2/5/2025 6:55:43 AM	HORT 71 Course Outline as of Fall 2025	Changed Course
CATALOG INFORMATION
Discipline and Nbr:  HORT 71	Title:  NURSERY PRODUCTION
Full Title:  Nursery Production
Last Reviewed:11/25/2024

Units		Course Hours per Week			Nbr of Weeks	Course Hours Total
Maximum	3.00	Lecture Scheduled	2.00		17.5 max.	Lecture Scheduled	35.00
Minimum	3.00	Lab Scheduled	3.00		8 min.	Lab Scheduled	52.50
		Contact DHR	0			Contact DHR	0
		Contact Total	5.00			Contact Total	87.50
		Non-contact DHR	0			Non-contact DHR Total	0

Total Out of Class Hours:  70.00

Total Student Learning Hours: 157.50

Title 5 Category:  AA Degree Applicable
Grading:  Grade Only
Repeatability:  00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP
Also Listed As: 
Formerly:  AG 92.2

Catalog Description:

In this course, students will learn about planning, development, and operation of a plant nursery. Topics include: production techniques, growing media, watering, fertilization, marketing, and sales.

Prerequisites/Corequisites:

Recommended Preparation:

Limits on Enrollment:

Schedule of Classes Information
Description:

In this course, students will learn about planning, development, and operation of a plant nursery. Topics include: production techniques, growing media, watering, fertilization, marketing, and sales.

(Grade Only)
Prerequisites:
Recommended:
Limits on Enrollment:
Transfer Credit:CSU;
Repeatability:00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP

ARTICULATION, MAJOR, and CERTIFICATION INFORMATION

Associate Degree:		Effective:		Inactive:
Area:
CSU GE:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:
IGETC:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:
CSU Transfer:	Transferable	Effective:	Fall 1984	Inactive:
UC Transfer:		Effective:		Inactive:
C-ID:

Certificate/Major Applicable: Both Certificate and Major Applicable

COURSE CONTENT

Student Learning Outcomes:
At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:

1. Describe characteristics of major federal laws and regulations that are of concern to the nursery industry.

2. Evaluate possible nursery sites for suitability to different types of nursery operations.

3. Explain and evaluate the primary aspects of nursery production, such as plant placement, container growing, commercial production media, fertilizer application, storage, and pest management.

 

Objectives:

At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:

1. Identify and discuss significant events and developments in the history of the U.S. nursery industry.

2. Classify and describe nursery operations based on 4 major criteria: ownership; function; production system; and product.

3. List and identify characteristics of major federal laws and regulations that are of concern to the nursery industry.

4. Identify the four major categories for nursery site selection.

5. Identify common plant placement patterns in nursery production areas and evaluate for production efficiency.

6. Compare and contrast container vs. field grown production systems for production and marketing advantages and challenges.

7. Describe common practices in commercial liner and plug production.

8. Summarize primary (environmental) and cultural modifiers of various plant characteristics or plant qualities.

9. Demonstrate cultural modification practices for a variety of plants.

10. Identify the function of commercial production media.

11. Identify common ingredients used in the production of media for container growing, describe their properties, and explain what each ingredient contributes to the media.

12. Identify essential nutrients for plant growth and development.

13. Discuss common commercial fertilizers and compare and contrast the properties and advantages of synthetic and organic types.

14. Compare and contrast different commercial methods of fertilizer application.

15. Determine how and when to apply fertilizer, depending on fertilizer and plant type.

16. Describe a variety of integrated pest management practices.

17. Identify the responsibilities of buyer, seller, and carrier in the shipping of nursery materials.

18. Calculate the number of cuttings necessary to fulfill a production contract.

19. Estimate materials, facility, and labor costs associated with a production contract.

Topics and Scope

I. The Nursery Industry

    A. History of U.S. nursery industry

    B. Current nursery industry practices

II. Nursery Classifications and Functions

III. Federal Laws and Regulations

IV. U.S. Production Centers

V. Nursery Site Selection

    A. Site organization and development

    B. Planting patterns

VI. Production Systems

    A. Container grown

    B. Field grown

    C. Liner and plug

    D. Seed/seedling

VII. Modifying Plant Growth and Development

    A. Primary (environmental)

    B. Cultural

VIII. Media and Mixes

IX. Essential Nutrients and Fertilization

    A. Commercial fertilizers

    B. Synthetic and organic fertilizers

X. Common Plant Pests and Disorders and Integrated Pest Management Practices

XI. Nursery Storage Facilities and their Purposes

XII. Shipping: Responsibilities of

    A. Buyer

    B. Seller

    C. Carrier

XIII. Marketing and Production Contracts

XIV. Plant Estimation

    A. Materials

    B. Facility

    C. Labor Costs

 

All topics are covered in both lecture and lab.

Assignments:

Lecture-Related Assignments:

1. Weekly reading (5 - 10 pages)

2. Homework assignments (6 - 12)

2. Written and/or oral presentation on selected nursery production topic

3. Develop a sample production contract

4. Quiz(zes) (0 - 6)

4. Exam(s) (1 - 3)

 

Lab-Related Assignments:

1. Nursery production, operation, and maintenance tasks

2. Lab reports (6 - 12)

3. Field trip reports (2 - 8)

 

Lab- and Lecture-Related Assignments:

1. Participation

Methods of Evaluation/Basis of Grade.

Writing: Assessment tools that demonstrate writing skill and/or require students to select, organize and explain ideas in writing.		Writing 10 - 30%
Homework, Lab reports, Field trip reports
Problem solving: Assessment tools, other than exams, that demonstrate competence in computational or non-computational problem solving skills.		Problem Solving 10 - 40%
Production contract
Skill Demonstrations: All skill-based and physical demonstrations used for assessment purposes including skill performance exams.		Skill Demonstrations 5 - 30%
Nursery production, operation, and maintenance tasks; Written/oral presentation
Exams: All forms of formal testing, other than skill performance exams.		Exams 30 - 60%
Quiz(zes) and Exam(s)
Other: Includes any assessment tools that do not logically fit into the above categories.		Other Category 5 - 25%
Class participation including possible field trips

Representative Textbooks and Materials:

A Nursery Guide for the Production of Bareroot Hardwood Seedlings. McNabb, Ken and Pike, Carolyn. USDA Forest Service. 2020. (classic).

 

Container Nursery Production and Business Management Manual. Newman, Julie. University of California Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources. 2014. (classic).

 

The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation; From Seed to Tissue Culture. 2nd ed. Dirr, Michael and Heuser Jr., Charles. Timber Press. 2006. (classic).

 

Integrated Pest Management for Floriculture and Nurseries, Agriculture and Natural Resources. University of California. 2001. (classic).

 

Nursery Management, Administration and Culture. 4th ed. Davidson, Harold and Mecklenburg, Roy and Peterson, Curtis. Pearson. 2000. (classic).

 

Instructor prepared materials

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