Introduction In all types of plant propagation activities, maintenance of sanitation reduces the frequency and severity of arising problems like ill drainage, pest and diseases. Drainage help remove of excess water from the growing media and facilitate sufficient aeration to growing plant root system. Pruning helps remove of excessive live or dead, diseased or pest infested branches from nursery plants.

Sanitation in Plant Nursery Sanitation is process of formulation and application of measures designed to protect plant health. Sanitation Treatments: Sterilization of propagation media, tools and implements used for nursery plant production. Chemicals used for sterilizations are Chloropicrin, Formaldehyde, Methyl bromide. Fumigation with chemicals is most useful for destroying harmful bacteria, fungi, insects and nematodes. Drenching medium with certain fungicides is useful for eliminating pathogens from the soil and other growth medium

Drainage Advantages of Drainage Drainage is removing excess water from growing media to facilitate aeration to growing plant roots. Advantages of Drainage Water logging in pot or seed bed can be avoided and plant roots get proper aeration. After heavy rains, soil comes in tilth earlier and timely agricultural operations can be carried out. Soil micro-flora and fauna which enrich organic matter, flourishes due to aeration and warmth in the soil.

Advantages of Drainage Desirable chemical reactions take place in growing media and nutrient become available to the plants. Proper root development in plant which accelerates nutrient absorption. Seeds germinate faster with healthy crop stand which resist pest and diseases attack. Weed growth can be checked by timely weeding and inter culture operations. Good drainage permits the removal of many toxic chemicals and salts thereby reducing damage to the crops.

Pruning of Nursery Plants Pruning is removal of dead, pest and disease infested branches from nursery plants. Objectives of Pruning Nursery Plants: Nursery plants are pruned to promote and maintain healthy plant growth, through the removal of dead and excess branches. Pruning of nursery plants can improve marketable quality of nursery stock, due to uniform shape, clean and even growth. Plant can be made more compact for exhibition display and transport.

Types of Pruning Heading Back Pruning: Thinning Out Pruning Apical shoots are pruned to facilitate balanced growth of growing plant / tree. Dead, diseased and pest infested branches are pruned. Heading Back increases the density of branches and makes the plant more sturdy.  Thinning Out Pruning Complete branch is pruned to maintain limited number of branches. It is heavy type of pruning. Thinning will make a plant grow taller and more open.