Overview

The nursery and landscape industry is made up of thousands of small family businesses that grow, retail, install and care for plants and landscapes. According to the USDA's Economic Research Service, the nursery and greenhouse industry comprises the fastest growing segment of U.S. agriculture. While the number of U.S. farms of all types has declined over the last two decades, the number of nursery and greenhouse farms has increased. Grower cash receipts from nursery and greenhouse sales (on sales of plants to retail and distribution businesses) have grown steadily over the last two decades and are increasing where home building increases demand. The nursery operations also generate biomass in the form of pruning and culling waste. This may be utilized for energy production, converted to agricultural mulch or used in other ways.  July 2009 ... Nursery Trees

Marketing

• American Nursery & Landscape Association (ANLA) - The association produces a number of publications, including The Complete Guide to Garden Center Management; cost management and contracting; report planning sheets and guides for selling at trade shows; and provides a number of services to members.
  
• International (Dwarf) Fruit Tree Association - The association publishes Compact Fruit Tree magazine, much of which is available online. The publication covers all practical aspects of compact fruit tree propagation and marketing.
• The National Christmas Tree Association
• National Gardening Association - This association is a well-known and widely recognized authority on the U.S. consumer lawn and garden market. It has provided market research services to companies in the lawn and garden business for more than 25 years.
  
• Nursery Stock, Nursery, Greenhouse, Floriculture, Sod, Mushrooms, Vegetable Seeds, and Propagative Materials Grown for Sale: 2007 and 2002, 2007 Census of Agriculture, NASS, USDA, 2009.

Production

• Forestry Assistance in Iowa, Iowa State University Forestry Extension - Offers a list of all state forestry extension professionals and state services.
• Fruit and Nut Research and Information Center, University of California, Davis.
• Horticultural Business Information Network - Outstanding resource with a wide range of greenhouse- and nursery-related business links at the Horticultural Business Information Network Web site, a great centralized marketing and management information database that specifically serves horticultural businesses.
• How to Prune Trees, USDA Forest Service, 1995 - Explains how, when and why to prune for strong, healthy trees.
  
• Mike McGroarty's Tree Propagation Site - Valuable techniques as well as "How-to" sections on building specialized equipment and starting a nursery business.
• National Arboretum USDA Plant Hardiness Map, USDA Publication No. 1475, 1990.  
• Nursery/Landscape Industry, University of Kentucky - College of Agriculture site that covers types of propagation, specialty nurseries and many other aspects of the industry.
• Ornamental Nurseries, Integrated Pest Management guidelines, University of California, Davis. 
• Positioning for the Future of the Nursery Industry, Agricultural Extension Service, University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture.
• Pruning to Improve Timber Quality, Technical Notes, Scottish Ag College, 2007 - Pruning trees to improve timber quality can increase the economic value of woodlands.
• Tree Care Consumer Information, International Society of Arboriculture - Provides a series of 16 new and updated fact sheets about all aspects of tree care, including tree pruning (both young and mature trees), tree selection, fertilization, mulching, planting, pest and disease problems, topping and recognizing hazard trees.
• Tree Fruit Research and Extension Center, Washington State University.
  

Businesses/Case Studies

• 2ShopTrees.Com, Omaha, Nebraska - Example of a transplant and seedling tree business that provides trees for landscaping, privacy, wind breaks, shelterbelts and wholesaling.
• American Forests Historic Tree Program - Nursery store specializing in germplasm from historic American trees. Has seed kits and various educational materials.
• Greenwood Nursery, McMinnville, Tennessee - Example of a well-developed, Web-based family-owned and -operated wholesale nursery and plant farm. Greenwood Nursery is dedicated to filling both large and small orders for plants and supplies (including watering systems and greenhouse kits) from coast to coast.
• Itasca Greenhouse Inc, Cohasset, Minnesota - Example of a custom and contract grower specializing in containerized tree seedlings. Hardwood and softwood seedlings for nurseries, landscaping and reforestation.
• NativeTrees.net, Loveland, Ohio - Example of a custom and contract grower specializing in containerized native trees and shrubs. Nationwide shipping available.
• Nature Hills Nursery, Omaha, Nebraska - Example of nursery operation offering a wide range of trees, bushes and ornamentals.
• Needlefast Evergreens, Inc, Ludington, Michigan - Example of a full-service tree nursery and Christmas tree farm, specializing in seedlings and transplants for other nurseries, landscapers and homeowners. Descriptions of available tree species and their care are available on the Internet site.
• Nursery, The New American Farmer, Sustainable Agriculture and Research Education (SARE), USDA.
• RainTree Nursery, Morton, Washington - Example of a well-developed local retail nursery and plant farm, specializing in organic fruits, nuts, berries and unusual edible plants for the American backyard fruit grower. This nursery offers family experiences, workshops and online plant selection guides.
• TyTy Online Plant & Tree Nursery, TyTy, Georgia - Online Plant Nursery and Tree Nursery providing a large selection of shade, flowering and fruit trees, ornamental shrubs, flower bulbs and berry & fruit plants.

Links checked November 2009.