Knox Nursery began in 1962 in a small backyard operation and has since grown to become the 96th largest nursery in the US, operating on over 23 acres in Winter Garden, Florida. Through innovative technologies like an automated benching system to transport plants and fully computerized heating, watering, and production, Knox Nursery has automated their business while reducing chemical and fertilizer use. They were also the first US nursery to exclusively use biodegradable Ellepot containers for their plants. While recognized for these green initiatives, the owners consider themselves simply smart businessmen focused on reducing costs rather than labeling themselves as a "green" operation.

1. NOT“GREEN,”
JUSTSMART
Abusiness that began in a
four-foot by four -foot box
on the back porch of the
Knox family home in 1962 is now
the 96th largest nursery in the U.S.
Knox Nursery is a second generation
business that has more than 23 acres
of production in Winter Garden.
“None of the family went to school
for this,” Knox Nursery Vice
President Monty Knox said. “We
just learned through the school of
hard knocks.”
From its humble beginnings in
the family’s backyard to where
the company is now has been an
interesting journey. From 1962 to
1965, the nursery was a part-time
operation. In 1965, a one-acre plot
was purchased and the nursery was
relocated. The operation stayed at
that location until 1971, when the
purchase of a 10-acre tract was
completed and the family built a
new nursery.
The company’s current location was
purchased in 1996 and was developed
into a state-of-the-art automated
facility that does not use tractors or
trailers. Everything runs on one track
of benches that can be easily moved by
hand to transport the plants around
the facility.
“When we opened this operation in
February 1997, my brother Bruce was
the brains behind it,” Knox said. “He
traveled around the world. The first
thing we did was find the benching
transportation system and we built the
nursery and greenhouse around it.”
This benching system is just one
of many new technologies that
have helped Knox Nursery become
innovators in the nursery business.
They have completely automated
their business. The heating, watering
and production are all done by
computer now.
“We used to have to work every cold
night and check each greenhouse,
check the temperatures, turn the
water on and warm the greenhouse
up,” Knox stated. “Now we stay at
home and the computer calls us
when there is a cold spot.”
“Everything works off of 13
natural gas, hot water heaters.
We have seven and a half miles
of piping for the heaters,” Knox
added. “Irrigation is primarily done
with overhead boom irrigators
using a mist.”
Knox Nursery was also the first
nursery in the U.S. to completely
switch to the Ellepot system, which
is used primarily for the company’s
finished product in four-inch
size pots. The Ellepot, which was
developed in Denmark, is made of
an eco-friendly degradable cloth and
paper blend that can be filled with a
plant of one’s choosing.
“The only plastic we use is the actual
trays that the plants are grown in,”
Knox said. “With these Ellepots, there
are no more plastic pots that have to
go to landfills or get recycled. The
whole thing just goes right into the
ground and it degrades.”
Knox is very proud of the fact
that his family’s nursery was a
pioneer in the U.S. in regards to
the Ellepot system and also for
staying ahead of the curve when
it comes to new technologies in
the nursery industry.
While Knox is appreciative of being
recognized for these innovative
techniques, he does not wish for
his family’s nursery to be labeled
as “green.” Knox says these are not
“green” initiatives being used by the
company, they are just being smart.
“We don’t go spraying chemicals
uncontrollably because chemicals
are really expensive. We’re down to
milligrams per gallon,” Knox
stated. “And the last thing we
want to do is send out a plant
that is loaded with chemicals
and fertilizer.”
To learn more about
this innovative nursery
and its retail center, visit
www.knoxnursery.com. •
By Joey Mazzaferro, Communications Coordinator
14 FLORIDAGRICULTURE | April/May 2014
A nursery employee gently waters one of the many
benches filled with plants in the greenhouse.
Beautiful flowers lay on one of the transport benches
at the operation. The only power needed to move plants
via these benches is manpower.
An employee holds up a beautiful tray of hypoestes.
The tag on the tray includes a bar code which
allows Knox Nursery to keep track of the tray and
where it eventually ends up.
A tray of marigold seeds travels on a
conveyor belt on its way to being watered.
A machine drops seeds into a tray of Ellepots
at Knox Nursery.