Vegetable Nursery Guide: How to prepare vegetable nursery and beds? Complete and easy information about management

Nursery production (Vegetable Nursery Guide) is the strong foundation of any lush green garden or landscape. It includes the selection of the right plants, proficiency in propagation methods and creating a favourable environment for the nursery. Nursery preparation is an important step to increase the quality and yield in vegetable production. A well-prepared nursery produces fertile seedlings which later give a better crop.

Preparing a vegetable nursery (Vegetable Nursery Guide) and starting its management is like sowing seeds for our green future. Whether you are an experienced horticulturist or an enthusiastic hobbyist, here Kisan of India will tell you how to prepare a vegetable nursery, for this, selection of suitable place, soil preparation, selection of seeds, disease control as well as how to take care of plants.

Nursery production is the strong foundation of any lush green garden or landscape. This includes selection of the right plants, proficiency in propagation methods and creating a favorable environment for the nursery. Nursery preparation is an important step to increase quality and yield in vegetable production. A well-prepared nursery produces fertile seedlings which later give a better crop.

Why should vegetable nursery be prepared?

Preparing vegetable nursery is an important agricultural process, which helps farmers to get healthy and strong plants. Proper care and control of seeds is possible through nursery, which improves germination rate and strengthens the growth of plants. Plants are grown in a controlled environment in the nursery, which protects them from pests, diseases and adverse weather.

Also, when the plants prepared in the nursery are planted in the field, their growth is faster and the yield is more. More plants can be prepared in less space in the nursery, which saves both land and seeds. The farmer benefits. A large number of plants can be prepared simultaneously through the nursery, which makes timely planting in the fields possible and ensures timely harvesting of the crop. Along with this, plants can be transferred to the field according to the weather and land preparation.

How to choose a suitable place for vegetable nursery

First of all, you have to see that the nursery is at a place where there is direct sunlight for 6-8 hours a day. Along with this, the air flow should also be good. Do not build a nursery in a waterlogged place. There should be a better drainage system during the rainy season.

Types of nursery beds

1.Raised bed: Suitable for better drainage.

2.Flat bed: For flat land.

3.Seed tray / Plug tray: Modern technology in which seeds are grown in a controlled environment.

How to prepare the soil

1. Ideal soil: Loamy soil (60% soil + 30% sand + 10% organic matter)

2. Filter the soil: Remove stones and pebbles

3. pH level: 6.0-7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)

How to select soil

1. Loamy soil is considered most suitable.

2. The pH value should be between 6.5 to 7.5.

Cleaning the soil

1. Remove roots, pebbles, unwanted grass etc.

2. Grind the soil finely and filter it through a sieve.

An ideal nursery soil mix

You can also use vermicompost in place of cow dung manure.

Soil health and improvement

1. Organic manure: 3-4 kg of cow dung/vermicompost per square meter

2. Green manure: Grow dhaincha or sunn hemp crop and mix it

3. Adding sand: For drainage in heavy soil

Disease and pest control (Sterilization)

Methods to make soil disease free

1. Solarization

Cover the soil with polythene sheet and leave it under sunlight for 2-3 weeks.

2. Use of formaldehyde

Mix 40 percent formaldehyde in 1:50 ratio and put it in the soil and cover it for 7-10 days.

3. Use of fungicide

Mix 2 grams of carbendazim in one liter of water and spray it in the soil.

Seed selection and treatment

Seed selection

1. Select certified and high quality seeds.

2. Give priority to disease resistant varieties.

Seed treatment

To protect seeds from seed borne diseases, do the following treatment:

Method of sowing seeds

Sowing time

1. Sow seeds according to the season

2. Summer crops (eg – tomato, chilli): January-February

3. Rainy season crops: June-July

4. Winter crops: October-November

Depth of sowing seeds

1. Sow seeds at a depth of 0.5 to 1 cm.

2. Germination problems occur if sowed too deeply.

Distance of seeds

Keep a distance of 2-3 cm between the seeds.

Watering the seeds (irrigation)

1. Immediately after sowing, do light irrigation.

2. Excessive watering can cause the seeds to rot.

3. Use a sprinkler or fountain for watering.

Germination and care of seedlings

1. Germination time: Germination takes place within 4-10 days.

2. After the seedlings appear, keep watering them lightly every day.

3. Use shade net as per need. 

Disease Management

Uprooting and Transplanting of seedlings

When to uproot?

1. When the seedlings have 4-6 leaves or are 20-25 days old.

2. Plants should be strong and healthy.

Preparation before transplanting

1. Water the nursery so that the seedlings can come out easily.

2. Irrigate the field 1-2 hours before transplanting.

Other nursery methods

1. Plastic tray: Cocopeat + perlite mixture

2. Polythene bag: 10×15 cm size, holes required at the bottom

3. Cocopeat tray nursery: Seedlings are prepared in a controlled environment, without soil.

4. Hydroponics seed germination: Water based method which leads to faster germination.

5. Net house nursery: For protection from diseases and climate control.

Methods of preparing nursery beds in summer, winter and rainy season

1. Rabi season: October-November

2. Kharif season: June-July

3. Zaid season: February-March

Rules of nursery irrigation

1. After sowing seeds: Light sprinkler

2. After germination: Water till 10 am

Special conditions

1. Summer: Twice a day

2. Winter: At an interval of 2-3 days

Common mistakes made while preparing nursery

1. Do not sow seeds too deep.

2. Do not water too much or too little.

3. Do not use rotten or infected manure/soil.

4. Weeding from time to time.

Classification of vegetables on the basis of their cultivation

Seedling tray

Seeds of hybrid varieties of vegetables, especially chilli, tomato, brinjal are quite expensive. Therefore, seedling trays are used to grow strong disease-free plants. Seedling trays are of different sizes and compartments. They can have 97-200 compartments for sowing seeds. Germination of seeds in seedling trays is good and plants die less. When the plants become ready to be planted in the fields, then these trays are taken to the field and the plants are taken out from the grooves along with the medium and planted in the beds at a fixed place.

Direct seeds

To get the production of some vegetables, their seeds are sown directly in the prepared field at appropriate intervals. Such as – ladyfinger, spinach, carrot, radish and all leguminous vegetables etc. For some vegetable crops, sowing seeds directly in the main field is risky, so seedlings of such vegetables are prepared in separate nurseries and after about one to one and a half months, the prepared seedlings are planted in the main field. These include-

1. Sowing seeds in beds or pro-trays: Tomato, brinjal, chilli, onion and cabbage group vegetables.

2. Sowing seeds in bags: like pumpkin group vegetables

3. Vegetative method or by cuttings: like parwal, kundru, sweet potato

Easy vegetables for beginners nursery

Salad greens: Salad greens have good production from nursery. They can be planted close together. As they grow, you can continuously cut the outer leaves or cut the entire plant when they mature (in 45-60 days) and wait for the second growth.

Beans: Fresh beans also bring great profits to gardeners. Climbing varieties require a trellis or pole, which can help save space in the nursery.

Zucchini: Zucchini or ridge gourd yields a bountiful harvest in summer. Since they are sensitive to frost, sow them usually in late April or by May 15. The plant needs about two feet of space to grow.

Specialized Vegetable Nursery Guide

Tomato Nursery

Seed Rate : 300-400 g/ha

Special Care

Temperature : 20-25°C

Transplantable in 25-30 days

Capsicum/Cabbage/Broccoli

Seed Depth : 0.5 cm

Germination Time : 8-10 days

Transplanting Time : 4-5 true leaves

Organic Methods of Seed Treatment

1.Cow Urine Treatment : Soak in 10% solution for 6 hours

2.Neem Oil : 2 ml/liter of water

3.Beejamrut : Paste of Cow Dung + Soil + Lime

Agricultural License

Vegetable nursery plantation is an agricultural unit, and agricultural license is required to start it. You can visit the government website for more information and procedures. Local government authority may also be required to inspect your nursery.

Major Government Schemes for Setting Up a Vegetable Nursery

1. National Horticulture Mission: 50% Subsidy

2. MNREGS: Wages for Nursery Construction

3. Krishi Vigyan Kendra: Free Training

Application Process

Step 1- Contact the District Horticulture Officer

Required Documents

Land Documents

Aadhaar Card

Bank Details

Some more gardening tips for a successful vegetable nursery

Plant successively throughout the season: As you harvest greens and root vegetables throughout the season, you can plant more seeds to have a second or third crop.

Vary your vegetable crops: Avoid planting crops in the same place every year. Instead, plant them in a new place to provide them with fresh nutrients.

A well-designed nursery not only produces healthy seedlings but also increases overall crop production. Vegetable nursery can be successful by selecting a better location, balanced soil mixture, seed treatment, timely irrigation and disease control. By using modern techniques, farmers can produce more at less cost.