Abstract
This publication focuses on sustainable production of nursery plants, woody and herbaceous, both in the field and in containers. It is not meant as a primer for inexperienced growers, but rather as a complementary piece of information that concentrates on sustainable production techniques. Some of the topics covered include integrated pest management, weed control and alternative fertilizers. Topics related to business management are also introduced.
Table of Contents
Introduction
This publication is geared toward small-scale nursery managers who want to use sustainable practices, and larger-scale nursery managers interested in converting from conventional to sustainable practices. (For the purposes of this document, small-scale can be defined as having fewer than five acres in container production and fewer than 15 acres in field production.) It is not meant to include everything one needs to know before going into production. A nursery can be part of a diversification strategy to make a farm more profitable, or it may be the only enterprise. In either case, it is important to start small and expand later. For general information on standard nursery production, please refer to publications and bulletins published by the Cooperative Extension Service, and common horticultural texts and trade magazines. See the Resources section at the end of this document for a listing of nursery literature. This document discusses sustainable nursery production in general before going on to container and field production techniques. Sustainable nursery practices usually involve reduced levels of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, use integrated pest management systems to deal with insects, diseases, and weeds, and focus on building the soil to promote plant health. The nursery industry as a whole has grown 10-20% a year during the past decade. Nursery sales follow the economy in general. When times are tough, people stay home more and garden, but they buy smaller, less expensive plants. When the economy is doing well, homeowners often buy more, larger plants for entire landscaping projects. In general, though, no matter what the state of the economy, it usually takes five to seven years for a beginning nursery business to show a profit. The most important things to consider before actually beginning production are what crops to grow and how to market them. In today's economy, it is no longer possible to grow crops without first considering how they will be marketed. Here are some facts to keep in mind before starting out.
- Container-grown crops generate about
ten times more sales per acre than field crops.(1)
- Approximately 80% of a lawn and garden center's customers are drawn from a five- to fifteen-mile radius.(2) Over 60% of an average wholesale nursery's sales are within the state. Small nurseries sell about 20% of their plants out-of-state.(1)
- Retail garden centers usually want small plants in 1-3 gallon containers. Landscaping firms and landscapers are more often interested in larger container plants (3-5 gallons) and balled and burlapped (B&B) woody plants.(1)
- The nursery industry is very dependent on the construction industry and on the rate of unemployment in the vicinity of the nursery.
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Marketing
Anyone contemplating entry into the nursery business will need to conduct
a market analysis to determine what opportunities exist to sell plant
materials in the local area. Most new firms begin with only a few acres
of production and initially market primarily within a 50-mile radius,
unless growing for mail order or on contract.(1) Part
of this market analysis includes finding out what crops other nurserymen
have grown successfully in the region, and, secondly, what the competition
is like. When considering which market you will serve, bear in mind this advice
from Lynn Byczynski, editor of Growing for Market, a newsletter
geared to small-scale producers: "I feel quite strongly that it
is a serious mistake to commit to growing for anyone before you have
become extremely confident of your skill as a grower. My recommendation
for marketing is a simple one: Start where no one is depending on you.
If you have nothing to sell, no one will have to know".(3) For more in-depth information on marketing, request the ATTRA publication
Direct Marketing. Marketing really begins with a decision on what to produce and at what
volume. The primary considerations are:
- deciding who your customers are,
- determining what type and size of plants these customers want,
- keeping up with trends in buyers' preferences,
- knowing what combination of plants will maximize profits.(1)
The following paragraphs will address each of these topics.
Who are your potential customers and what plants do they
want?
Mass merchandisers usually want large volumes of a few types
of the more popular species of plants. Usually, they purchase smaller
sizes and may not be particular about the specific plants as long
as they are able to obtain a good mix of fast-moving materials. Demand
from these customers is very seasonal.(1)
There are several disadvantages to dealing with mass merchandisers:
they often want instant shipment, they usually pay the lowest price
for plants, and they often do not take care of the plants after receiving
them, which can reflect poorly on your nursery.
Landscapers look for large high-quality specimens carefully
identified by cultivar. Generally, they want to buy plants from a
limited number of producers, but they also want to be able to choose
among many plants and sizes. Their purchases are more spread out over
a year, but there is an emphasis on spring planting.(1)
The lawn and garden center falls somewhere between the mass
merchandiser and the landscaper. Some centers want more variety in
plants and sizes, some less.
Other retail outlets include mail order, Web sites, and farmers' markets. Selling through mail order and websites
may involve national advertising, a catalog, and a larger inventory.
Sales at farmers' markets will be local, but "local" can
mean weekly travel of 200 to 300 miles to a large, metropolitan area. No matter who your potential customers are, one thing they all have
in common is that they need to know they can get uniform, well-grown
plants from the producer without having to inspect the crop each time
they make a purchase.(1)
Keep up with trends in buyers' preferences and watch for
service opportunities.
Once the nursery is in operation, constant monitoring of customer
characteristics and their purchases should begin. Advertising and
promotion are never-ending.
Table
1. Types of Nursery |
Type |
Description |
Grower/Retail
nursery |
Usually
a retail outlet with sufficient acreage for growing on-site |
Wholesale
Nursery |
Grows
plants for sale to other nurserymen, landscapers, or retailers;
may grow plants on a contract basis |
Landscape
nursery |
Provides
landscape services and retail sales |
Farmers'
Market |
Sells
locally at retail prices |
Mail
order/Web site |
Sells
at the national level |
A survey taken in 1992 analyzed the needs of landscape architects
in Georgia and identified the following areas of improvement for growers
(4):
- ensure reliable and consistent plant availability
- develop plant varieties for specific needs
- supply plants that meet specified sizes
- recommend plant varieties for specific conditions
- provide photographs of plants
- make presentations to landscape architects
The most common complaints that landscape architects had about growers
and nurseries was that the plants provided them were below the specified
size and quality.
Know what combination of plants maximizes profits.
Ornamentals fall into general categories: shade trees, conifers,
perennials, vines, shrubs, bulbs, and annuals. While most nurseries
grow a range of plants, there appears to be a trend toward specialization.
For example, growing only native groundcovers, or only daylilies,
are viable niche markets. The production of specialty crops (e.g.,
hardy bamboo, disease-free apple stock, native plants, etc.) and specialization
in plants in short supply (e.g., native plants, uncommon plants, very
large trees) are niche markets that even small growers can serve.
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General Production
There are two types of nursery production: field and container.
Field stock is either direct-seeded or transplanted from seedlings, then
lifted as bare-root stock for use as nursery liners, fruit trees, seedlings
for Christmas trees, windbreaks, and conservation plantings. Field stock
is also grown for balled and burlapped (B&B) landscape or shade trees.
Container stock, which is propagated from seed, rooted cuttings, and field-grown
seedlings, is common in both forestry and landscape nursery production.
Grower
profile
Silver Springs Nursery, Idaho
James
Kraemer began growing native groundcovers in 1987. He found
customers by advertising in trade publications and attending
trade shows. His major customers are larger nurseries that
want small plants to grow out into gallon pots. James fulfills
their needs by starting native plants from seed-plants
like bunchberry dogwood (Cornus canadensis), kinnikinnik
(Arctostaphylos uva-ursi), twinflower, and Oregon
grape (Berberis repens).
It
took time to build the nursery into a business that could
support James and his family. For the first three years, Kraemer
had a full-time job and worked forty hours a week in the nursery.
By the fifth year, however, the nursery was his sole source
of income.
All
the groundcovers are grown on less than one acre, using four
greenhouses and an outdoor holding area for larger plants.
He focuses on growing plants in 8-inch-deep tubes, which he
sells to other nurseries to grow out.
In
1992, Kraemer contracted with the Soil Conservation Service
(now the Natural Resources Conservation Service) to grow native
drought-tolerant plants for slope retention. This led to other
orders from SCS, and Silver Springs became one of only two
nurseries approved in Idaho and Montana as a source of native
plant materials.(5) |
Fifty years ago, most ornamental plants were grown in the field, then
dug up for transplanting purposes. Today, 80% of ornamental plants are
grown in containers. The switch has occurred for several reasons: container-grown
trees have a greater chance for survival and establishment after transplanting
than do trees produced in the field; containerized production does not
require good soil and takes up less acreage; and containerized stock enables
the grower to extend the planting season. Both container and field production
will be discussed separately, but there is some commonality between the
two forms of production. For instance, most woody landscape plants are
propagated by cuttings.(1) Another similarity is that
both types of production spend a good percentage of their budgets on farm-type
mechanized implements and fertilizers.(1) Five major considerations in determining where to establish a new nursery
are soil, climate, water, market, and labor supply. Soil productivity
is not as important when growing only containerized products, but relatively
level land with good drainage is still necessary. Of concern for the
beginner is learning the length of time required to produce saleable
crops and how to schedule these so that the proper number of each species
is available for the first year of sale and each year thereafter.(1)
Irrigation
The two most widely used irrigation systems are overhead and drip (or
trickle). Overhead irrigation is designed to cover a large area, and these
systems are the least expensive to install. However, this method produces
uneven water distribution, which can slow plant growth, encourage disease,
and contribute to runoff. Also, a container nursery using overhead irrigation
can use from 15,000 to 40,000 gallons of water per acre per day in the
summer (6), a reminder that sufficient water
is a prerequisite to nursery production.
Large containers are usually watered with a drip or trickle system,
which uses 60%-70% less water than overhead systems. Drip irrigation
systems cost more to install than overhead systems, but have superior
application uniformity and efficiency. They are also less affected by
wind and crop canopies, and they produce less runoff. Another advantage
is that workers can continue working while the plants are being irrigated.
The biggest disadvantage to trickle
irrigation, besides the initial cost, is keeping the pipes and emitters
clean.
A third, less-used type of irrigation system is subirrigation using
capillary sandbeds. In this system, water rises into containerized plants
through capillary action. Usually, the sandbed is covered with at least
one inch of fine sand, and slopes very slightly from one end to the
other. Water is released at the high end and slowly percolates to the
low end. These systems cost the most to install, but they have no runoff
or leaching.
Sandbeds are normally constructed
using wood sidewalks, a plastic bed liner, sand, a small tank, a
drainpipe and a float valve. They do not require the use of any
electrical parts, and provide a uniform and consistent supply of
water without forming a saturated water table at the base of the
soil column in the container. In short, you get efficient and uniform
crop growth while providing less water, less fertilizer and less
pesticide. It also requires less labor, as sprinkler heads, timers,
pumps, valves and water-treatment systems don't need to be monitored.(6)
The biggest disadvantage of sandbeds is that weeds and containerized
plants grow into them. There is a product designed to alleviate this
problem: the Agroliner™, a mat that has been treated with Spin
Out™, a product that prevents root growth. (For more information
on Spin Out™, see the Container Production
section.) The mat is placed over the sand and under the containers.
For distributors of this product, see the Resources:
Suppliers section. For a list of articles related to sandbeds and
subirrigation systems, see Resources: Publications. Regardless of the irrigation system used, it is vital that the plants
be watered often, especially during hot, sunny days. A typical nursery
plant in a 1-gallon container may consume a pint of water a day, while
the growing medium capacity may be only 1½ pints. One important
aspect of irrigation management is to group plants according to water
requirements.
Table
2. Comparison of Water Systems for Container Nursery Stock (7) |
|
Overhead sprinklers |
Drip irrigation/"spaghetti" tubes |
Capillary beds |
Installation
cost/acre |
Moderate |
Moderate
to high |
High |
Maintenance |
Low |
High |
High |
Durability |
Excellent |
Low |
Moderate |
Labor |
Low |
Moderate-high |
Low |
Water
distribution |
Fair |
Fair-good* |
Good |
Water
use efficiency |
Poor,
very wasteful |
Good |
Good |
Pump
required |
Large,
high pressure |
Small,
low pressure |
Small,
low pressure |
Water
volume required |
Large |
Small |
Small |
Wind
effect on distribution |
Serious |
None |
None |
*If
ground is level and water quality is good |
Irrigation Runoff
The most important issue in sustainable nursery production, as it relates
to irrigation, is the runoff of water, fertilizers, and pesticides. Many
states now have regulations limiting runoff and groundwater nitrate levels.
Subirrigation systems are designed for zero runoff, but overhead and
drip systems may require special attention. Runoff water can be collected
by using ditches (planted with grass to slow down water flow) or tile
systems, which direct water to a pond or other holding area.
The water (and some of the fertilizers present) can then be recycled
by pumping it back out of the holding tank or pond, after some of the
impurities (sand and silt) have settled out. Recycled water has actually
been shown to improve plant growth. "In experiments with more than
100 species of ornamentals grown in 2.8 liter containers, the mean relative
growth of plants irrigated with continuously recycled water was 103%
over that of the control".(8)
Another way to reduce runoff is to use pulse irrigation. In this system,
instead of applying one heavy watering daily, a small amount of water
is applied five or six times during the day. Very little water escapes
from the container or runs off from the field. The production advantage
to this is that less fertilizer has to be applied, because there is
less leaching. Most nurseries that use this system use a computer to
control water flow, since watering plants repeatedly by hand would cause
a huge increase in labor expenses.
There are several cultural practices that can reduce runoff:
- Avoid irrigating bare soil
- Have rough soil surfaces to provide surface storage of water
- Use less-porous media that retain moisture and nutrients
- Use slow-release fertilizers instead of liquid fertilizers
Researchers at Ohio State University have been conducting experiments
to reduce the amount of pesticides and growth regulators leached from
nursery pots and trays. They have had excellent success in mixing chemicals
in ordinary latex paint and then painting the interior of the pots.
Not only was there less leaching from the pots, but the growth regulator
and pesticide they used (Bonzi™ and Marathon™) provided more
consistent control. This method also reduced worker re-entry intervals
(REIs) into the nursery area, since the chemicals were applied only
once, at the beginning of the growth process.(9)
A study conducted in the late 1990s found that "growth may be
more effectively maximized by reducing moisture stress than by increasing
fertilizer concentration".(10) This study, also
conducted at Ohio State University, used fertilizer concentrations between
50 and 200 mg/L of nitrogen. The researchers showed that water stress
might limit growth more frequently than does limited nutrition under
current container production practices, and that ensuring that plants
do not wilt is not sufficient. Their recommendation was to use lower
amounts of N fertilizer (50 mg/L) and to provide sufficient moisture.
Several Extension bulletins and other publications that deal with
irrigation runoff issues are accessible on the Web. See the Resources:
Web sites section for more information.
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Integrated Pest Management
"IPM is a sustainable approach to managing pests by combining biological,
cultural, physical, and chemical tools in a way that minimizes economic,
health, and environmental risks".(11) An integrated
pest management (IPM) program involves using resistant cultivars, building
up populations of beneficial organisms, monitoring numbers of pests and
developing treatment thresholds, and using spot treatments of pesticides
that are least harmful to beneficial organisms and the environment. It
is important to identify pests early, so that appropriate measures can
be taken quickly.
Again, there are numerous publications available from Extension that
deal with integrated pest management for nurseries. See the Resources section for more information. A shaded box on this page identifies several
related ATTRA publications.
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Container Production
A wide selection of ornamentals is produced in containers. Homeowners
usually prefer to buy containerized plants because they are easier to
transport and transplant than B&B plants. The following section will
summarize some important container production practices as well as address
sustainable nursery management issues like recycling of plastics, weed
control, and fertilization. The advantages of containerized production include:
- High plant densities
- Use of land unsuited for field production
- Planting times independent of the weather
- Elimination of some operations (like root pruning)
- Lower transportation costs because of lightweight media
- Less root loss and a greater chance of survival than with field-grown trees
The disadvantages are also numerous:
- Small containers need frequent watering
- Nutrients are rapidly depleted
- Plants require winter protection
- Plants easily become root-bound
- Trees are knocked over by wind
- Containers are costly
- Labor costs to pot up plants are high
- Roots are stressed by temperature extremes
Certified organic nursery stock (intended for sale to vineyards, berry
farms, and orchards raising organic produce) is a niche market that
requires special attention. Restricted products include many of the
common ingredients in conventional nursery production, such as chemical
fertilizers, wetting agents, herbicides, and synthetic insecticides
and fungicides. For more information, refer to ATTRA's publication on
organic certification.
Containers
There are several factors to keep in mind when deciding which containers
to use: cost, design features that control root growth, how the container
affects growing medium moisture content and temperature, availability,
how the container suits the particular needs of the nursery, durability,
and shipping capacity.
Round black-plastic pots are the norm, but they can cause root constriction,
leading to plants with poorly developed root systems. There are other
kinds of containers that promote better root systems. For instance,
copper-lined, white, and light-colored containers produce more root
growth, and square and stair-step pots help keep plants from becoming
root-bound.(1) Pots and containers designed for enhanced
root growth have become such an important feature in containerized nursery
production that a few examples are provided below.
Copper
Foresters first discovered that copper could be
used to control root growth. Copper kills root tips that come in contact
with it; this forces roots to branch within the root ball, instead of
circling around it.
Not only are plants grown in copper-treated containers less root-bound,
they also are taller, have higher transplant survival rates, and have
increased nitrogen recovery (so they require fewer applications of nitrogenous
fertilizer). More than 120 species have been shown to perform better
in copper-treated containers than in untreated ones. Also, there is
very little or no leaching from copper-treated pots into groundwater
or soil.
Copper-treated fiber pots, made from recycled paper, are one option.
Fiber pots are biodegradable and can even be composted; the main problem
with them is that they can degrade too quickly. Research at Ohio State
University showed that incorporating copper into fiber pots can increase
their longevity.(12) Dr. John Ruter at the University
of Georgia found that copper-treated fiber pots keep roots cooler in
summer, increase root dry weight and shoot dry weight of several species,
and can well withstand shipping.(13)
Griffin LLC in Valdosta, Georgia, offers a product called Spin Out™,
a copper paint registered by the EPA. Root Right™ pots are round
black-plastic pots that have been manufactured with Spin Out as a component
of the container walls. For more information on Spin Out and Root Right
pots, contact the Lerio Corporation.(14)
Bottomless
Pots
Another way to prevent root circling is to use air root pruning. This
works in much the same way as copper: root tips that come in contact
with air are killed and the root system branches out within the root
ball.
Growing tree seedlings in bottomless milk cartons is one way to use
air root pruning. The milk carton, when folded open, creates a long
square bottomless container. These containers are placed in a wooden
flat with a wire-screen bottom and then filled with a soilless nursery
mix. (Another option is to place them in plastic milk crates.) When
the seedling germinates, the taproot grows downward and out through
the bottom of the container where the root tip is exposed to the air,
becomes desiccated, and dies back. Repeated air root pruning stimulates
lateral branching and results in a fibrous root system as opposed to
a strong taproot system. The benefit to the tree is rapid establishment
in the field or landscape with increased scaffold branching and top
growth. Nursery stock production by the milk carton method is especially
useful for on-farm tree production and can be used in the propagation
of a wide range of woody plants, including strong tap-rooted species
such as black walnut and pecan, as well as pines for Christmas trees.
There are other types of containers that promote excellent root branching
and discourage root circling. One of these products is RootMaker™,
developed by Dr. Carl Whitcomb at Lacebark, Inc. (Dr. Whitcomb, formerly
head of the nursery research program at Oklahoma State University, is
well known for his numerous innovative approaches to unusual container
systems.) RootMaker pots have staggered walls and a staggered bottom,
which prevent root circling and direct roots toward the many holes in
the walls and bottom of the pots.
Tubes
Growing plants in long bottomless tubes is another production system
that uses air root pruning. The tubes are generally made of plastic
or styrofoam, and can be single tubes or imbedded in a flat. Tube plants
range in size from large plugs (sold as nursery liners) to seedling
trees grown in long, narrow pots (sold directly to consumers). Regardless,
tubes are popular because massive quantities can be quickly grown in
a small area. Tubes are particularly adaptable to small-scale nursery
production and to specialized stock like perennials and tree seedlings.
For more information on containers, see The Container Tree Nursery
Manual, Volume 2, by Landis et al., listed in the Resources:
Publications section. For suppliers of unusual pots, see the Resource:
Suppliers section.
Pot-in-Pot
System
The pot-in-pot method of production was developed to alleviate some
of the problems associated with container production, such as blowover
and moisture loss.(15) This system involves burying
a holder pot, or moat pot, into the ground, and placing a containerized
plant inside this pot. The greatest drawback to this system is the high
initial cost of the moat pot. But the moat pot is a long-term investment,
since it will last for 15 years or more. For more information on pot-in-pot
systems, see the articles listed in the Resources section.
A
container system that emphasizes hardy, fibrous roots
Cherry
Lake Tree Farm in Groveland, Florida has developed a better way
to grow containerized trees.(16) Their patented Root-Enhancement
System focuses on growing trees with a fibrous, lateral root system.
The system has ten main components: Deep Groove Tube cell-pack
trays, Tree Band containers, air-pruning benches, Spin Out used
on all the containers, 3-gallon container sleeves, 3-gallon grids,
15-gallon container sleeves, Lacebark grow-bags, Root Control
grow-bags, and a final Spin Out-treated container.
In
the first stage, small liners are raised in Deep Groove Tube cell-pack
trays of 38 or 51 cells, available from Growing Systems, Inc.(17) These are cone-shaped and lined with four
vertical ridges that guide a plant's roots to the large hole at
the bottom. These trays are placed on benches in the greenhouse.
Larger liners are planted in Tree Bands, available from Anderson
Die and Manufacturing.(18) Before planting,
all the trays are sprayed with Spin Out.
When
the liners are ready to be potted up, they are inspected. Those
with weak root systems are culled, and the rest are placed in
1- or 3-gallon containers. These pots contain grids that sit about
an inch above the bottom of the pots and cause roots to be air-pruned.
Container sleeves are also used to hold the roots. The sleeves
are made of a reusable geotextile pruning fabric developed by
Cherry Lake and manufactured by Root Control, Inc. in Oklahoma
City.(19) The fabric lowers root zone temperatures
and prunes roots.
After
the trees have reached transplantable size, they are either placed
into pot-in-pot containers or transplanted into growbags. Finally,
the trees are placed into a Spin Out-treated container in preparation
for sale.
|
Recycling Plastic
Most nurseries use lots of plastic, in the form of pots, flats, hanging
baskets, and greenhouse film. While some of these can be re-used within
the nursery, it's important to have a recycling system in place. Buying
multi-year, ultraviolet-stabilized greenhouse film will decrease the amount
of sheet plastic used each year, but this kind of film is very expensive
and not always readily available.(20)
Fortunately, there are a number of recyclers around the country who
accept nursery plastic. The American
Plastics Council website provides a wealth of helpful information
on recycling of plastics, and maintains the United
States & Canada Recycled Plastic Markets Database with contact
data for plastic recycling centers on a state-by-state basis.
Recyclers that accept agricultural plastics often have certain restrictions.
They may require that sheet plastic be clean, which often means washing
it before storage. It must also be stored properly, indoors. Most hard
plastics (plug trays, flats, pots, hanging baskets) are either No. 6
polystyrene or No. 2 high-density polyethylene. This distinction is
important to some recyclers.(20)
Many recyclers require that a certain amount of plastic be gathered,
before it is worth their time to send a truck to pick it up. Smaller
nurseries may have trouble storing that amount of plastic. A way to
get around this is to combine plastic waste with other growers in the
community. Some recyclers will not pay the grower for the plastic, but
neither will they charge transportation costs, which are often high.
Weed Control
Weed control is extremely important in container production. Weeds not
only compete for water and nutrients, but they can also hinder sales of
nursery stock. Weed control efforts should focus on two areas: in the
pot and under the pot.
When deciding how to treat a weed problem, the grower should ask herself
several questions: Are the weeds mostly annuals or perennials? Are they
easy to pull? Does the problem exist only in a small group of plants
or is it widespread? Are the weeds monocots (grasses) or dicots (broadleaf)?
What time of year is most effective for controlling these weeds?
Sanitation is the least costly and most effective method for controlling
weeds. To prevent weed seeds from blowing into pots, attention to a
vegetation-free zone—both on and surrounding the production bed—is
critical. To keep weeds from growing under the pot, more and more growers
are placing the containers on geotextile weed barriers (often called
fabric weed barrier or landscape cloth). Modern landscape cloths are
durable and long-lasting—they can last for 10 to 12 years in full
sun. They do an excellent job of controlling weeds, yet they are permeable
to water from irrigation and rainfall, so drainage is not a problem.
Although the initial cost is high, the expense can be pro-rated as an
annual weed control investment.
Hand weeding is costly, but it may be appropriate in a small nursery
setting. Weeds must be removed when they are still small, since large
quantities of media are lost when big weeds are pulled out of containers.
Herbicides, on the other hand, are widely used in container nursery
production. Even though weed-free media is used to establish nursery
plants, wind and birds and surface irrigation water are sources of weed
seeds that get deposited onto the pot surface. Broadleaf and grassy
weeds love to get a free ride into the container nursery, because the
growing conditions in a media-rich pot are absolutely perfect. Thus,
pre- and post-emergent herbicides are commonly used in commercial nursery
production to control these free-loaders.
In 1991, Monrovia Nursery compared hand weeding to spraying herbicides
and found that a combination of the two was the least costly method.(21) (See Figure 1 below.) When
they used no pre-emergent herbicides, it took workers 10 hours of hand
weeding per acre, performed 10 times a year. By using a pre-emergent
once in the spring and once in the fall, the workers were able to perform
hand weeding only seven times a year for one hour
per acre. Other pertinent information: the workers were paid $8 an hour;
the cost of herbicide was $200 per acre per application and it took
two hours to apply it.
Figure 1. Courtesy of American Nurseryman.(21) Used with permission. |
|
More information on weed control is presented in the Field
Production section below.
Alternatives
to Herbicides
Fabric weed barrier disks can be used to control
weeds in containers. The fabric disks are pre-slitted and fit on top
of the pot around the stem. They prevent weeds from growing in the containers
by excluding sunlight and inhibiting weed germination. The disks are
permeable to air and water but prevent germination of troublesome container-nursery
weeds like oxalis. An added benefit of the disks is that they reduce
evaporation.
Tex-R Geodiscs® are fabric disks that have been treated with Spin
Out™ and work the same as the disks mentioned above. They prevent
weed growth by excluding light and pruning the roots of weed seeds that
are blown onto the fabric. They provide effective weed control for up
to three years and can be moved from pot to pot. For distributors, contact
Texel USA.(22)
Professor Bonnie Appleton at Virginia Tech recently conducted research
using Geodiscs on container-grown willow oaks.(23) The Geodiscs suppressed all weeds completely. Trees grown in the pots
with Geodiscs had higher top dry weights and root dry weights than both
those grown without any form of weed control and those sprayed with
a conventional herbicide.
Bioherbicides
A recently introduced organic weed control is corn gluten meal (CGM),
a by-product of corn syrup processing. CGM is a pre-emergent herbicide,
applied in early spring. It works best when applied to the top ¼ inch of soil. It has no carry-over into the second year of growth, so
it must be applied every year. CGM contains 10% nitrogen and acts as
a slow-release fertilizer for the crop. CGM has been patented and is
currently being sold as a herbicide (see the Suppliers section for sources), but treating a large area can be quite expensive.
Wheat gluten meal has many of the same effects as CGM, but it has not
been patented and so may be more affordable.
More recent research has revealed that corn gluten hydrosylate (CGH),
which is made from corn gluten meal, is more effective than corn gluten
meal for controlling weeds (24) and could be applied
at less than half the rate for effective weed control. Iowa State University—patent
holder of corn gluten meal as a natural herbicide—maintains a web
list of licensed suppliers for this product (see Resources:
Suppliers).
There are some new environmentally friendly contact herbicides that
break down quickly and provide options for weed control in container
nurseries around irrigation risers and perimeter areas, as well as for
general use in field nursery production. One class of products—Weed
Eraser™, Scythe™—is made from pelargonic acid, a fatty acid found in
plants and animals. They work by rapidly lowering the pH of any plant
sprayed, which weakens the cell walls and kills the weed, usually within
two hours. A second class of products—Nature's Glory™, Burnout™, and
Bioganic™—contain acetic acid (vinegar), lemon juice, eugengol, thyme
oil, orange oil, and other natural ingredients. All of these products
work as contact herbicides and control, with varying degrees of success,
broadleaf and grassy weeds. Application to nursery plants should be
avoided, and several applications may be necessary to kill perennial
weeds.
Fertilization
Container nursery production has become a huge success largely due to
advances in media and fertilizer combinations. This has resulted from
several decades of research collaborations between land-grant universities,
commercial nurseries, and the fertilizer industry. Commercial synthetic
fertilizers (including slow-release and liquid fertilizers) have played
a key role in this picture. Detailed information on commercial nursery
mixes and fertilizer systems is widely available through the Cooperative
Extension Service.
As organic production becomes standardized under the new federal Rule,
more and more nursery growers are looking at organic fertilizers and
wondering how they can be used. Unlike synthetic greenhouse fertilizers,
organic fertilizers have been given little research to support their
use in a nursery mix recipe. Most of the following material will focus
on organic fertilizers for container nursery production. Regardless
of fertilizer type—whether the source is synyhetic or organic—in
sustainable nursery production the emphasis is on zero runoff. Excessive
nitrates and phosphorus are the most common problems in runoff water.(25)
There are four basic ways to fertilize containerized plants: incorporate,
topdress, liquid feed, and foliar feed. In a nursery container, fertilizer
incorporation in the mix combined with liquid feeding should provide
sufficient nutrition.
Organic fertilizers that can be incorporated to provide nitrogen include
alfalfa meal, blood meal, cottonseed meal, feather meal, hoof and horn
meal, soybean meal, and animal manures, among others. Materials that
provide phosphorus include oak leaves, bone meal, shrimp wastes, residues
from raw sugar, and various forms of rock phosphate. Greensand, granite
meal, soybean meal, ash from orange and potato skins, unleached wood
ashes, K-Mag™, and tobacco (stems, leaves, and stalks) all provide
potassium. Table 3 is not exhaustive, but
it provides analyses of some popular organic and synthetic slow-release
fertilizers.
Table 3. Analysis of Organic and Synthetic
Slow-release Fertilizers |
Organic
Fertilizers |
%N |
%P |
%K |
Other
nutrients |
Bat
guano (fresh) |
10 |
3 |
1 |
Calcium |
Bat
guano (old) |
2 |
8 |
0 |
Calcium |
Blood
meal |
10 |
0 |
0 |
|
Bone
meal (steamed) |
1 |
11 |
0 |
Calcium |
Cottonseed
meal |
6 |
2 |
1 |
|
Eggshells |
1.2 |
0.4 |
0.1 |
Calcium
and trace minerals |
Fish
emulsion |
4 |
1 |
1 |
Sulfur |
Fish
meal |
5 |
3 |
3 |
|
Greensand |
0.0 |
0.0 |
7.0 |
32
trace minerals |
Hoof
and horn meal |
12 |
2 |
0 |
|
Kelp
meal |
1.5 |
0.5 |
2.5 |
Trace
minerals |
Manure |
Cow |
2 |
2.3 |
2.4 |
|
Horse |
1.7 |
0.7 |
1.8 |
|
Pig |
2 |
1.8 |
1.8 |
|
Sheep |
4 |
1.4 |
3.5 |
|
Poultry |
4 |
4 |
2 |
|
Oak
leaves |
0.8 |
9.4 |
0.1 |
|
Pine
needles |
0.1 |
0.0 |
0.5 |
|
Sawdust,
well rotted |
0.0 |
0.2 |
0.2 |
|
Soybean
meal |
7.0 |
0.5 |
2.3 |
|
Worm
castings |
0.5 |
0.5 |
0.3 |
11
trace minerals |
Slow-release
Synthetic Fertilizers |
Effective
period |
IBDU |
31 |
0 |
0 |
|
Lesco™ |
20 |
6 |
12 |
4-6
months |
MagAmp™ (also
contains 25% magnesium) |
8 |
40 |
0 |
100
days |
Osmocote™ |
13-19 |
6-14 |
12-14 |
3-4
or 8-9 months |
Precise™ |
12 |
6 |
6 |
3-4
months |
Premix™ (also contains micronutrients) |
24 |
7 |
8 |
6-8
weeks |
ProKote™ |
20 |
3 |
10 |
7-9
months |
Sta-Green™ |
12 |
6 |
6 |
6-8
weeks |
Table 4. Materials for Organic Fertigation* |
Element |
Material |
Benefits |
Nitrogen |
Liquified
fish |
Biostimulant,
balanced NPK |
|
Liquid
manures |
Rapid
uptake |
|
Phytamin
800 |
Rapid
uptake, high solubility |
|
Sodium
nitrate** |
Rapid |
|
Spray-dried
fish** |
Rapid
uptake, biostimulant |
Phosphorus |
Bat
guano** |
Rapid
uptake |
|
Micronized
rock phosphate** |
Biostimulant,
16% P2O5 |
|
Seabird
guano** |
Rapid
uptake, 10% P2O5 |
Potassium |
Soluble
Sul-Po-Mag** |
Supplies
K, Mg, and S |
|
Soluble
sulfate of potash** |
50%
K, 18% S |
N-P-K
combination |
Fish
products |
|
|
Liquified
manures |
|
|
Phytamin
3-2-3 |
Rapid
uptake |
|
Seabird
guano** |
12-12-2.5 |
Calcium |
Solution
grade gypsum** |
Calcium
and sulfur |
|
Solution
grade limestone** |
98%
CaCO3 |
Sulfur |
Micronized
sulfur** |
Up
to 90% S |
|
Solution
grade gypsum** |
|
Trace
mineral/Biostimulants |
Compost
teas |
Biostimulant,
humic acids |
|
Kelp
extract powders** |
Trace
minerals, biostimulant |
|
Kelp
extract liquids |
Trace
minerals, biostimulant |
|
Liquid
humates |
Humic
acids, biostimulants |
|
Liquid
trace minerals |
Various
formulations |
|
Micronized
compost** |
Biostimulant,
humic acids |
|
Micronized
humates** |
Humic
acids, biostimulant |
|
Rock
dusts** |
Trace
minerals, biostimulant |
*Reprinted
with permission from Amigo Cantisano. 2000. Organic growers can
fertigate! Growing for Market. March. p. 8-9. |
**Dry
material: Must be premixed and thoroughly agitated in water prior
to and during injection. May be less soluble than liquid formulations. |
Adequate levels of nutrients must be maintained in the container medium
for optimum growth of woody ornamentals. The levels of soluble nutrients
in containers can be significantly reduced after 3 or 4 irrigations
because of limited container volume and frequent application of water.
To overcome this problem, two fertilizing systems are used: slow-release
and liquid.
Organic or synthetic slow-release fertilizers help cut down levels
of nitrates in runoff water.(1) Slow-release and controlled-release
synthetic fertilizers, such as Nitroform™ and Osmocote™, are
becoming more common in container production systems. For best results,
they should be incorporated into the growing media, rather than topdressed.
Slow-release fertilizers are often used in combination with liquid fertilization.
Nitrogen is the main nutrient supplied through liquid feeding (fertigation).
Organic liquid fertilizers include fish emulsion, fish powder, blood
meal, bat guano, seabird guano, worm castings, and composted manure
teas. Some forms of organic fertilizers are more amenable to low-volume
irrigation systems (drip or trickle). A 1992 study found that the spray-dried
fertilizers fish protein and poultry protein did not clog drip emitters
and microsprinklers.(26) Fish protein, blood protein,
poultry protein, and brewers yeast are all available as spray-dried
materials. Table 4 was compiled by Amigo Cantisano, an organic agriculture
consultant in California.(27)
Foliar feeding can be used to supplement soil and liquid fertilization,
especially where certain nutrients are deficient and must be incorporated
into the plant quickly. Filtered solutions of manure, seaweed,
fish powder, and fish emulsion can be used. Seaweed is an excellent
foliar material because it contains growth hormones (auxins, gibberellins,
and cytokinins) as well as trace elements. Research suggests that
foliar feeding programs enhance plant resistance to pest and disease
attack. Compost teas are gaining popularity as a foliar feed primarily
for their disease-suppressive characteristics. For more information,
request the ATTRA publication Notes on Compost Teas.
For more information on alternative fertilizers, request the ATTRA
publications Alternative Soil Amendments and Sources for Organic Fertilizers and Amendments.
Another useful resource is Fertile Soil by Robert Parnes(28), an indepth publication on organic fertilizers. Parnes's book provides
detailed tables on the nutrient content of various manures and plant
and animal by-products.
Potting Media
Field soil is sometimes used in container mixes (10%-30% by volume),
but soil is heavy and requires the additional step of pasteurization
to eliminate diseases and weed seeds. The standard replacement
for soil is peat moss, but there has been concern over the past
few years that peat is a non-renewable resource. Consequently,
research is being conducted to determine what materials can be
used to replace peat. Most of the products being tested are some
form of waste. For example, pine bark (a by-product of the lumber
industry) is an excellent medium for containerized plants, once
it has been composted. Mixes containing more than 20% composted
pine bark support a significant level of suppression of Pythium damping-off.(30)
Other alternatives are coir, spent mushroom compost, paper mill
sludge, apple pomace, shredded newspaper, compost, processed alfalfa,
processed kenaf, recycled cardboard, and composted municipal yard
waste. Most studies have shown that these alternative products
should not compose more than 25-50% of the mix. For in-depth information
on these topics, ask for the ATTRA publication Potting Mixes for Certified Organic Production.
Chris
Starbuck, an Extension specialist at the University of
Missouri, has developed the Missouri Gravel Bed (MGB) as an alternative
growing system for nursery stock.(29) The MGB uses a mixture of
gravel and sand to get young plants established. The MGB is inexpensive
because it uses neither containers nor potting mix, but it produces
healthy bare-root plants.
The
gravel bed uses ½" or smaller gravel mixed with 10-15%
sand, and is 14-18" deep to support 1½" caliper
trees. Dormant, bare-root plants are placed in the bed in early
spring. Slow-release fertilizers can be applied on top of the
gravel. Plants should stay in the bed for at least six weeks,
but should be pulled from the bed the same year they are placed
into it. Starbuck uses an automatic trickle irrigation system.
Starbuck
has helped growers in over 40 states establish gravel beds for
their operations. A grower in Iowa has successfully overwintered
plants in temperatures as low as -25°F. Apparently, the roots
are as protected in gravel as they would be in soil, and are more
protected than they would be in containers.
|
Mycorrhizae are soil fungi that form beneficial associations with plant
roots. They enable plant roots to do a better job of gaining nutrients
and water. Mycorrhizae can be used in field or container production;
growers have been able to get better stand establishment, cut down on
fertilizer, and inoculate bareroot seedlings. There are now commercially
available mycorrhizae that stimulate the roots of almost all tree and
shrub species. For a listing of suppliers of mycorrhizae, see ATTRA's
Sources for Organic Fertilizers and Amendments.
Back to top
Field Production
Until the 1950s, virtually all nursery production was done in the field.
Field production is still widely used to produce bare-root seedlings for
conservation plantings, fruit trees, and nursery liners. The most profitable
product of field nurseries is B&B shade trees for the landscape industry.
In-ground production is well adapted to tap-rooted tree species, mass
plantings, inexpensive establishment, and large caliper (trunk diameter)
size. Disadvantages include a higher percentage of plant loss and longer
establishment periods after transplanting.
Field nursery production involves the use of unique soil management
practices. Soil-building cover crops and crop rotations are important
to maintain good soil structure, fertility, and organic matter. Living
mulches are cover crops planted in the aisles to hold the soil, provide
traction, increase water infiltration, and suppress weeds. Legume cover
crops fix nitrogen and may be used to reduce the amount of nitrogen
fertilizer applied each year. See ATTRA's Overview
of Cover Crops and Green Manures for further information and
resources.
Integrating living mulches, cover crops, and the application of high-quality
composts into field nursery operations are the quickest ways to improve
a nursery soil. For fewer pest problems, a diversity of species should
be planted, rather than a large block of a single species followed by
a large block of another. Habitat management for beneficial insects
can also be practiced in a field situation. For more information on
this, see ATTRA's Farmscaping to Enhance
Biological Control.
Nursery equipment and irrigation systems for field nursery production
are unique. Suppliers are listed in the Nursery Management and Production
Buyer's Guide and in the magazine American Nurseryman.
See the Resources section for contact information.
A recent innovation in field nursery production is the use of in-ground
fabric containers, sometimes called root control bags or field
grow bags. These containers were developed in the early 1980s by
Dr. Carl Whitcomb at Oklahoma State University. The bags have a fabric
or clear polyethylene bottom stitched or glued to walls made of nonwoven
fabric, and they come in several sizes.(31) In theory,
they combine the best qualities of container and field production. The
advantages of field grow bags are numerous: they enhance rooting; fewer
roots are lost at transplanting (80% of the roots are left intact);
harvesting is easier; they save labor and time; no special machinery
is needed at harvest; and they can be harvested year-round (B&B
are normally harvested only during dormancy).(31) There are also disadvantages: the initial investment in grow bags; more
need for staking and water after transplanting; damaged bags cannot
be used; mechanical cultivation and precise fertilizer application are
difficult; and bag removal can be difficult and time-consuming.(31)
At this time, however, perhaps the greatest disadvantage of growing
in bags is marketing the plants. Few people know of the advantages of
growing in bags and find bagged trees less convenient to handle than
containerized trees. One way around this is to grow the plant in a pot
for the last year of production.
An important consideration in B&B production is the loss of 200-250
tons of topsoil per acre at each harvest. The digging and removal of
topsoil from B&B nursery operations is a practice that can, over
the long term, seriously deplete the farm's most important resource.
There are two options to fight topsoil depletion: replace it with something
else, or have a bare-root operation that does not require topsoil to
leave the farm. Many growers have begun using compost to replace some
of the topsoil that is lost, but applying more than 40 tons of compost
per acre is not recommended.
Weed Control
Weed control in modern field nursery production is based on the use of
herbicides. There are many excellent non-chemical alternatives, however.
These include mechanical cultivation, cover crops, living mulches, weeder
geese, flame weeding, plastic mulching, fabric weed barriers, and organic
mulching.
Cultivation
Bärtschi-Fobro (32) carries Swiss-made nursery
equipment, including a brush hoe for mechanical weed control. The brush
hoe, geared to precision weeding in multiple-row seedling nursery beds,
features stiff brushes attached to multiple heads on a rotating drum.
The brush heads—which disturb the soil surface and dislodge weed
seedlings as the drum turns—come in a wide range of widths and
can be set to varying distances to allow for interrow cultivation.
Flaming
Flame torches, or flamers, may be an option in some nursery situations.
Flaming works by searing and disruption of plant cells, not burning
of plant tissue. Passing a flamer quickly over a weed is enough to kill
the tops of the weeds, but roots can re-sprout new growth. Broadleaf
weeds are more susceptible to flaming than grassy weeds. Flaming will
need to be repeated every 2-3 weeks to control grasses.
Flame weeders can be used to prepare a stale seedbed (by flaming
off the first one or two flushes of weeds to emerge after seedbed preparation)
and they can be used for post-emergent weed control. To protect young
seedlings from injury, flaming shields should be used. However, taller
seedlings, and
certainly trees with well-developed bark, can withstand directed flaming
aimed at weeds growing within and between the rows. Although there is some criticism that flaming is not a sustainable
practice because it uses fossil fuels, much less fossil fuel is needed
to flame-kill a nursery bed or field of seedlings than would be used
to manufacture, transport, and spray an herbicide for the same job (33).
For more information on flaming, contact ATTRA.
Mulches
Mulches are another way to exclude weeds. They
keep out weeds by limiting light, and retain moisture in the soil. Organic
mulches should be three to four inches thick and will have to be replenished
once or twice a year. Millcreek Manufacturing offers a row mulching
machine that can apply mulch and compost to field-grown stock (34).
The machine costs around $5,000 and can mulch beds from 18" to
48" wide, from ½" to 10" deep.
Landscape fabric can also be used in field production. A fast way for
growers to get into production is to lay cloth in the field, cut or
burn holes into it, and then plant the liners or seedlings.
Researchers at Oregon State University found that mulches made of oyster
shell, hazelnut shell, and copper-treated geotextile mulches provided
good suppression of liverwort, a prevalent weed in many nurseries. These
three outperformed mulches of rockwool, peat moss, coarse sand, perlite,
and pumice, two herbicides (Ronstar™ and Surflan™), and the
fertilizers iron oxide, copper sulfate, and manganese sulfate (35).
Living
Mulches
In a study conducted in Minnesota in the early
1990s, researchers compared soil cultivation, herbicides, and three
living mulches for weed suppression in a field with six species of ornamental
trees.(36) The three living mulches they used were 'Norcen' bird's-foot trefoil, 'Wheeler' winter rye, and a grass sod consisting of 80% 'Eton' perennial ryegrass and 20% 'Ruby' red fescue. The grass sod provided excellent weed control, but it was overly competitive with the trees. The trefoil became infested with weeds. The winter rye, which was killed with herbicides and then acted as a mulch, not only provided good weed control, but also increased water infiltration and soil moisture, evened out soil temperature fluctuations, reduced soil bulk density, improved nutrient cycling, and reduced field maintenance costs. In general, the cover crops tended to reduce annual weeds and favor perennial species. For more information on living mulches, contact ATTRA.
Steam
For years, conventional production systems have used methyl bromide to sterilize the soil before planting into
it. One sustainable system that yields the same results uses steam to
disinfest beds and greenhouses prior to planting. In a field planting,
this system could be used to treat planting beds. Steam is "nontoxic,
relatively easy to apply, controls the same spectrum of soil pests as
methyl bromide, and can be used in a wide variety of climates and conditions".(37)
Table
5. Organic Mulches |
Type |
Source
of Weeds? |
Comments |
Grass
clippings |
Yes |
Usually
free; not very attractive |
Newspaper |
No |
Very
effective; inexpensive; not very attractive; can attract slugs |
Cocoa
hulls |
No |
Very
expensive; adds high amounts of potassium; decomposes in 2-3 years |
Cottonseed
hulls |
No |
Expensive;
not available everywhere |
Pine
bark nuggets |
No |
Chunks
are bulky and can wash away; take 2-6 years to decompose |
Shredded
softwoods (cedar, cypress, etc.) |
No |
Attractive;
price depends on local availability; decomposes in 2-5 years |
Hardwood
chips |
No |
Can
be quite inexpensive if obtained from chipped shrubs/trees, as from
a city facility; decomposes in 1-3 years |
Compost |
No |
Attractive
and available |
Corn
stalks |
No |
Unattractive;
not available everywhere |
Wheat
straw |
Yes |
Inexpensive;
decomposes rapidly |
Hay |
Yes |
Inexpensive;
decomposes rapidly |
Rice
hulls |
Yes |
Not
available everywhere |
Pine
straw |
Yes |
Attractive
and inexpensive; decomposes in 1-2 years |
Leaves |
Yes |
Usually
free; compost first |
Cardboard |
No |
Lasts
a long time; inexpensive |
Sawdust |
No |
Inexpensive;
depletes nitrogen; can blow away; better to use aged material |
For a greenhouse, a small portable boiler is probably the best unit
to have. The Sioux Steam Flo, available from Sioux Steam Cleaner Corporation
(see Suppliers for contact information)
will work for greenhouse operations. The Sioux Steam Flo costs about
$5,700. For small beds in the field, larger units are available from
Saskatoon Boiler Manufacturing in Canada (see Suppliers). The important differences in steam machines include how much heat they
are putting out, how portable they are, and how far into soil the steam penetrates.
Although most machines heat only the top 3-6 inches of soil, temperatures
are high enough to kill most weed seeds. Machines that heat the soil
to 140°F for at least 30 minutes will kill pest fungi, bacteria,
nematodes, and weed seeds.
Solarization
Soil solarization is another option for killing
pests and can be done before beds are planted to trees, shrubs, or perennials.
Again, only the beds where plants are to be placed would be treated.
The basic principle of solarization involves stretching sheets of clear
plastic across moist ground. Solar radiation heats the soil and kills
pests there, including weed seeds and harmful insects. Solarization
can kill both annual and perennial weeds, if summer temperatures climb
high enough. Solarization can also be used to disinfest potting media (old media
that is to be re-used, or soil-based media). To do this, one must enclose
the media in plastic bags and leave them in the sun for two to three
weeks. Two layers of plastic kill more pests and work about four times
faster than one layer.(38) For more information on
soil solarization, contact ATTRA.
Harvest and Storage
At some point, field-grown trees and plants must be dug. (See the Resources
section for manufacturers of tree diggers.) Often, these plants are stored
after digging. In conventional production systems, trees are dug in late
fall or early winter and stored in warehouses until early spring. During
this time, bare-root trees are sprayed with fungicides and bacteristats
to keep problems from arising.
Researchers in Rhode Island experimented with Taxus B&B
stock to see if they could prevent the plants from "rooting out,"
a condition where the roots grow into the burlap bags. They used Spin
Out™ in several different ways.(39) Treatments
included painting the bottom of the root ball with copper paint, setting
the root ball on copper-treated burlap, and rewrapping the root ball
with copper-treated burlap before mulching. Although all these treatments
provided good control of rooting out after 12 to 16 weeks, the most
effective treatments were setting the root ball on copper-treated burlap
and leaving it unmulched. The researchers also found that placing the
root balls on TexR®® Agroliner (a Spin Out™-treated nonwoven
fabric) stopped rooting-out completely.
Back to top
Costs
The costs of nursery production include overhead, direct, and marketing
costs. Overhead costs include all the general costs of operating the nursery—such
as taxes, depreciation, interest, rent, utilities, insurance, maintenance
and repair, new construction, new equipment, supplies, managerial and
administrative salaries, and labor wages that cannot be assigned to a
particular crop. Direct costs are those that are tied directly to a crop,
such as seed, potting media, and fertilizers. Keeping excellent records
is the best way to accurately determine true costs.
Prices should reflect the following: 1) exact production costs, including
a reasonable profit, for each crop; 2) prices and quantities offered
by competitors; 3) supply and demand for the crop, except for very high-quality
products and very loyal customers.(1)
The British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has
compiled a Planning for Profit series that details costs involved
in establishing and growing several nursery species. These enterprise
budgets provide information on expenses and income for perennial and
tree crops, grown in containers and in the field. They should provide
a rough idea of how much it costs to get into production and how long
it takes to make a profit. See their Web site
for more information.
For costs associated with establishing a small perennial nursery, see
the handbook Requirements and Costs of Establishing and Operating
a Three-Acre Herbaceous Perennial Container Nursery (listed in
the Resources: Perennials section). See Betrock's hortworld.com for a list of horticultural software that focuses on plant selection
and nursery management.
At times, it is possible that the competitive price may fall below
the cost of production. In this circumstance, a nursery with a unique
advantage, such as closeness to market or a superior product, may be
able to maintain a higher price that covers costs, without experiencing
a serious drop in the number of plants sold.
Although it is desirable to make a profit on each kind of plant, sometimes
it is good marketing strategy to grow some plants that may not be very
profitable in order to offer a well-rounded inventory. A small nursery
might specialize in a few high-quality plants, or produce some plants
not carried by larger nurseries (which probably produce only plants
that have high sales volumes).
One way to cut production costs is to grow plants in smaller containers.
Although the crop sells for less, the cost of media and containers is
reduced, as well as the time needed to produce the crop. Similarly,
selling plants at wholesale prices means less money received for each
plant, but less money (and time) spent on marketing and advertising.
Back to top
Summary
Nursery managers can alter their production systems to incorporate products
and techniques that will help the nursery meet some attributtes of sustainable
agriculture: reduced fertilizer and pesticide runnoff, attention to soil
conservation, recycling of plastics, use of organic waste stream products
like compost, and so on. Some nursery growers may find certified organic
nursery stock or specialty nursery stock to be an economically profitable
option. Promotion of healthy plants as a first line of defense against
insects and diseases through soil building practices and nursery media
modifications plays a central role in sustainable nursery management.
The end result—a greener nursery—can be used to build good relations
with neighbors and in marketing your nursery plants to the green industry.
Back to top
References
1) Heuser, C.W. and R.F. Stinson
(eds.) 1989. Nursery Production, 2nd ed. Pennsylvania State University,
University Park, PA. 216 p.
2) Mathers, Hannah. 1996. An
Overview of the BC Wholesale Nursery Industry: New Grower Information
Package. Nursery Production Factsheet, Ministry of Agriculture,
Fisheries and Food, British Columbia. p. 2.
3) Byczynski, Lynn. 1995. Going
Commercial. Special Report for Growing for Market. Fairplain Publications,
Lawrence, KS. 8 p.
4) Garber, M.P. and K. Bondari.
1992. Improvement opportunities for growers of ornamental plants:
A survey of landscape architects. HortScience. December. p. 1322-1325.
5) Amato, Diane. 1994. Sustainable
natives. Small Farm Today. February. p. 22-25.
6) Svenson, Sven E., Dave G.
Adams, and Robert L. Ticknor. 1997. Slow and steady. American Nurseryman.
January 15. p. 50-52,
54-59.
7) Whitcomb, Carl E. 1988. Plant
Production in Containers. Lacebark Publications, Stillwater, OK.
p. 411.
8) Skimina, Conrad A. 1992. Recycling
water, nutrients, and waste in the nursery industry. HortScience.
September. p. 968-971.
9) Metzger, Jim. 1998. OSU research
update: New production methods to reduce pesticide leaching and
run-off. Ohio Florists' Association Bulletin. January. p. 13.
10) Rose, Mary Ann, Mark Rose,
and Hao Wang. 1999. Fertilizer concentration and moisture tension
affect growth and foliar N, P, and K contents of two woody ornamentals.
HortScience. April. p. 246-250.
11) National Coalition on IPM.
January, 1994. As quoted in Dufour, Rex. 1998. Integrated Pest Management.
ATTRA publication, Fayetteville, AR. p. 2.
12) Biddinger, Eric, Dave Beattie,
and Robert Berghage. 1999. The effects of copper-treated fiber containers
on the growth of four commercial plant species. Greenhouse Product
News. October. p. 22, 24-27.
13) Ruter, John M. 2000. Cross-country
containers. American Nurseryman. February 1. p. 26-28, 30-31.
14) Lerio Corporation
P.O. Box 2084
Mobile, AL 36652
www.nurserysupplies.com/
15) Haydu, John J. 1997. To bag
or to pot? American Nurseryman. April 15. p. 40-42, 44-47.
16) Schlossberg, Matt. 2000. Getting
back to the roots. American Nurseryman. February 1. p. 32-34, 36-37.
17) Growing Systems, Inc.
2950 N. Weil St.
Milwaukee, WI 53212
414-263-3131
18) Anderson Die and Manufacturing
2425 SE Moores St.
Portland, OR 97222
503-654-5629
19) Root Control, Inc.
7505 N. Broadway
Oklahoma City, OK 73116
800-521-8089
405-848-2302
20) Arent, Gale L. 1996. The greenhouse
wastestream. HortTechnology. October-December p. 365-366.
21) Suttle, Walter. 1998. Weeding
out costly controls. American Nurseryman. October 15. p. 24-29.
22) Texel USA
9987 Winston Dr.
Pinckney, MI 48169
734-878-1814
23) Appleton, Bonnie L. and Susan
C. French. 2000. Weed suppression for container-grown willow using
copper-treated fabric disks. HortTechnology. January-March. p. 204-206.
24) Williams, Greg and Pat Williams.
1997. More on corn gluten as a pre-emergence herbicide. HortIdeas.
June. p. 62.
25) Developing a Management Plan
for Irrigation Runoff. Texas A& M University.
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/greenhouse/nursery/environ/wmplan1.html
26) Schwankl, L.J. and G. McCourty.
1992. Organic fertilizers can be injected through low-volume irrigation
systems. California Agriculture. September-October. p. 21-23.
27) Amigo Cantisano
Organic Ag Advisors
P.O. Box 403
Cedar Ridge, CA 95924
530-268-6563
28) Parnes, Robert. 1990. Fertile Soil. agAccess Agricultural Booksource,
Davis, CA. 190 p.
Available for $39.95 from:
Fertile Ground Books
P.O. Box 2008
Davis, CA 95617
800-540-0170
29) Anon. 1998. Missouri gravel
bed offers growing alternative for nursery stock. American Nurseryman.
October 1. p. 20, 25.
30) Hoitink, H. A. J., Y. Inbar,
and M. J. Boehm. 1991. Status of compost-amended potting mixes naturally
suppressive to soilborne diseases of floricultural crops. Plant
Disease. September. p. 869-873.
31) Cole, Janet C., Roger Kjelgren,
and David L. Hensley. 1998. In-ground fabric containers as an alternative
nursery crop production system. HortTechnology. April-June. p. 159-163.
32) Bärtschi-Fobro
1715 Airpark Dr.
Grand Haven, MI 49417
616-847-0300
www.fobro.com
33) McCargo, Heather. 1997. Nursery
crops can be grown organically. Maine Organic Farmer & Gardener. June-August. p. 29-30.
34) Millcreek Manufacturing Co.
2617 Stumptown Rd.
Bird-in-Hand, PA 17505
800-311-1323
717-656-3050
35) Svenson, Sven E. 1998. Suppression
of liverwort growth in containers using irrigation, mulches, fertilizers
and herbicides. HortScience. June. p. 484. (Abstract)
36) Calkins, James B. and Bert
T. Swanson. 1995. Comparison of conventional and alternative nursery
weed management strategies. Weed Technology. October-December. p.
761-767.
37) Quarles, William. 1997. Steam—The hottest alternative to methyl bromide. American Nurseryman. August 15. p. 37-43.
38) Byczynski, Lynn. 1995. Use
the sun to beat insects, weeds. Growing for Market. August. p. 14,
16.
39) Maynard, Brian K. and William
A. Johnson. 1997. Using cupric hydroxide to reduce the rooting-out
of B&B stock during storage. HortScience. June. p. 455-456. (Abstract)
Back to top
Resources
Publications
For a complete listing of propagation supplies, tree seed, nursery
liners, plant materials, nursery supplies, equipment, and services associated
with the greenhouse and nursery industries, consider purchasing a copy
of the Nursery Management and Production Buyer's Guide issue.
Single copies are available for $47.50 from:
Nursery Management & Production
Branch-Smith Publishing
P.O. Box 1868
Fort Worth, TX
76101
800-433-5612
www.greenbeam.com
An extensive selection of books on nursery management are available
through the two trade journals mentioned below, Nursery Management & Production (NMPro) and American Nurseryman (see
Resources: Trade Magazines). The American Nursery and Landscape
Association also carries a number of titles, and publishes nursery standards
and booklets. Contact:
American Nursery and Landscape Association
1250 I Street, NW, Suite 500
Washington, DC 20005
202-789-2900
www.anla.org
General Production
Dirr, Michael. 1990. Manual of Woody Landscape Plants. Stipes Publishing
Co., Champaign, IL. 1007 p.
Available for $39.80 (softcover) or $49.80 (hardback) from:
Stipes Publishing Co.
10-12 Chester Street
Champaign, IL 61820
217-356-8391
Harlan, Michael and Linda Harlan. 1997. Growing Profits: How to Start
and Operate a Backyard Nursery. Moneta Publications, Citrus Heights,
CA. 207 p.
This book has some excellent practical information for starting
a small-scale nursery. It includes information on starting a nursery,
considers the business aspects, and gives down-to-earth facts about
production.
Available for $18 from:
Moneta Publications
8302 Villa Oak Dr.
Citrus Heights, CA 95610
916-725-6461
Heuser, C.W. and R.F. Stinson (eds.) 1996. Nursery Production. Pennsylvania
State University, University Park, PA. 216 p.
Available for $23 from: Publications Distribution Center
Penn State University
112 Agric. Admn. Bldg.
Univ. Park, PA 16802
814-865-6713
Moorman, Gary. 1994. Scouting and Controlling Woody Ornamental Diseases
in Landscapes and Nurseries. Pennsylvania State University, University
Park, PA. 90 p.
Available for $7 from Penn State (see address above).
Perry, F. B., Jr., et al. 1990. Establishment and Operation of 20-
and 40-acre Container Nurseries in Climatic Zone 9. Southern Cooperative
Series Bulletin 341. Dept. of Research Information, Alabama Ag. Expt.
Station, Auburn.
Archived in land-grant university libraries; access through Inter-Library
Loan.
Rice, Robert P., Jr. 1992. Nursery and Landscape Weed Control Manual,
2nd ed. Thomson Publications, Fresno, CA. 290 p.
Available for $29.95 from:
Thomson Publications
P.O. Box 9335
Fresno, CA 93791
559-435-2163
www.agbook.com
Starting A Nursery Business in Virginia (Publication Number
430-015) is an 80-page manual published by the Virginia Cooperative
Extension Service that should be helpful to any beginning grower. Access
through Inter-Library Loan (ILL).
Whitcomb, Carl E. 1988. Plant Production in Containers. Lacebark Publications,
Stillwater, OK. 633 p.
Available for $35 + S&H from:
Lacebark Publications
P.O. Box 2383
Stillwater, OK 74076
405-377-3539
Whitcomb, Carl E. 1989. Production of Landscape Plants. Lacebark Publications,
Stillwater, OK.
Available for $35 from Lacebark Publications (see address above).
Propagation
Dirr, Michael and C.W. Heuser. 1987. The Reference Manual of Woody
Plant Propagation. Varsity Press, Inc. Athens, GA. 239 p.
Contains complete propagation techniques for important woody plants.
Included is material on plant tissue culture and other specialized techniques.
The emphasis is on horticultural plant material.
Available for $35 from:
Varsity Press
337 S. Milledge Ave., Suite 119
Athens, GA 30605
706-613-0046
Hartmann, H.T., D.E. Kester, and F.T. Davies, Jr. 1997. Plant Propagation:
Principles and Practices, 6th ed. Prentice Hall, London. 912 p.
This is the standard reference on the science and practice of plant
propagation. It contains detailed information on propagation from seed
or cuttings, and describes and illustrates grafting and budding techniques.
Reproduction by grafting or budding is practiced extensively for certain
varieties of coniferous landscape trees, fruit trees, and deciduous
woody ornamentals.
Available for $99 from:
Fertile Ground Books
P.O. Box 2008
Davis, CA 95617
800-540-0170
Macdonald, Bruce. 1986. Practical Woody Plant Propagation for Nursery
Growers. Timber Press, Portland, OR. 669 p.
Available for $69.95 from:
Timber Press
133 SW Second Ave., Suite 450
Portland, OR 97204
800-327-5680
www.timberpress.com
Yerkes, Guy E. 1957. Propagation of Trees and Shrubs. USDA Farmers'
Bulletin No. 1567. 54 p.
Published in 1947, this USDA bulletin is a good practical guide
to propagation of woody plants by seed and cuttings using on-farm resources.
You should be able to obtain a photocopy of this Farmers' Bulletin through
a land-grant university library or through Inter-Library Loan.
Young, James A. and Cheryl G. Young. 1992. Seeds of Woody Plants in
North America. Dioscorides Press, Portland, OR. 407 p.
Seeds of Woody Plants of North America is a greatly revised
edition of the legendary USDA Agriculture Handbook No. 450, Seeds
of Woody Plants in the United States. The new edition covers twice
the genera of plants, including new material on native plants used in
environmental plantings and Asian plant materials of importance. The
focus is on propagation from seed; vegetative propagation is not covered.
Presentation of material is condensed, however, and access to the USDA
handbook may be helpful for literature citations, taxonomic information,
tables, and chapters on seed biology, genetics, pollen handling, and
harvesting and storage procedures. Available for $49.95 from Timber
Press (see address above).
Perennials
Armitage, Allen. 1997. Herbaceous Perennial Plants. Varsity Press,
Athens, GA. 1141 p.
Good book for general knowledge of perennials. Widely available
for $57.
Nau, Jim. 1996. Ball Perennial Manual: Propagation and Production.
Ball Publishing, Batavia, IL. 487 p.
An excellent resource for perennials. The following information is given
for each perennial: description, hardiness, season of bloom, propagation,
germination overview, growing techniques, varieties and cultivars, related
materials, uses, and tips on how to use in the home garden. Available
for $65 from:
Ball Publishing
P.O. Box 9
Batavia, IL 60510
888-888-0013
www.growertalks.com
Perry, Leonard P. 1988. Herbaceous Perennials Production: A Guide from
Propagation to Marketing. NRAES-93. Northeast Regional Agricultural
Engineering Service, Ithaca, NY. 208 p.
Available for $27 from:
NRAES
152 Riley-Robb Hall
Ithaca, NY 14853-5701
607-255-7645
607-254-8770
nraes@cornell.edu
www.nraes.org
Taylor, Reed D., et al. 1990. Requirements and Costs of Establishing
and Operating a Three-Acre Herbaceous Perennial Container Nursery. Special
Circular 136, Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, The
Ohio State University, Wooster, Ohio. 30 p.
This study identifies the resources and costs associated with an
herbaceous three-acre perennial nursery. Calculations are based on 1989
prices. The study calculates total costs per plant, based on how the
plant was propagated, with calculations based on 1989 prices. Included
in the cost estimates are land improvement, unheated polyhouse, heated
polyhouse, cold frame, irrigation, fixed costs, labor, machinery, capital,
and variable costs. Archived in land-grant university libraries; access
through Inter-Library Loan.
Pests and Diseases
Dreistadt, Steve H. 1994. Pests of Landscape Trees and Shrubs: An Integrated
Pest Management Guide. Publication 3359. University of California, Division
of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Oakland, CA. 327 p.
Available for $32 from:
ANR Publications
University of California
6701 San Pablo Ave.
Oakland, CA 94608-1239
800-994-8849
510-642-2431
http://anrcatalog.ucdavis.edu/
International Society of Arboriculture. 1997. Plant Health Care for
Woody Ornamentals. Printec Press, Champaign, IL. 223 p.
Presents proactive approaches to woody-plant health care in nurseries
and landscapes. Focuses on diagnosing and treating diseases, pests,
and abiotic disorders.
Available for $45 from:
Publications Coordinator
International Society of Arboriculture
P.O. Box GG
Savoy, IL 61874
217-355-9411
Leslie, Anne R. 1994. Handbook of Integrated Pest Management for Turf
and Ornamentals. Lewis Publishers/CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL. 660 p.
Gill, Stanton, David L. Clement, and Ethel Dutky. 1999. Pests & Diseases of Herbaceous Perennials: The Biological Approach. Ball Publishing
Co., Batavia, IL. 304 p.
Pot-in-pot System
Brand, Mark H. 1994. Pot-in-pot system—The best of field and container
production. Yankee Nursery Quarterly. Spring. p. 1-4.
Haydu, John J. 1997. To bag or to pot? American Nurseryman. April 15.
p. 40-42, 44-47.
Ruter, John M. 1997. The practicality of pot-in-pot. American Nurseryman.
Jan. 1. p. 32-37.
Ruter, John M. 1995. Effects of pot-in-pot production system on plant
growth. American Nurseryman. Feb. 15. p. 66-69.
Capillary Sandbeds and Subirrigation Systems
Adams, Dave G., Sven E. Svenson, and Robert L. Ticknor. 1997. Making
your bed. American Nurseryman. January 15. p. 60-62, 64-67. Detailed plans for building a sandbed.
Svenson, Sven E., Dave G. Adams, and Robert L. Ticknor. 1997. Slow
and steady. American Nurseryman. January 15. p. 50-52, 54-59.
Uva, Wen-Fei, Thomas C. Weiler, and Robert A. Milligan. 1999. Zero
the hero. Greenhouse Grower.
January. p. 158, 160.
February. p. 68, 70.
March. p. 44, 47-48, 50.
Three-part series on subirrigation systems.
USDA Publications
USDA publications—in the Agriculture Handbook, Miscellaneous Publication,
and Bulletin series—are a rich source of educational materials
on field and container nursery production, seedling propagation and
production, species selection, and related topics. Selected titles are
listed below.
Landis, T.D., R.W. Tinus, S.E. McDonald, and J.P. Barnett. 1990. The
Container Tree Nursery Manual. Volumes 1-7: Agriculture Handbook No.
674-1 through 674-7. USDA Forest Service, Washington, DC.
A thorough treatise on the production of containerized trees; seven
volumes altogether. Volume 1-planning, development, and management;
Volume 2-containers and growing media; Volume 3-container nursery environment;
Volume 4-seedling nutrition and irrigation; Volume 5-pests and mycorrhizae;
Volume 6-propagation; Volume 7-processing, storage, and outplanting
of seedlings.
The Container Tree Nursery Manual online www.rngr.net/Publications/ctnm
Cordell, Charles E. 1989. Forest Nursery Pests. Agriculture Handbook
No. 680. Forest Service, USDA. 184 p.
Forest Nursery Pests online www.rngr.net/Publications/fnp
Peterson, G.W. and R. Smith. 1975. Forest Nursery Diseases in the United
States. Agriculture Handbook No. 470. Forest Service, USDA. 125 p.
Hardenburg, R.E. et al. 1986. The Commercial Storage of Fruits, Vegetables,
and Florist and Nursery Stocks. USDA Agriculture Handbook No. 66. 130
p. Carlson, J.R. 1991. Conservation Tree and Shrub Cultivars in the United
States. USDA Agriculture Handbook No. 692. 50 p.
Williams, Robert D., and Sidney H Hanks. 1976. Hardwood Nurseryman's
Guide. Agriculture Handbook No. 473. Forest Service, USDA. 78 p.
Stoeckler, J. H., and P. E. Slabaugh. 1965. Conifer Nursery Practice
in the Prairie-Plains. Agriculture Handbook No. 279. Forest Service,
USDA. 96 p.
Stoeckler, J. H., and G. W. Jones. 1957. Forest Nursery Practices in
the Lake States. Agriculture Handbook No. 110. Forest Service, USDA.
124 p.
Engstrom, H. E., and J. H. Stoeckler. 1941. Nursery Practices for Trees
and Shrubs Suitable for Planting on the Prairie-Plains. USDA. Miscellaneous
Publication No. 434. 159 p.
USDA publications are commonly available in land-grant university
libraries. Your local librarian can help you borrow agricultural literature
through Inter-Library Loan. For-sale publications are available through
U.S. Government Bookstores, located in 23 regional locations. The Washington,
D.C. bookstore and the Online Bookstore are listed below.
U.S. Government Bookstore
U.S. Government Printing Office
710 No. Capital Street, NW
Washington, D.C. 20401
202-512-0132
202-512-1355 Fax
U.S. Government Online Bookstore
http://bookstore.gpo.gov
University Publications
Hamm, P.B., S.J. Campbell, E.M. Hansen. 1990. Growing Healthy Seedlings:
Identification and Management of Pests in Northwest Forest Nurseries.
Forest Research Laboratory, Oregon State University. 110 p.
Growing Healthy Seedlings online www.rngr.net/Publications/ghs
Forest Experiment Station Reports
Liegel, L.H., and C.R. Venator. 1987. A Technical Guide for Forest
Nursery Management in the Caribbean and Latin America. General Technical
Report SO-67.
A Technical Guide for Forest Nursery Management in the
Caribbean and Latin America online www.srs.fs.usda.gov/pubs/1409
Numerous bulletins and
fact sheets on nursery production are available through the Extension
Service, Agricultural Experiment Station, and U.S. Forest Service.
For materials available in your region, contact your horticulture
and forestry extension specialists. |
Back to top
Web Sites
Nursery References and Information
Sources of Information: Nursery Production
Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Industries—British Columbia
www.agf.gov.bc.ca/ornamentals/nursery/nursourc.pdf
References for Production Nursery Operators
Ron Kujawski, University of Massachusetts
www.umassgreeninfo.org/fact_sheets/plant_culture/nursery_references.htm
NurseryWeb
www.nursery.umd.edu/
University of Maryland website on nursery production, IPM, and nutrient
management. Includes a large collection of horticulural and nursery
web links, organized by topic.
PLANT - Purdue Landscape and Nursery Thesaurus
http://bluestem.hort.purdue.edu/plant/
Purdue University collection of web links on landscape and nursery
resources, with over 2,300 sites organized by topic.
Nursery-Related Internet Resources
Stuewe and Sons
www.stuewe.com/about/othersites.html
Useful Web Pages for Nursery Operators
Environmental Horticulture, University of Florida
http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/people/yeagernurseopera.htm
Nursery Production:
General, Nutrition, Irrigation, and Water Quality Topics
Commerical Nursery Production Information
Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Industries-British Columbia
www.agf.gov.bc.ca/ornamentals/nursery/nursourc.pdf
The Green Beam
www.greenbeam.com
Maintained by Branch-Smith Publishing, publisher of NMPro, GMPro, Garden Center Merchandising and Management, and Garden Center Products and Supplies. Site offers articles, industry
news, and source lists for products and suppliers.
The Green Beam Cyberconference: Water Quality
www.greenbeam.com/cyberconference/cyber-main.html
The Green Beam Cyberconference: Plant Nutrition and Fertilizers
www.greenbeam.com/features/cyb011501.stm
Texas: Nursery, Floral and Landscape Network
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/greenhouse/
Texas A&M site with nursery, greenhouse and IPM resources.
Environmental Publications
Texas A&M University, Nursery/Floral Crops
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/greenhouse/nursery/environ/index.html
- Developing a Management Plan for Irrigation Runoff
- Principles of Irrigation Management
- Monitoring the Quality of Irrigation Water
- Integrated Pest Management for Greenhouse Crops
- Treating and Recycling Irrigation Runoff
Something to Grow On/Nutrient Management: The Key to Growing
Healthy Nursery Crops in Containers
www.hort.cornell.edu/department/faculty/good/growon/index.html
Cornell University website on nutrient management for field crops,
container crops, and container media.
Irrigation Management Practices: Checklist for Oregon
Oregon State University, Bioresource Engineering
http://biosys.bre.orst.edu/bre/docs/irrigation.htm
Best Management Practices for Field Production of Nursery Stock
North Carolina State University
www.bae.ncsu.edu/programs/extension/ag-env/nursery/
Using Compost in Landscape Beds and Nursery Substrates
North Carolina State University
www.bae.ncsu.edu/bae/programs/extension/publicat/wqwm/ag473_14.html
Nursery Crop Science
North Carolina State University
www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/nursery/
- Cultural Practices
- Horticultural Substrates Laboratory
- Container Substrates
- Websites for Nurseries
Ergonomics Papers: Prevention of Worker Injury in Nursery Production
Agricultural Ergonomics Research Center, University of California
http://ag-ergo.ucdavis.edu/papers/
Establishment and Economics of Nursery Production
ORNAMENTALS: Planning for Profit Enterprise Budgets
British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture, Food & Fisheries
www.agf.gov.bc.ca/busmgmt/budgets/index.htm
Enterprise budgets for commercial nursery production in British
Columbia
Starting in the Nursery Business
Purdue University, HO-212
www.agcom.purdue.edu/AgCom/Pubs/HO/HO-212.pdf
Starting a Wholesale Nursery—Part I
University of Arkansas
www.uaex.edu/Other_Areas/publications/PDF/FSA-6055.pdf
Extension Nursery Publications
Missouri Alternatives Center
http://agebb.missouri.edu/mac/links/linkview2.asp?catnum=160&alpha=N
Integrated Pest Management
Nematodes That Work for Nursery Growers
Stanton Gill, University of Maryland
www.agnr.umd.edu/ipmnet/nemanurs.htm
Nursery IPM at University of Connecticut
www.canr.uconn.edu/ces/ipm/ipmnurs.htm
Forest Insect and Disease Leaflets
USDA Forest Service
www.na.fs.fed.us/spfo/pubs/fidl.htm
Nursery Diseases of Western Conifers
Forest Insect & Disease Leaflet 157, USDA Forest Service
www.na.fs.fed.us/spfo/pubs/fidls/disease_west/nur_diseases.htm
Corn Gluten Meal Research Site
Iowa State University
www.gluten.iastate.edu/
Biological Control of Pests in Forest Nurseries
Don Elliott, page 145-147. In: National Proceedings: Forest
and Conservation Nursery Associations—1998
www.srs.fs.usda.gov/pubs/863
Biointensive Integrated Pest Management
ATTRA
http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/summaries/ipm.html
Nursery Associations and Technology Cooperatives
Canadian Nursery Landscape Association
www.canadanursery.com
Links to regional associations in Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan,
Manitoba, etc.
Nursery Technology Cooperative
Oregon State University
http://ntc.forestry.oregonstate.edu/
Southern Forest Nursery Management Cooperative
www.forestry.auburn.edu/sfnmc/sfnmc.html
Southern Nursery Association
www.sna.org
Large site with newsletter archives, publications, conference proceedings,
research, news, events.
Forest Conservation Nurseries Associations
http://westernforestry.org/
A special feature is the collection of online conference proceedings
and papers.
Directory of Nursery Supplies
The Green Beam
www.greenbeam.com
The Green Beam site, maintained by Branch-Smith Publishing—publisher
of NMPro, GMPro, Garden Center Merchandising and Management,
and Garden Center Products and Supplies—offers extensive
lists of products and suppliers.
Pacific Coast Nurseryman: Structures & Equipment Suppliers
List
www.pacificcoastnurseryman.com/structures.htm
Forest Nursery Resources
Forest Nursery Notes (FNN)
www.rngr.net/Publications/fnn
Archives of Forest Nursery Notes
www.forestry.auburn.edu/sfnmc/pubs/fnn/fnn.html
FNN is a nursery news and literature service published in January
and July of each year, consisting of two sections. The first contains
dates and locations of meetings, national issues, cultural articles,
equipment and services, nursery networks, and editorials. The second
section—New Nursery Literature—contains a numerical list of
recently published technical articles.
Forest Nursery Publications Online
Reforestation, Nurseries, and Genetic Resources at USDA Forest
Service
www.na.fs.fed.us/spfo/fth_pub.htm
- Forest Nursery Pests
- The Container Tree Nursery Manual
- Forest Nursery Notes
- Tree Planters' Notes
- Bareroot Nursery Equipment Catalog
- Native Plants Journal
- Raising Forest Tree Seedlings at Home
Forest Nursery Information
Reforestation, Nurseries, and Genetic Resources as USDA Forest Service
www.rngr.net/Publications
- The Container Tree Nursery Manual
- Forest Nursery Pests
- Growing Healthy Seedlings
- Directory of Forest and Conservation Nurseries
Forest Nursery Diagnostic Lab and Seedling Health Monitoring
Program
Especially see the compost amendments and mycorrhizal programs.
www.fs.fed.us/na/morgantown/fhp Native Plants, Specialty Plants, and Perennials
Native Plants Journal online
http://nativeplants.for.uidaho.edu
Bamboo: A Multipurpose Agroforestry Crop
ATTRA
http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/summaries/bamboo.html
Perry's Perennial Pages
Leonard Perry, University of Vermont
www.uvm.edu/~pass/perry/
University of Georgia Trial Gardens
Allan Armitage
http://ugatrial.hort.uga.edu/
- Perennials
- Specialty Annuals
- Genera Trials
- Best of the Best
- Plant Sources
Back to top
Organizations
American Nursery & Landscape Association (ANLA)
1250 I Street, NW, Suite 500
Washington, DC 20005-3922
202-789-2900
202-789-1893 Fax
www.anla.org
ANLA, a membership organization, publishes key resources for the
nursery industry, such as American Standard for Nursery Stock.
The Horticultural Research Institute (HRI), a research division of ANLA,
sponsors research and publishes Journal of Environmental Horticulture.
International Plant Propagators' Society, Inc.
Center for Urban Horticulture
GF-15, University of Washington
Seattle, WA 98195
206-543-8602
www.ipps.org
Publishes the Proceedings of The International Plant Propagators
Society.
International Society of Arboriculture
P.O. Box GG
Savoy, IL 61874
217-355-9411
www.isa-arbor.com
Publishes Arborist News and Journal of Arboriculture,
as well as a catalog of books, educational materials, and software.
Perennial Plant Association
3383 Schirtzinger Road
Hilliard, Ohio 43026
614-771-8431
614-876-5238 Fax
ppa@perennialplant.org
www.perennialplant.org
Publishes Perennial Plants Journal and a Newsletter; sponsors
an annual symposium with accompanying proceedings. Educational materials
include Guide to Herbaceous Perennial Gardens in the United States
and Canada, clip art packet for 50 most popular perennials, perennials
catalog, and slide sets.
Horticultural Associations and Societies
Betrock's hortworld.com Information Systems
www.plantfinder.com/Services/Associations.asp
Extensive list of regional and statewide nursery associations.
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Trade Magazines
American Nurseryman
American Nurseryman Publishing Co.
77 W. Washington St., Suite 2100
Chicago, IL 60602-2904
800-621-5727
312-782-3232 Fax
www.amerinursery.com
$45/year, biweekly. Wide selection of books, videos, CD-Roms, and
software.
Branch-Smith Publishing
P.O. Box 1868
Ft. Worth, TX 76101
800-433-5612
www.greenbeam.com
- Nursery Management & Production (NMPro)
- Greenhouse Management & Production (GMPro)
- Garden Center Merchandising & Management
- Garden Center Products & Supplies
Free to qualified growers, or $96/year for 12 issues with two Buyer's
Guide issues.
Pacific Coast Nurseryman and Garden Supply Dealer
Cox Publishing Co.
P.O. Box 1477
Glendora, CA 91740-1477
800-577-5225
626-914-3751 Fax
www.pacificcoastnurseryman.com
Nursery Retailer
Brantwood Publications
2310 Northside Drive
Clearwater, FL 33761-2236
888-376-4784
727-786-9771
727-786-9772 Fax
thinkgreen@nurseryretailer.com
www.nurseryretailer.com
Horticultural Trade Magazines
Betrock's hortworld.com Information Systems
www.plantfinder.com/Services/TradeMagazines.asp
Extensive list of horticultural trade magazines.
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Suppliers
A Few General Nursery Supplies Mentioned in Text: Root Control Pots, Nursery Equipment, Steam Disinfection
American Horticultural Supply, Inc.
4045 Via Pescador
Camarillo, CA 93012
800-247-1184
www.americanhort.com/
—Unusual pots (square, stair-step, bottomless).
Anderson Die and Manufacturing
2425 SE Moores St.
Portland, OR 97222
503-654-5629
—Tree Bands
Bärtschi-Fobro
1715 Airpark Dr.
Grand Haven, MI 49417
616-847-0300
www.fobro.com
—Nursery equipment: lifter/shakers for digging field stock and brush hoes.
E-Z Implements, Inc.
3311 W. 166th St.
Jordan, MN 55352
800-278-2531
612-492-2867
—Tree diggers, tree shears, graders.
Growing Systems, Inc.
2950 N. Weil St.
Milwaukee, WI 53212
414-263-3131
—Deep Groove Tube cell-pack trays.
IEM Plastics
606 Walters St.
Reidsville, NC 27320
336-349-9246
—Root control bags.
Lacebark, Inc.
P.O. Box 2383
Stillwater, OK 74076
405-377-3539
—Root control bags, RootMaker pots.
Root Control, Inc.
7505 N. Broadway
Oklahoma City, OK 73116
800-521-8089
405-848-2302
—Root control bags.
RootMaker Products, Inc.
P.O. Box 14553
Huntsville, AL 35815
800-824-3941
256-882-3199
www.rootmaker.com
—RootMaker pots.
Saskatoon Boiler Manufacturing
2011 Quebec Ave.
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
CANADA S7K 1W5
306-652-7022
—Saskatoon Model 30HP-15 nursery steamer.
Sioux Steam Cleaner Corp.
One Sioux Plaza
Beresford, SD 57004
605-763-3333
—Sioux Steam Flo nursery steamer.
Stuewe & Sons, Inc.
2290 SE Kiger Island Drive
Corvallis, OR 97333-9461
800-553-5331
www.stuewe.com
—Unusual pots (square, stair-step, bottomless).
Texel USA
9987 Winston Dr.
Pinckney, MI 48169
734-878-1814
—Agroliners™ and Geodiscs™.
Corn Gluten
Corn Gluten Meal Licensees
Iowa State University
www.public.iastate.edu/~isurf/tech/cgmwebsite.html
Iowa State University holds the patent on the use of corn gluten
meal as a natural herbicide. Please refer to this website for a list
of 16 licensed suppliers of this product.
Resource Directories
For a comprehensive list of products and suppliers that support the nursery and greenhouse industries, see the following two websites.
The Green Beam
www.greenbeam.com
The Green Beam site, maintained by Branch-Smith Publishing—publisher
of NMPro, GMPro, Garden Center Merchandising and Management,
and Garden Center Products and Supplies—offers extensive
lists of products and suppliers.
Pacific Coast Nurseryman: Structures & Equipment Suppliers
List
www.pacificcoastnurseryman.com/structures.htm
By Steve Diver and Lane Greer
Revised 2001
NCAT Agriculture Specialists
Copyright © 2001 National Center for Appropriate Technology
IP104
Slot 76
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