Nursery Managment Test 3

1. Describe the two components of a pot-in-pot nursery.

Combination of container and field production • Socket pots – set in ground, 3-6” above grade• • Insert pot – contains growing media and theplant

Advantages of pot and pot

• Advantages (like contatiner:

• Year-round harvest

• Shipping easier

• Less root loss

• INSULATION OF ROOTS

• Advantages: Like field production• Irrigation

• Plant in ground → stability

pot in pot advatages over both container and field

-Greater growth and less production time
-ground covering managment

Pot in pot disadvantages

-cost
-drainage
-root growth escape
Socket and insert stick together
•Pot sags
-spacing flexibility

advantages of inground fabric containers

ADVANTAGES• Lower cost & less time than B&B• No skill or machinery
• 80% roots retained → harvest year-round• Trees can be held then above ground• Root-pruning

Disadvantages of in-ground fabric containers

DISADVANTAGES• Initial bag cost high
• Care when planting (tears → roots growout of bag
•Cultivating/fertilizing difficult
• Bag integrity
• Hard to remove bag when planting
• Species specificity (some struggle)
• Dug with shovels or backhoe
• Remove fabric before planting

Describe the two different types of liners and the two propagation methods of how they are generated.

Liners = small propagules

-Field liners

-container liners

-sexual- seeds

asexual-grafting,division and cutting

Know what a nursery owner must consider for propagation of plants via sexual or asexual methods.

Cost - seed is cheaper
• Ease - seed is easier
• Speed/time required - species specific
• Reliability / degree of success (speciesspecific)
• Time of the year (species specific)
• Skill required (cuttings and grafting more)• Best fit for business???
-quality

Know the three aspects of the propagation environment that must be modified for liner cultivation.

1. Moisture
2. Air and root zone temperature

3. Air circulation

Describe how we prevent moisture loss and any pertinent aspects of those systems.

-humidity tents
-intermittent mist systems
-fog systems

Mist system components

timer-frequency and application
-water control leaf
-mist nozzles (location)

Things to consider with intermittent mist systems

-Cost
-disease: more moisture =more diseases
-leaching

Things to consider with intermittent Fog systems

• Like mist... Consider money
• Disease: inc. moisture → inc. disease
• Leaching
• Clean water → clog nozzles
• Working environment → foggy

Describe how we modify the air and root zone temperature of the liner propagation environment.

• Air: 70-80F days and 60F nights
• Root zone: 70-75F
• Shading
• Bottom heat (winter)

Explain the importance of air circulation in liner production.

-mixes air
-reduces disease

Explain how we maintain sanitation in the liner propagation environment

• Propagation is favorable for disease
• Clean stock plants & seed
• Clean substrate
• Clean propagation tools
• remove Infected plants

Describe a quonset hut constuction and it's correct orientation

-Bows
-bracing
-endwalls
-drainage
• End walls orient N-S
• Further N orient E-W

Explain how we acclimatize plants from propagation.

• Acclimating plants to ambient growingconditions• Reduce mist → expose to more drought• Fertilize

Describe characteristics of outdoor propagation areas

Seed beds
• Cold frames
• Liner beds
• Width: 36, 42, and 48"for equipment

factors that affect spacing in outdoor propagation areas

• Species
• Growth rate
• Size of the propagule

What is a mother stock area and the ways that it can be used.

• Large, separate area
• Display gardens

For propagation containers, what must be considered?

• Flats with cell inserts- consider root growth
• Beds & community flats

Explain the reasoning of keeping records for propagation and what should be recorded.

• Successes and failures• Method of propagation• Time of the year• Treatment• Numbers → shrinkage• Label and track stock/supply

Final Word on Cash Flow

• Liners - turn over 3-4 crops per season• Many nurseries don't grow their own liners• High cost/ft2

Describe characteristics you look for quality plants.

-no sign of pruning
-uniformity of shape
-full or well-shape canopy
-healthy roots
-good propagation
-planted correctly
-maintain proper spacing -minimal pruning

what happens if you miss pruning?

can create holes in the canopy

When should you stake plants?

-stake only when necessary
-prevent blowing over
-developing straight trunks
-anchoring when newly planted.
-protection during shipping
-stake taller than the plant

good staking is

-non-abrasive
-short term

What are the different pruning techniques

• Heading cuts - cutting back to a healthy node

• Thinning cuts - reducing the number ofbranches

• Rejuvenation cut - cutting back to the base toallow new growth

Know what should be pruned the first year.

FIRST YEAR AFTER PLANTING
• Focus on root growth
• Leave lower branches
• Taper and caliper
• Minor corrective pruning
• 4 D's: Dead, dying, diseased, and damaged
• Crossing branches

what are the two different growth habits

decidous and evergreen

Describe how to prune single stems, deciduous trees.

• Single trunk (Acer)
• Proper canopy height• Full canopy
• Scaffold limbdevelopmen

Describe how to prune modified leaders deciduous trees

• 3-5 modified leaders (Cercis)

• Low, widescaffold limbs

• Manage lateralbranch length

Describe how to prune Multiple Stemmed deciduous trees

• 3-5 main stems (Betula)
• Remove lowestbranches thatoriginate fromthese main stems
• Foliage of the canopyup top

Be able to detail practices you need to perform to maintain growth in 2+ years for deciduous trees.

• Over next two years, manage rapid growth
1. Remove Competing Limbs
2. Maintain the Central Leader
3. Crooked or missing central leader
4. Scaffold Limb Management
5. Canopy Height Measurement

Describe what to do when you lose a main leader.

-staking
-taping

what are the different evergreens trees and shrubs?

-broadleaf
-conifers

broadleaf evergreen

• Sheared 3-6x / season
• Remove all tips
• Soft growth
• Head back to promote branching density.
Maintain 8-10" of height above canopy

Needle evergreen

• Minimal pruning
•Some can be sheared
• Watch dead zone

Pines, Spruces, Firs

• Not much• Reduce growth
• Cut back candles• Watch dead zone
• If lose leader
• Stake top-most branch up

Deciduous Shrubs

• Remove all tips (soft growth)• Watch shape• Be true to species

What are some specialty trees adn requirements for them?

• Espalier• Needs aframe• Topiary
• Labor and work to maintain
• Consider the species