What is a nursery

A plant nursery is a place where any kinds of plants

are grown for the sake of being moved or transplanted

later. It can occupy a field, garden, greenhouse, or

other form of growing space. Usually the plants

grown in such a nursery are flowers or household

A plant nursery can belong to a commercial

establishment such as a garden store, or it

can grow plants wholesale for retail sale

elsewhere
Nursery environment

• The nursery environment is a place to germinate, grow, and

protect locally adapted seedlings until they are healthy,

strong, and large enough to meet the challenges of out

planting sites.
Nursery environment
• Types of Propagation Environments

• When most people think of container nurseries, they think of

greenhouses; however, many other propagation environments

are available.
Minimally Controlled Environments
A minimally controlled environment is the simplest and least

expensive of all types of propagation environments. The most

common type is an open growing compound. It consists of an

area where plants are exposed to full sunlight and usually

nothing more than an irrigation system and a surrounding

fence.
Semi-controlled Environments

• Semi- controlled” because only a few of the limiting

factors in the ambient environment are modified.

Semi-controlled environments consist of a wide variety of growing

structures ranging from simple cold frames to shade houses.

Fully Controlled Environments

• Fully controlled environments are propagation structures in which all or most of

the limiting environmental factors are controlled. Examples include growth

chambers and greenhouses. Fully controlled environments are often used because

they have the advantage of year-round production in almost any climate. In

addition, most crops can be grown much faster than in other types of nurseries
Types of plant nurseries

• Fruit Plant nursery-

• Vegetable plant nursery-

• Ornamental plant nursery-

• Medicinal and Aromatic plant nursery-

• Forest plant nursery-

Open nursery

• This type of nursery is low cost and low maintenance

nursery. No special overhead structure like a greenhouse,

glasshouse, etc., is there except some shade nets or normal

room/ office present.

Closed nursery
• This type of nursery has special overhead structures to

provide a definite amount of sunlight for plants like

greenhouse, glasshouse, and shade-nets. These structures, in

some cases, are scientifically facilitated with room

temperature and humidity control.

According to the Type of Sale

Retail Nursery:

Wholesale nursery:

Private nursery-These nurseries generally are one customer

nursery and provide the batches for a single customer or the owner.

Mail Order- the nurseries mentioned above can be a part of this

type of nursery. These days online shopping has become a natural
trend and is an ever-rising business.
GROWING MEDIA

• Growing medium often referred to as “substrate” or “potting

media”, is a material, other than soil, in which plants are

grown.
• The growing medium ensures that the plant can healthily
grow by providing it with a range of essential elements:

an optimum rooting environment for physical stability

storage of air for the roots

water absorption and retention

supply of nutrients for the root

Characteristics of an Ideal Growing Media

1. Physical Properties-

• Water-Holding Capacity

• Aeration

• Porosity

• Shrinking and swelling

Characteristics of an Ideal Growing Media

2. Chemical properties

Fertility

 pH

Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC)

Select, set out and prepare site-
Factors to consider when selecting nursery site

1. Ecological factors are those that relate to the environment and include

• Climate

• Water

• Topography

• Air
2. Economical factors are those that relate to the efficient use

of money and resources and include:

• Market

• Land

• Labor

• Facilities
3. Geological factors are those that refer to the structure of the earth
especially its rocks, soils and minerals and include:

• Soil drainage

• Soil texture

• Soil fertility
4. Biological
Before selecting a site for a nursery, you should investigate the
presence of any insect, disease or weed pests which may be
harmful to the nursery plants.
CHECK PARTS, EQUIPMENT AND CONSTRUCTION
MATERIALS

Levels (Automatic, Laser, Dumpy, Cowley)

Pencil and calculator

Staff/labor

Pegs

Rakes
Shovels Rollers

Wheelbarrows

Backhoes

Front end loaders

Graders

Pick-axes

Green house supplies

Nursery materials
shade cloth
Anti-viral mesh
PVC
Fiber glass
Glass
UV plastic
Polycarbonate
Polyethylene
Key terms

The difference between weather and climate is a measure of

time.

Weather is what conditions of the atmosphere are over a short

period of time

Climate is how the atmosphere "behaves" over relatively long

periods of time.
Key terms

An inert grow medium is a type of grow media that

contains no nutrients. In general, a good grow medium

ensures that plant roots have a place to anchor and

retains moisture at the same time.

Seedling: It is a plant grown from seed.

Transplanting is the process of moving a fully

germinated seedling (or mature plant) and replanting it in

a permanent location for the growing season.

Hydrologist- a person who studies the distribution, use and
circulation of water

A hazard assessment is the process to identify, assess, and control

workplace hazards and the risks to worker health and safety.