Horticulture
Horticulture :: Nursery techniques:: Cultural practices

Manuring: Manuring is to be done very carefully. Vigorous growth of plant is always attractive to the buyer. Again, heavy manuring is not beneficial for storage of plants.

Watering: Like manuring, watering is also important. Watering will be done according to need of the plant. The nursery should have a water source of its own. For this model, digging a well (12 m deep x 3 m dia) and installation of a 2.0 HP kerosene pumpset with accessories are considered. Sprinkler system of irrigation is not advisable at the beginning.

Drainage: For sufficient vegetative and reproductive growth of plants, good drainage system must be developed in between the beds and around the nursery. Adequately gentle slope in the pot bed surface is also desirable. It is extremely important to ensure that water logging does not occur in and around the pots and beds.

Plant protection: Keen observation on attack of different pests and diseases is required. If the mother plants are infected, the propagated plants will be infected also. Necessary control measures should be taken immediately on observation.

Application of FYM om nursery bed in field

Harvesting
The seeds, bulbs, etc. need to be harvested in the proper stage. Only completely ripe seeds are ready for harvesting. Seed capsules should be covered with muslin cloth or by the paper bag before ripening in cases of light seeds (like calendula, balsam, etc.) which may blow off due to wind or those species the fruits of which may burst while ripening. This will prevent loss of seeds.

Corms and bulbs are generally harvested when the leaves start yellowing or when they dry up. These are dug out carefully without imparting any injury.

Before harvest, nursery stock should be mature. The tissues are hardened against water loss and shrinkage. It is a common practice to defoliate shrubs and trees some days before they are to be dug out. This can be done by chemical defoliants, by withholding water or by hand. Live plants intended for transport are sent with a ball of earth around their roots.


Last Update: September 2015


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