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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