Resource Book on Horticulture Nursery Management

Casuarina or bamboo poles or GI pipe to support the net. UV stabilized and properly
stitched nets last for 6-8 years.
Solarization for Nursery Bed Sterilization
It is a method of heating soil through sunlight by covering it with transparent
polythene sheet. This method is used to control soil borne diseases including
nematodes. This method is used for the disinfection of raised nursery bed to produce
healthy seedlings of vegetable.
Other additional beneficial effects include control of weeds, insect pests and
release of plant nutrients resulting in increased crop growth. Solarization is a nonchemical
alternative for disease, insect pest and weed control.
Method of Preparation of Raised Bed
1. Add and thoroughly mix the organic manure in the soil to be used for making
raised beds.
2. Bring the bed to field capacity by irrigating. Cover the nursery beds with 200
gauge transparent polyethylene film as tightly and closely to the ground as
possible.
3. Leave the beds covered for 30-40 days. The soil temperature of the nursery bed thus
covered can go up to 52 o C in summer months.
4. Check the sheets for the tear and if found torn out, seal with transparent tapes.
5. After 30-40 days, remove the polyethylene cover. Sow seed with least
disturbance to the top soil in the bed.
6. With CPP manure slurry – will help to overcome seed borne & soil borne pathogen
attack.
7.2.4 Mass Scale Production of Flower Plants
Production of healthy and disease free planting material is difficult task and required
lot of experience, planning and management. Quality planting material
(seed/saplings/bulbs etc.) is the basic requirement for successful flower production for
market or exhibition. Generally, plants are produced by two methods, sexual and asexual
or vegetative. In India sexual method is followed mostly in flowering annuals (seasonal
flowers). There are several flowers which are not normally propagated from seeds but
bred by breeders through seed to get new hybrids. Some of these plants are rose,
chrysanthemum, gladiolus, carnation, orchid and dahlia etc. Large numbers of flower
plants are also produced through vegetative means like cutting, layering, budding and
asexual organs like corm, bulb and tubers. Therefore, the vegetative production
technology of major cut flowers is discussed below in order to facilitate the production of
quality planting material.
Mass Scale Production of Chrysanthemum
Chrysanthemum seeds should be sown into the prepared soil where they are kept for
2 months. Seed may also be sown indoors for transplanting. The seed are sown after 15
February either in earthen pots or nursery beds. The seeds are covered with a thin layer of
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