Production playbook

The 2014 edition of the American Standard for Nursery Stock (ANSI Z60.1 – the Standard) has just been completed. The updated version will be published later this year by AmericanHort. The purpose of the Standard is to provide buyers and sellers of nursery stock with a common terminology in order to facilitate transactions involving nursery stock.

Growers need to be aware of the changes in this latest edition. The top five most important revisions to the 2004 edition are:

1. To make the Standard easier to use, new tables for each plant type include multiple specifications for each plant size specification, including minimum root ball size, various measurement ratios such as caliper:height or spread:height, minimum number of canes or branches, and minimum container class and in-ground fabric bag size.

2. Minimum requirements for all nursery stock in a new “General Standards” section include:

•     Good living condition
•     Typical in habit for the species in the region of the country in which it is grown
•     Correct identification (by genus, species and, if applicable, cultivar) – new to this edition
•     Substantially free of damaging insects and diseases – new to this edition
•     Pruning cuts must be done in accordance with related consensus standards – new to this edition
•     Type 1 and Type 2 shade trees may not have co-dominant stems in the bottom half of the crown – new to this edition

    
3. Clarification of the method for measuring caliper and the relationship between root flare and the soil line.

4. Changes to specifications for in-ground fabric bags and expansion of their application to all plant types.

5. Recognition of containers that “encourage or manipulate root growth” and recognition of fabric as an acceptable container material.

Read more important updates here.

Photo by Kelli Rodda