot-in-pot, balled and burlapped
Perennials-container, pot-in-pot

43. Propagation-Sexual Seed treatments
Stratification-chilling seeds to simulate winter conditions before germination
Examples: baptisia and daylily
Scarification-breaking of the seed coat
Examples: redbud and maples

44. Propagation-Asexual Cuttings
Softwood (herbaceous) cutting-leaf, pieces of the stem or roots from non-woody plants. Cuttings are taken late spring through early summer.
Hardwood cutting-pieces of stem from woody plants. Cuttings are taken fall through winter.

45. Propagation-Asexual
Grafting-joining separate plant parts together to form a union and grow
Scion-top portion of the plant
Rootstock-root or bottom portion of the graft

46. Propagation-Asexual
Budding-a form of grafting when a bud is used instead of a scion

47. Propagation-Asexual
Layering-forcing roots to grow on the stem of the plant while it is still attached to the parent plant.

48. Soil for Containers Media must be porous Soilless media Peat Perlite
Vermiculite
Bark
Amendments

49. Soilless Media Peat Perlite Vermiculite Bark
Partially decomposed material mined from swamps
Good moisture holding capacity
Perlite
Natural volcanic material that helps aerate the soil
Vermiculite
Mica mineral matter used to start cuttings
Neutral pH
Bark
Ground pine or oak bark
Increases the porosity of soil

50. Soil Amendments
Lime-calcium and magnesium increases the pH level of soil making it alkaline or “sweet” correcting the acidity of the soil
Fertilizer-adds macro and micro nutrients to the soil
Wetting agents-increases water retention of the soil

51. Soils for Planting in the Ground
Use native soil in traditional field planting
Tree and shrub roots need to grow in native soil
A soil test should be done to determine if soil amendments are needed
Amendments increase water and nutrient holding capacity.
They also improve aeration and water infiltration.
Amendments must be mixed with the natural soil.

52. Soils for Planting in the Ground
Organic- “Fresh” organic material should first be composted
Sphagnum peat-dehydrated remains of acid bog plants hold moisture and are high in acidity
Grass clippings-add nutrients to the soil
Saw dust-high carbon to nitrogen ratio can make nitrogen unavailable to plants
Compost-decayed organic matter, good fertilizer and soil conditioner
Manure-adds nutrients to the soil, good moisture holding capacity

53. Soil for Planting in the Ground
Inorganic
Vermiculite-good moisture holding capacity
Perlite-good for aerating the soil
Pea gravel-normally used in heavy clay soil

54. Planting Container Crops
Place one plant in the center of the container.
Evenly space plants in the container if more than one plant is used.
Planting depth is important and varies depending on plant material.

55. Planting Field Crops
Determine the layout and spacing of trees and shrubs in the field.
Determine the equipment needs of field grown plants.

56. Watering Container and PNP
Watering is more important for container grown plants than field grown plants because roots can go no deeper or spread any wider than the container.
It is best to water container plants in the morning for maximum absorption, however, some may need to be watered more than once a day depending on the weather.
Container plants should be watered until the water runs through the holes in the bottom of the pot.

57. Watering Container and PNP
A gallon container needs about a pint of water at each watering.
Container plants require more water in dry, hot windy weather.
Container plants need more water when actively growing and flowering.
Do not allow any container plants to dry out.

58. Watering Field Grown Crops
Should be watered in the morning for maximum absorption.
A more porous soil needs more water than a clayey soil.
Watering for field production depends on the weather.
Field grown plants require more water in dry, hot, windy weather.
Need more water when actively growing or flowering.
Do not allow any field grown plants to dry out.

59. Fertilizing Nursery Crops
A fertilizer schedule should be established for each type of plant grown.
Scheduled periodic liquid fertilizing should be established depending on plants, soil, size, etc.
Slow release fertilizers such as Osmocote and Magamp are mixed into the potting media or top dressed on the soil surface.

60. Fertilizing Nursery Crops
Plants in containers for more than one year require additional fertilizer and should be watered thoroughly after fertilizing (varies on pot size and plant material)
Plants should be observed and fertilization changed as plant foliage shows a need for either more or less fertilizer. Tissue analysis can be done to determine deficiencies.

61. Marketing Nursery Plants

62. Develop a Marketing Plan
Complete a marketing analysis (research used to predict the future of a market) to determine your target market
Once a marketing analysis is complete, determine what to sell.
Know your competition.

63. Price Your Product Use this formula to determine your price:
Materials + Overhead + Labor = Selling Price
Pricing may vary depending on availability of plant material in your area.

64. Promotion Advertising Public relations Personal contacts
Communications

65. Product Placement
Providing a place that is convenient to the customer.
Shipping, delivery, internet ordering, or nursery pick up