1. And I don’t mean for you big ‘ol babies!
Nursery Production
And I don’t mean for you big ‘ol babies!

2. Growing Nursery Stock Field Grown Container Grown Types of Plants
Planting Techniques
Maintenance
Selling $$$$

3. Field Grown Production
This is being replaced by container grown plants
Plants are not easy to move
Plants are not all in the exact same media and must be treated differently
pH, diseases, and fertility is difficult to control
Can shock when planted
Can only be stored/transported for two weeks

6. Types of Plants in Nurseries
Ground covers
Trees
Christmas Trees
Shrubs
Perennials
Ornamental Grasses

7. Container Grown Plants Advantages
Less shock to plants when planted
Easy to move
Lighter weight for shipping
Retailers can keep plants for a long time
Insects, diseases, and fertility is easier to control

8. Container Grown Plants Disadvantages
Requires more water
Can become pot-bound
Requires winter protection
Higher start up cost
Pots can tip over
Pots break

9. More Water

10. Pot -bound

11. Winter Protection

12. Fewer Diseases

13. Retailers Can Keep Longer

14. Containers Many factors to consider: Cost Durability Appearance
Insulation of plant roots
Shape
Drainage
Size

15. Growing Mixes (media) Should provide adequate drainage
Should provide aeration
Nursery production often involves unique media materials:
Sand
Bark
Peanut shells or other organic materials

16. Nursery Media
This is a picture of the potting soil used at Plant Delights Nursery that we visit in Horticulture I!
The media is much more porous than media used for field-grown plants.
This is from a company called Bio-comp. It is old peanut hulls. Totally sustainable.

17. Planting (Potting)
Soil should be at the top of the pot, tap twice to get soil settled
Dudes… you have to plant your plant at the right depth!
The crown of the plant should be at the soil height

18. Plant Spacing
Space plants so that the tips of the branches almost touch those of the other plants
Containers will be moved as plants get larger

19. Watering Watering as needed
Too much or too little can adversely effect plant
Large nurseries utilize hand and automated watering

20. Watering
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
Plants above ground dry faster, too!

21. Watering
Water until it runs through the holes in the bottom of the container
A gallon pot usually requires a pint of water at each watering

22. Factors that affect how often to water
Weather
Plant growth
Media
Kind of plant
Size of container
Type of container
Surface mulch

23. Fertilize Fertilize on a schedule
Apply slow release every few months as directed- Osmocote
Apply fertigation every watering
Just depends on what method you employ

24. Fertilizer Fertigation is applied each time at 150 ppm of nitrogen
If using slow release, periodic fertigation of ppm of nitrogen (once a month)

25. Fertilizer
Plants kept in containers more than one year require additional fertilizer at a rate of one teaspoon of 18% nitrogen for each gallon of container capacity
Leaching is also done at this time

26. Fertilizing
Plants should be observed and foliage will show symptoms of deficiency
Talk to an extension agent or send samples off for more information on nutrition

27. IPM Integrated Pest Management Cultural Mechanical Biological Natural
Chemical

28. Pruning of Nursery Stock
Shaping
Compact plant
Training
Remove dead or diseased
Best immediately after planting and during growing season
Can be done in winter

29. Pruning Can be done with: Hand pruners
Electrical or gas powered pruners
Chemicals to kill buds

30. Transplant
Either sell or transplant to a larger container when plant reaches maximum recommended size for current container