A nursery is where young plants get their start. Seeds are sown densely, seedlings are tended under controlled conditions, and when they are big enough they are sold or transplanted to the field.

Nurseries range from a few benches behind a house to industrial operations producing millions of vegetable transplants, fruit tree rootstocks, or landscape shrubs each year. The work is fussy. Seedlings need the right temperature, moisture, light, and nutrition, and they are vulnerable to damping-off fungi, aphids, and whiteflies. Many nurseries use sterile media, filtered water, and strict sanitation to keep problems out.

What nurseries produce

• Vegetable transplants for field planting
• Fruit tree and vine rootstocks for grafting
• Ornamental shrubs and perennials for landscaping
• Forestry seedlings for reforestation

Buying transplants lets a farmer skip the slow, risky early stage and get a jump on the season. The trade-off is cost and dependence on a supplier. Some growers raise their own to keep control of variety and timing.