Nursery and Gardening

This book, Nursery and Gardening, serves as an essential resource for both budding and experienced horticulturists. It provides a thorough exploration of nursery management and gardening practices, meticulously structured into five comprehensive units.

Unit 1: Nursery introduces readers to the foundational concepts of nursery operations. It covers definitions, objectives, and the scope of nursery work, including the crucial aspects of infrastructure development. The unit delves into planning, seasonal activities, and the techniques of planting, including both direct seeding and transplantation methods.

Unit 2: Seed focuses on the critical aspects of seed biology. It explains seed structure and types, explores seed dormancy—its causes and methods for breaking it—and discusses effective seed storage practices. The unit also covers seed production technology, seed testing, and certification, addressing concerns like seed viability and genetic erosion.

Unit 3: Vegetative Propagation provides practical guidance on various methods of vegetative propagation such as air-layering and cutting. It details the processes of collecting, treating cuttings, and choosing rooting mediums. Additionally, it discusses the hardening of plants and the roles of different propagation environments like greenhouses, mist chambers, and shade houses.

Unit 4: Gardening explores the broad scope of gardening, including definitions, objectives, and various gardening types. It covers landscape and home gardening, park components, plant materials, and design principles. This unit also highlights the use of computer applications in landscaping and details gardening operations such as soil preparation, manuring, watering, pest and disease management, and harvesting.

Unit 5: Sowing and Cultivation offers insights into the practical aspects of sowing seeds and raising seedlings. It covers the transplantation of seedlings and the cultivation of a variety of vegetables including cabbage, brinjal, lady’s finger, onions, garlic, tomatoes, and carrots. The unit concludes with discussions on storage and marketing procedures.

Overall, Nursery and Gardening is a comprehensive guide that blends theoretical knowledge with practical skills, designed to support individuals in mastering nursery management and gardening techniques.