photo by Kristian F
A gardener is often proud of his or her nursery. This is because of all the care and effort that goes into it. A nursery is the showcase of a gardener. This is the place where all the plants are kept or propagated. There are different types of nurseries like the wholesale nurseries, retail nurseries, and even private nurseries. Business in nursery gardening is seasonal. So the nursery owners adapt to the fine gardening techniques and use these to maximize the gains.
Nursery gardening requires lots of sweat. This is because the plants for sale have to be grown with extreme care. Each sprout is given extra care as it means money. The plants are usually grown in a greenhouse or protected environment. This is adopted as a part of fine gardening and is done to keep the plants protected from the harsh weathers and at the same time allows the essential light and air to pass in. Some of the modern greenhouses used in nursery gardening are semi-automated. These semi-automated greenhouses allow the garden keeper to control the settings. There are fold-back roofs and foldable side glasses as well.
Nursery gardening requires high labor. Though certain processes are automated, some nurseries still follow the traditional methods which require the people to take care of the plants. In the traditional method individual attention and special care is given to each plant. This method is said to improve the conditions of the growth of the plants. In UK, the latest advancements in the computer technology are being used in the nursery gardening. The plants are being palletized, grown in allotted spaces, and these grow with the least human intervention. Highly specialized labor is used in the nursery gardening over there.
In nursery gardening, most plants are propagated through seeds. For some plants the asexual methods of reproduction like budding, layering, and grafting are used. The nurseries sell different types of plants – ornamental, medicinal, annuals, perennials, herbs, shrubs, and even the very costly ones. The best part is that there are customers for all these varieties. Mostly the plantings are sold in trays, plastic pots, clay pots, or even in polythene bags. Sometimes the plantings are sold even online. The ordered plantings are carefully packed and sent through airmail. The factors like the temperature, distance and time required to reach the destination, etc. also are taken into account when doing the online sales.
These nurseries also offer guides, catalogs, and books on the fine gardening techniques to the customers. Seeds also are sold. Other garden accessories like spades, pots, trays, and other gardening equipments are usually available at the nurseries. If you want, even you can start a nursery at home. This will be known as a private nursery. You can sell the plants which get orders and keep the rest to decorate your own garden at the same time. If you follow the tips on fine gardening, your nursery gardening will be a very interesting and easy process. You will find yourself getting involved in the process gradually.