Chapter 4 The Horticulture Industry 99
Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
Nurseries
A nursery is a place where young plants and trees are cultivated for sale
and for planting elsewhere. In a nursery, most plants are grown in fi elds.
However, greenhouses and shadehouses are often used when plants and trees
are fi rst cultivated from seed or vegetative cuttings (stems, roots, or leaves).
Once mature enough, these plants are transplanted in fi elds and managed to
various sizes based upon landscaper and consumer needs.
Plants commonly grown in nurseries include:
• Trees—species that mature to greater than 12′ (3.7 m) tall; most often
single-stemmed, woody, and perennial (returns yearly) plants.
• Shrubs—species that mature usually to less than 12′ (3.7 m) tall;
multi-stemmed, woody and perennial plants.
• Ground cover—plants that create a mat-like growth that spreads
to cover the ground; may be woody or herbaceous (includes ivy,
ornamental grasses, and vinca).
• Vines—plants that climb other plants, structures, or buildings; may be
woody or herbaceous and usually need a support.
• Perennials—fl owering or foliage plants of various types (bulbs, tubers,
etc.) that have a life span of more than one or two years; often grown
in the fl oriculture industry as well.
Plants are cultivated and harvested differently in nurseries than in the
fl oriculture industry. In the fl oriculture industry, plants are usually sold in
decorative containers. In nurseries, plants are sold as fi eld-grown. This means
they are either balled-and-burlapped (B&B), bare root (BR), or pot-in-pot
(PNP), Figure 4-8. When a plant is harvested using the balled-and-burlapped
(B&B) method, the root system of the plant or tree is wrapped in burlap
Did You Know?
Harvesting a plant
for balled-and-burlap
production causes up
to 95% of the roots to
be lost in the digging
process.
A
serato/Shutterstock.com
B
Swellphotography/Shutterstock.com
C
USDA
Figure 4-8. Plants purchased from a nursery may be balled-and-burlapped (A), bare root (B), or pot-in-pot (C). Identify one
instance in which each type of “presentation” would be advantageous. What might be some disadvantages to each type?