Production Systems

Choices...

Oregon's nursery industry is diverse, producing a wide variety of plants grown in the field or in containers. While Oregon is the leading state in the production of bare-root shade and flowering trees, the production of container-grown plants has increased greatly. Many nurseries employ a mix of production systems suitable to the mix of plants they intend to sell.

As one might expect, the production strategies of Oregon nurseries are diverse as well. Some nurseries specialize in plants grown strictly in greenhouses while others use greenhouses to "start" plants, which are then "grown-out" in containers or in fields. Many nurseries buy their "starts" from specialized propagators and then raise them into saleable plants. Nursery operators have to make important choices about the types of plants they grow and the markets to target.

Finding the right production system, or mix of systems for your business is an important step. It may take time and many trials to find what works best for your needs as well as the specific needs of your target market.

Container Systems

Field Systems

Greenhouse