Container Plant Production

Commercial Plant ProductionBuild as you go

What do you see in this picture?

Irrigation

• Large quantity of water.• Dependable water

source.• Overhead irrigation.– Drip irrigation on a

smaller scale.

• Irrigation:– Plants need water– Cool root systems

Planting Density

• High disease pressure.• More plants per acre.• Higher labor cost per

acre.• Large amount of plant

culture.

Root System Considerations• Root system is above-ground.• Heating of growing medium

during summer months.• May need winter protection in

colder climates.• Potential for the roots to

become pot-bound.• Confined root volume.• Frequent up-shifting to larger

container.• Grower supplies all plant

nutrition.

Sizes of Plastic Nursery Containers;Injection-molded, Nursery Supplies

Poly-tainer

Trade Size

DIA H CC CI GAL L

1BLK #1 6 7 2,481 151 .66 2.48

2 #2 8 ½ 8 ½ 6189 377 1.6 6.19

3 #3 10 9 ¼ 10,440 637 2.8 10.44

3S #3 Squat

9 ½ 8 7,637 466 2.0 7.64

4 #5 Egg Can

10 12 13,735 838 3.6 13.74

5S #5 Squat

11 10 13,909 848 3.7 13.91

Culture

• Pest control• Staking• Fertilizing• Pruning• Watering• Weed control

– Use herbicides with low water solubilities.

• Transplanting• Blow over

Weed Control• The more water soluble the herbicide, the faster it

moves downward through the mix, and the greater the likelihood of damaging the crop.

• Use preemergent herbicides with water solubilities LESS than ONE ppm.

Recommended Herbicides (Whitcomb)

• Barricade, Factor (prodiamine) @ 0.013 ppm water solubility

• Goal (oxyfluorfen) @ 0.1 ppm

• Treflan (trifluralin @ 0.3 ppm

• Prowl, Pendulum, Southern WeedGrass Control (pendimethalin)@ 0.5 ppm

• Ronstar (oxadiazon) @ 0.7 ppm

• Gallery (isohexaben) @ 1.0 ppm

• Rout is a combination of Goal and Surflan

• Snapshot 80 DF is a combination of Gallery and Surflan

• Snapshot 2.5 TG is a combination of Gallery and Treflan

• Ornamental Herbicide II is a combination of Goal and Prowl

Facilities• Production areas.

– Gravel floor.• 4-6 inches base rock• 4-6 inches road gravel

• Gravel roadways.• Drainage plan including proper grading of

site.• State law in CA to recycle all irrigation water.• Retention pond.• Media preparation area.• Equipment storage.• Administrative offices.• Potting area.• Holding area .• Shipping dock.• Pesticide storage.• Parking.• Employee facilities.

Bed and Road Layout

Harvesting

• 100% of the root system.

• Easier harvest than B&B.

• Year-round harvest.

Container Production versus Field Production

Area of Comparison

Field Container

Number of Employees

1 per 5-10 acres 1 per acre

Production Cycle Longer 1- 6+ yrs

Shorter 6 mo - 2+ yrs

Harvest Periodic (Spring/Fall)

Year-round

Types and sizes of plants

Preferred production

system for large caliper trees

More efficient production of

shrubs, annuals, and perennials

Area of Comparison

Field Container

Irrigation Irrigation not mandatory; but may be needed

during periods of drought

Frequent to daily irrigation

required; manage high root zone

temps

Overwintering Little to no protection required

Protection required

Production centers

All across the country

Most production centered in the sunbelt states

The future Declining Increasing

The End