Growers must label their nursery crops in a standardized manner that is easily understood by all employees. Production scheduling, inventory control, and the filling of orders depend on accurate knowledge of where each species is growing, and how many are available for sale or in a particular stage of production. Should a label be destroyed, the very identity of certain look-alike cultivars could be lost permanently. Therefore, labels of nursery stock must be durable as well as correctly placed (Figure 21-8).
Two methods of labeling are commonly used. The method used for container stock and equally effective for many field nurseries places the label in front of the first plant of that cultivar and pertains to all plants to the rear and right of that label until the next label is reached (Figure 21-9). The other method is used almost solely for large field nurseries and follows the direction of planting, with a new label inserted into the ground each time the cultivar changes. When mechanical planters are used and more than one row is planted simultaneously, the label changeover becomes a bit more complex (Figures 21-10 and 21-11). Mixing the species in alternate rows requires that each row be labeled.
figure 21-9. Labels may be placed in the first container to identify all plants of that variety behind and to the right of the label. In this example, four different varieties are labeled. (Delmar/ Cengage Learning)
figure 21-10. An example of how a nursery field can be labeled if two rows of the same variety are planted at the same time. In this example, four different varieties are labeled. The labels follow the direction of planting. (Delmar/Cengage Learning)
figure 21-11. An example of how a nursery field can be labeled if four rows of the same variety are planted simultaneously. In this example, four different varieties are labeled. The labels follow the direction of planting. (Delmar/Cengage Learning)
