Nursery Raising of Flower Crops

1. Nursery Raising of Flower Crops
Dr Prativa Anand
Scientist
Division of Floriculture and Landscaping
ICAR-IARI, New Delhi

2. ØNursery is the place where young plants are raised and taken care of until they reach the
right size for outplanting.
ØNursery is pre-requisite for producing quality seedlings in lesser input and nursery
management is a potential tool to execute the activity in successful means.
• Importance of nursery and its role
ØSeedlings and grafts produced in nursery from which ornamental gardens can be
established with minimum care, cost and maintenance.
ØNursery planting materials are available at beginning of planting season.
ØThis saves time, money and efforts to raise seedlings.
ØIt assures production of quality planting material.
ØIt provides employment opportunities for technical, skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled
labour.

3. Advantages of raising seedlings in nursery
ØIt is very convenient to look after the tender seedlings.
ØIt is very easy to protect the seedlings from pest and diseases.
ØEconomy of land usage.
ØValuable and very small seeds can be raised effectively without any wastage.
ØUniform crop stand in main field can be maintained by selecting healthy, uniform
and vigorous seedlings in the nursery.

4. Types of nurseries
• According to time duration
1. Temporary nursery
2. Permanent nursery
• Hi-tech nurseries- These nurseries grow plants in greenhouse, building of glass
or plastic tunnel, designed to protect young plants from harsh weather while
allowing access to light and ventilation. Modern greenhouses allow automated
control of temperature, ventilation, light, watering and feeding.

5. Types of nurseries according to type of sale
1. Retail
2. Wholesale
3. Private
4. Mail order

6. Selection of site- Site is the basic requirement of a nursery.
Qualities of a good site-
• Nearness of road
• Near to habitat
• Suitable climate
• Neither shady nor exposed area
• Sufficient sunlight
• Good irrigation facilities
• Good soil condition
• Good transport facility

7. Points to be considered during nursery establishment
ØFencing
ØLight
ØWater
ØWater Drainage
ØPaths

8. Physical Resources for Nursery
• Land
• Irrigation facilities
• Labour
• Electricity
• Road and transport
• Mother plants
• Propagation structures
• Hedges
• Space for hardening of nursery plants
• Store and office

9. Some other resources required
• Seeds/seedlings/saplings
• Containers
• Landscape fabric, mulch and soil conditioners
• Equipments and Implements
• Education and knowledge
Types of nursery beds
• Flatbed
• Raised nursery bed
• Sunken bed

10. • Plant propagation structures- Greenhouse, polytunnel, hardening chamber,
mist chamber
• Media for propagating nursery plants-
ØMust be firm and dense to hold the cuttings or seeds in place during germination
or rooting.
ØMust possess sufficient moisture retaining capacity.
ØMust be sufficiently porous to permit excess water to drain away and allow proper
aeration.
ØIt must be free from weed seeds, nematodes and pathogens.

11. ØSoil mixture- soil- 2 parts, FYM- 1 part, Sand-1 part
ØSand
ØPeat
ØSphagnum moss
ØVermiculite
• Containers for propagation and growing young plants
ØEarthern pots
ØSeed pans and seed boxes
ØPolythene bags
ØPlastic pots

12. • Tools and implements for nursery work
ØRose can/water can
ØDigging fork
ØShovel
ØGarden rake
ØHand shovel
ØSecateur
ØBudding or grafting knife

13. • Potting- preparing plants for sale, growing plants for decoration, growing
plants for experimental studies, for using plants as rootstocks.
• Pot mixture/potting compost-essential for potting of plants.
• Repotting- done for changing the soil medium for pot bound plants.

14. • Nursery management
ØCare of seedlings
ØTransplanting
ØGrowing media
• Common diseases of nursery
ØDamping off- seed treatment with thiram @2g/kg seeds before sowing
ØPowdery mildew- Wettable Sulphur 0.2% at 15 days interval
ØLeaf spot- Bavistin 0.2%

15. • Common insect pest of nursery
ØScales- spray of rogor/metasystox (0.05%)
ØThrips- spray of rogor/metasystox (0.05%)
ØMealy bugs- spray dimethoate (0.05%)
ØWhite flies- phosphamidon 0.02%
ØMites- wettable sulphur 0.2% at 15 days interval
ØLeaf miner- two spray of rogor/metasystox (0.05%) at 15 day interval

16. Thank You