Introduction  Soil maps help to determine the basic nature and type of soil while soil testing determines soil quality and characteristics.  Environment affects growth, survival and success of plants propagated in the nursery.  Soil quality, characteristics and climatic conditions in the surrounding determine the layout of nursery, types of plants propagated and season of propagation.

Characteristics of Good Nursery Soil Soil should be productive, fertile, porous, well-drained. Soil with gentle slope (up to 5%), high organic matter contents (3 to 5 %), and high water-holding capacity. Soil without hard pan, large stones and calcareous stones in the root zone.

Nursery Soil Requirement Plants with soil or media ball should be planted in sandy loam soil which can hold the root system while uprooting the plants. Bare-root plants require light-textured, sandy or sandy loam soils, where the soils can be worked easily and fall off readily from the roots system while uprooting the plants. Plants growing in the containers required desired medium which can be collected from different location and hence good soil on nursery site is not essential.

Climate Requirement Climate includes air temperature, sun light, Carbon dioxide level and Relative Humidity. Air Temperature: Day and night temperatures affect plant growth. Difference in day and night temperature should be less than 5-6°C. Larger difference affects growth and metabolism. Seed germination and growth require specific temperature range. Seeds of some temperate plants need chilling treatment to break their dormancy.

Sunlight:  Plants require optimum light for photosynthesis and growth. Higher exposure to very hot sun adversely affect growth of plant resulting in to scorching of plant.  Limited shade benefits many vegetable and flower crops when grown in shade net houses. Carbon Dioxide:  Air contains 0.03% carbon di-oxide essential for photosynthesis. Under bright sunlight, plant use greater concentration of carbon dioxide than normal and achieve more growth.

Relative Humidity (RH):  RH affects vegetative growth of plant and susceptibility to pest and diseases. Lower level of relative humidity results in to hardy growth and better pest and disease resistance in seedlings.  Moisture content in the air affects transpiration of plant. Transpiration is higher when RH in the air is low. Nursery should have desirable RH for maintaining growth and optimizing water requirements and water losses.  Plants are sprinkled with water to increase RH in the greenhouses. Reducing light in summers through shade net can also increase humidity and lower the temperature in greenhouses.

 Higher wind velocity increases the water losses in plants through higher transpiration. Wind causes deposition of dusts and sand on plant parts affecting the photosynthesis activity and growth.  Higher wind velocity can damage plants and the structures built in the nursery like shade net house, poly houses etc.  Plants in greenhouse can be protected from wind through wind breaks and protective structures, like shade net houses and poly houses. Wind: