Starting A Wholesale Nursery Part Ii Fsa6056
Agriculture and Natural Resources
Nursery Series
Starting a Wholesale Nursery – Part II
Dr. James A. Robbins
Container Production –
winter; fan cooling for summer). A
Extension Horticulture
nursery operation will use a number
Specifics
of vehicles and some machinery, so
Specialist – Ornamentals
larger operations include facilities for
Facilities and Equipment
storing and repairing equipment.
Dr. Gerald L.
Klingaman
A container production nursery
Since most nurseries conduct
Extension Horticulture
typically contains the following basic
some type of propagation on site,
Specialist – Ornamentals
components or features. Your business
specialized facilities are usually
usually includes some type of office
reserved for this function. The type
building with
(e.g., tissue culture, seed, cutting,
space for
grafting or
administrative
budding) and
functions and
amount of
usually sales.
propagation
When starting a
will determine
nursery
the type and
business, your
size of facilities
home typically
required.
serves this
function. A
Most of your
nursery of any
nursery parcel
type and size
will be devoted
will require
to general
some type of
container
storage building. Covered storage is
growing areas. This may include
usually considered for fertilizers,
covered (lathe, glass, plastic or fabric)
chemicals and materials not contained
or open production areas. The initial
in waterproof packaging. Storage of
investment in preparing a container
chemicals requires special
growing area can be expensive
consideration and handling. Your local
depending on the amount of grading
county office of the University of
required and type of bed preparation
Arkansas Cooperative Extension
materials. Production bed preparation
Service can help you in the proper
minimally includes clearing, grading,
storage and handling of chemicals.
installing drainage and irrigation
systems and development of roads and
Medium to large nurseries usually
aisles. Most growers will opt to cover
designate a building or shed as an
the ground in gravel or a weed barrier
area for potting or canning. Although
fabric to reduce weeds and make for a
Arkansas Is
canning is often done in the field
cleaner production pad. When grading
directly off the ground or from
container beds, give serious
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wagons, it is certainly more enjoyable
consideration to “crowning” beds so
for workers to perform this function in
that water does not stand under the
a covered area with minimal
containers. Grading should also
environmental control (e.g., heat for
account for the general flow of water
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University of Arkansas, United States Department of Agriculture, and County Governments Cooperating
around production areas to avoid problems with
containers is the most common, specific drip
erosion and washouts. Although not yet required by
irrigation systems are readily available to increase
law, growers would be wise to design the container
irrigation efficiency of container nurseries.
nursery layout so all surface runoff can be contained
on-site and recycled.
Because the root system is exposed to extremes in
temperature, consideration must be given to some
In Arkansas, it is likely that a container nursery
type of overwintering protection. The amount and
will devote some growing space to either permanent
type required will vary depending on your location
or temporary overwintering structures. The most
and type of crops grown. Overwintering systems
common type is constructed from bent steel hoops
range from simply pushing cans together in the fall to
covered with white polyethylene sheets. A container
covered houses with supplemental heat.
nursery may also use a permanent shade structure
constructed from poles, cables and plastic
Container Production Costs1
shade fabric.
Estimated Initial Capital Investment:
All nurseries need to designate an area to “stage”
land: purchase or lease ($500 to $5,000/acre)
loads for shipping. Loading or staging areas should
land improvement: grading, gravel ($3,000 to $15,000/acre)
include adequate irrigation and may be covered to
buildings: office ($25-$50/ft2); storage ($15-$20/ft2)
reduce stress on workers and plants. Loading trucks
greenhouse ($15-$25/ft2), quonset-style poly house ($1.50
from a dock is easier than from the ground.
$4/ft2) and/or overwintering structures ($0.50 to $0.70/ft2)
equipment: tractor ($10-$20,000); trucks; trailers; sprayers;
Production Terms and Schemes
irrigation system
Average Total:
$22,000/acre
Like other industries, there are some unique
Estimated Annual Fixed Costs:
terms that apply to container nursery production.
land: taxes and interest
“Direct stick” is a term used when an unrooted
roads and retention ponds: maintenance
cutting is placed directly in a container skipping the
buildings: interest, insurance, taxes, maintenance
rooting stage in propagation. “Liners” are rooted
equipment: interest, insurance, taxes,
plants used in production that can vary in size from
maintenance
2'' pots up to larger sized containers (e.g., 5-gal) and
general overhead: utilities, salaries, etc.
are serving as the source for the next stage in
Average Total:
$8,250/acre
production. As an example, you may be growing 5-gal
Estimated Annual Variable Costs (directly attributable to crops):
junipers for sale (finished stock), or those same plants
media
fertilizer
may be used as a “bump-up liner” for a 7-gal finished
pots
labor
crop. “Bump-up” is the term used when plants are
chemicals
plant material
moved from a smaller to a larger container size. In
Average Total:
$47,000/acre
most cases growers are starting with smaller-sized
Considering the space required for roads, aisles, buildings and
plants that they will “grow-up” to a finished size. In a
space lost between containers, the following are average numbers of
few cases you may wish to purchase in “finished”
containers per acre.
sizes rather than grow everything yourself as these
1-gal can tight:
110,000 to 130,000 1-gal/A
items will help broaden your sales mix.
3-gal can tight:
35,000 to 50,000 3-gal/A
3-gal 1-X spacing:
8,500 to 12,000 3-gal/A
Specific Production Considerations
Shipping statistics: 5,000-6,500 1-gal/48' semi-truck;
When dealing with container production, we need
approximately 1,500 5-gal/48' semi-truck.
________________
to focus on several specific production considerations.
1
The first is the type of container media. One of the
Adapted from Nursery Production: An Agricultural Alternative.
main reasons for growing in a container is that you
University of Georgia Bulletin 1015.
have a unique opportunity to optimize the growing
conditions for chemical and physical properties. Your
Field Production – Specifics
extension specialist can help you in evaluating
appropriate materials for your container mix. There
Site Considerations
are several components that are generally used in
containers including bark, peat and sand. Each of
these components is added to achieve specific
There are three primary site considerations for a
objectives from aeration to weight. A common mix
field nursery. They include topography (slope), soil
might consist of 80 percent pine bark, 10 percent peat
type and air movement. Topography is particularly
and 10 percent sand.
critical if harvesting is conducted by mechanical
equipment that requires minimal slope. Rolling
The other unique requirement deals with the type
topography can be compensated for when laying out
of irrigation system. While overhead irrigation of
the planting direction for field rows.
Soil type is a critical factor. While sandy soils may
trees. An example of plant spacing for larger caliper
be fine for bare-root field production, they are
trees might be two rows of trees (8' between trees and
generally undesirable for B&B field production.
8' between rows) with a 10' access aisle on either side
Heavier soils that make forming a root ball easier
of the double row planting. Knowing the clearances
also tend to increase the weight of the finished plant.
for equipment used in maintaining or harvesting
Consideration should also be given to sites with soils
these field plants will help determine some
that are well drained and relatively free of rocks.
spacing requirements.
In many cases fields will be planted with liners or
seedlings in the fall or early spring months. For
spring planting the field may be cultivated and
prepared the previous fall when soils are likely not as
wet. On a small scale, planting can be completed by
hand; however, for larger operations some type of
specialized transplanter similar to those used in
vegetable operations is more efficient. In certain
areas consideration should be given to seeding the
rows and aisles with a cover crop of grass to reduce
weeds and minimize erosion. A key to planting
success is providing supplemental irrigation during
the establishment period.
Some consideration should be given when
evaluating a piece of property for the type of air
Maintenance
movement. Unlike container plants that can be
moved or have temporary protection built over them,
The major advantage of field production over
field-grown plants are susceptible to cold pockets and
container operations is that once the plants are
areas with little air movement. These unique areas
planted your daily maintenance during the growing
can be compensated for by selecting plants that will
period is greatly reduced. Consideration will need to
be less affected by these special situations.
be given to irrigation, fertilizing, monitoring and
responding to disease and insect problems and
Facilities and Equipment
staking and pruning.
Unless you are dealing with bare-root field
In most cases supplemental irrigation will be
production, the necessary facilities for field
required. Irrigation is typically applied by either
production are minimal. The primary facility in field
overhead application or by drip irrigation methods.
production might be covered storage for the various
Overhead irrigation will require larger volumes than
drip irrigation, but the irrigation system may be
tractors, sprayer and digging equipment. A field
simpler. Installation of irrigation equipment and
production nursery would still require some type of
piping should be considered as to how it relates to
office, up-to-date chemical storage and preparation
cultivation and harvesting operations.
facility and a loading dock. A bare-root nursery will
require an expensive and specialized walk-in cooler
Harvesting
for storage of harvested bare-root plants.
Harvesting techniques and equipment will vary
Equipment for a field nursery will likely be
depending on the type of field production. For
specialized and include larger tractors, U-blades for
example, a grower of bare-root liners will likely use a
root pruning, specialized harvesters for B&B and
“U”-blade or lifter to cut the roots, lift the plant and
bare-root production and specialized sprayers for
shake much of the soil from the plant while in the
field applications.
field. For B&B operations, various types of
Production Scheme
mechanized “balling” or digging machines are
commonly used. B&B growers may choose to dig
plants simply by hand. Digging and forming a soil
Planting
ball is very labor intensive. The size of the root ball
should be in proportion to the top of the plant.
Before planting the soil should be tested and any
Growers should consult the American Nursery and
adjustments made. The most common treatment
Landscape Association Standards for Nursery Stock
would be to adjust the soil pH. Planting rows should
publication.
also be properly cultivated and weed-free.
Plants that have been dug are handled either as
Spacing for field production depends on the type
bare-root, wrapped in a covering material like burlap,
of production and consideration for maintenance and
or mechanically dug and placed in a rigid container or
harvesting equipment. Planting density for a bare-
box. Nursery stock is usually dug in the fall and early
root whip nursery will be higher than for 3'' caliper
spring. Plants dug but not sold in the fall will likely
be “healed-in” for spring shipments. Harvesting will
field production equipment, such as tractors, trailers
either be by individual plants in rows or by
and spray rigs, may also be used in the PIP system.
harvesting entire rows. There are advantages and
disadvantages to both approaches. Consideration
A helpful piece of equipment for the PIP system
should be given to the overall efficiency of the
would be a tractor-mounted auger for digging the
operation, amount of product sold and impact such as
initial socket pot holes.
shading. Some nurseries choose to harvest alternate
plants in rows, leaving additional space for remaining
Specific Production Considerations
plants to grow and develop. Nurseries growing
seedlings or small nurseries usually harvest entire
There are two major considerations when
beds or rows at the same time.
establishing a PIP production system: drainage of the
socket pots and rooting-out from the growing pot.
Operating Costs
Proper site selection or the installation of a drainage
system can address the former concern.
With field production, generally the time from
planting to time of harvest will be many years. In
The rooting-out problem is a great concern since
most B&B operations harvesting will begin three to
roots in the growing pot tend to grow through the
five years after planting. Initial expenditures,
drainage holes, out into the socket-pot and then
maintenance costs and interest on borrowed capital
through the socket-pot drainage holes into the
can accumulate to large sums before a single plant is
surrounding soil where the plant anchors itself. This
sold. A recent paper concluded that the total
potential anchoring makes harvesting difficult if not
production costs over a three-year production cycle
impossible. Many approaches have been evaluated to
for a hypothetical 15-acre nursery with 10 acres in
reduce or eliminate the rooting-out problem. Most of
production was lowest for a field system versus the
the approaches involve some sort of fabric treated
container or pot-in-pot systems. When calculated on a
with either a herbicide or copper. Approaches using
per harvested plant basis, the total cost was lowest
alternate locations for drainage holes does not appear
for the pot-in-pot ($21.52) and highest for the field
to be as effective as the treated fabrics.
($23.73) production system.
A final concern must be considered. In most cases
Pot-in-Pot (PIP) Production –
first-time PIP growers have been caught off guard
regarding irrigation requirements. Experience
Specifics
suggests that the amount of water required is
decreased when switching from aboveground to the
Site Considerations
PIP system. It is also recommended that growers
using drip irrigation systems group plants with
The primary consideration in selecting land for a
similar irrigation requirements to avoid over or
pot-in-pot (PIP) production is drainage. The selected
under watering specific plants.
site must either be well drained or a drainage system
must be installed at additional expense to ensure
Operating Costs
proper drainage of the “socket” pot. Similar to
conducting a perk test, the grower should dig several
One of the major limitations for new growers
practice holes of the same dimension as the final
establishing a PIP system is the significantly higher
socket pots, place the pots in the ground and then
initial fixed costs associated with this system.
monitor the rate of drainage. Avoid sites with
However, when evaluating the total costs of
extremely slow drainage rates or install a drainage
production, PIP turns out to be the least expensive
system to speed proper drainage.
production system based on a per harvest plant basis
when compared to aboveground containers and field
Facilities and Equipment
production (Adrian et al. 1998). A recent paper2
presented at the Eastern International Plant
General facilities will mirror what is required for
Propagators Society meeting indicated a typical PIP
an aboveground container operation. Because of the
site development cost of $0.86/ft2 excluding plant costs.
large size of pots often associated with PIP
________________
production, canning or pot filling may be done in the
2Adrian, J.L., et al. 1998 Cost Comparisons for Infield, Above Ground
field or using a low-tech canning carousel rather than
Container and Pot-in-Pot Production Systems. J. Environ. Hort.
using a standard canning machine. Some pieces of
16:65-68.
Printed by University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service Printing Services.
DR. JAMES A. ROBBINS is Extension horticulture specialist –
Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of May 8 and
ornamentals, University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension
June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture,
Service, Little Rock, and DR. GERALD L. KLINGAMAN is
Director, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Arkansas. The
Extension horticulture specialist – ornamentals, University of
Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service offers its programs to all eligible
Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service, Fayetteville.
persons regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, gender, age,
disability, marital or veteran status, or any other legally protected status,
FSA6056-PD-3-04R
and is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
