Plant Material - Project Planning and Management for Ecological Restoration - page 127

pots or tubes, it is important for the health of the plants to be on schedule to receive the shipment
from the nursery. This applies to your own nursery operation as well. Plants held longer than
planned can become damaged in the smaller container, or the container may deteriorate and not
be suitable for handling (box 8-2). In each instance, this will mean a cost to you. If you absolutely
need the plants, they can be sized up; typically, this will cost extra, which can seriously affect the
project budget.
Even if sizing up plants is not an issue, you still may face increased costs depending on the con-
tract with the nursery. Some nurseries are confined by space and may require a monthly charge
for holding plants longer than their established production schedule. Having plants held in the
nursery will restrict the nursery from propagating their next crop.
Although requiring a lot of material and labor, operating your own nursery for your proj-
ect may be viable. Projects requiring several years of planting and large numbers would be
excellently suited to this approach. Volunteers have been instrumental in making nurseries
function for many different types of projects, from city parks to national parks. The nursery
workers at Joshua Tree National Park, for example, were able to develop a creative solution to
meet the planting challenges of the Mojave Desert and the growing characteristics of desert
plants. The containers they use are actually large, six-inch-diameter PVC pipe that is thirty-
two inches long, called tall pots (Bainbridge 2007). The roots grow down quickly and are
able to provide sufficient moisture for the aboveground plant to thrive in the extreme desert
conditions.
If you are operating your own nursery, your costs will include not only the monetary cost of the
new pot but also the labor costs for sizing up and maintenance. Advantages and disadvantages of
operating your own nursery include the following:
Advantages
• Can replant or size up plants if planting is delayed, to prevent causing root-bound plants
• Additional cost for sizing up will be only for supplies and labor.
• Can adapt schedule and have stock ready earlier in season
• Overall costs may be lower if handled on own.
• Can change quantity needs without contract modifications
• Can control the quantity and quality of uncommon species
• Will know precisely where stock material was collected
Disadvantages
• Requires a commitment of space for propagations and support of the plants
• Supplies and labor required consistently for maintenance
• A constant drain on the budget (in addition to the initial set-up costs)
• Some species may be difficult to propagate or beyond the knowledge of individuals.
• Coordination and reliability of labor pool (if using volunteers) may not be consistent.