How Big Nurseries Start Small Plants

Every winter local nurseries have to turn on the heat and start early to make sure gardeners can buy full-grown plants in spring. In this video I return to Exemplar Horticulture (the nursery where they demonstrated grass division last fall). At this time of year, the three main plant propagation method they'll show us are: seed, cuttings and tissue culture.
A huge thanks to Julia and the staff at Exemplar for welcoming me for a tour during their busy propagation and plant care season.
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[@michellewelch6013]

I love seeing the way you culture plants in your basement. It’s encouraging to me, with no fancy Greenhouse and no space to build one. And yet you are doing an amazing job growing and supplying customers using what you have. You are an inspiration!

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Aww, thanks so much Michelle!

[@Chattyman2]

It amazes me that under the right conditions and with the right feed, plants can grow in such a small amount of growing medium...

[@Godisincontrol325]

Thank you for sharing 😁 I subscribed to your channel 🥇

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Thank you

[@Godisincontrol325]

@@FraserValleyRoseFarm you're very welcome 😁 So much good stuff to watch on your channel 🙏 Many blessings to you and your family..

[@judymckerrow6720]

Thank you Jason that was FUN ! ❄️🫠💚🙃

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

So happy you enjoyed the tour!

[@titosrevenger]

Very cool look behind the scenes. I've been getting better at germination from seed and propagation from cuttings year after year (huge props to you Jason). Throughout my trials and tribulations it's become quite clear that environmental conditions are the number one thing to ensure consistent results. These growers really highlight that fact.

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Thanks!

[@susankilpatrick2918]

Jason thanks so much for that greenhouse tour - SO interesting!

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Very much my pleasure. Thanks for watching!

[@phenixwars1]

Wonderful video. Short and sweet too. Love how they do the beneficial insects.

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Thanks - yes, I've always found them to be quite progressive in trying to reduce pesticide use. The owners used to be my managers at a wholesale nursery, and they pushed hard (within practical limits) to stick with biological controls.

[@debs-more-plants]

Another fabulous educational video! Thanks So much!!!

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Thanks Deb

[@pamelamercado6902]

I found the video very interesting very simple yet gave really good information

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Thanks so much Pamela

[@gwbuilder5779]

I remember working with my cousin some 50 years ago for a grower. I was mainly there for loading and unloading plants and supplies, but sometimes I was fortunate enough to help split tissues and pot them along with seeding and cuttings. I've always enjoyed the different propagation processes. Thank you to Exemplar and Julia for sharing their processes with all of us and to you Jason for continually coming up with new very relevant content for advancing the growing community worldwide.😉👌🤙

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Thanks so much. It's a little funny to me that somewhere in my mind TC is still "advanced" technology, but it's definitely been around for decades in the industry.

[@gwbuilder5779]

@@FraserValleyRoseFarm I know right.😂 Just the mention of cloning still brings up the mention of Dolly the cloned lamb and yet we do cuttings every day.🤣

[@redbroadhead2907]

Very educational and informative video. I have a few questions, first she said that they fertilized with fertilizer and added rooting hormone, can you explain that a little please. Also can you talk a little bit about those blocks they used on some of their cutting. Also where to get them.

[@jucjuc314]

It was awesome, she was right! 😄🤗 Great and unique information, thank you for that! Those little perfectly rooted plugs always fascinate me.. It is hard to get them as perfect as the ones from the growers.

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

So true - there's not much as satisfying as a perfectly rooted plug!

[@GreyBeardUSA]

Thank you for sharing this information. I am envious of commercial growers and the rigged-out greenhouses.

[@PlantRelated]

thank you so much, valuable information, thanks again for your hard work, I know how much time goes into this, and lots of passion

[@keithhilton8869]

Thanks Jason, Very informative presentation. Cheers

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Happy to hear it Keith!

[@PorchGardeningWithPassion]

Very cool! I am in Lynden, so it is very cool to see a local video to better relate to my growing zone 👊🏻🌻👊🏻

[@John_GGG]

Thank you Julia.

[@amydu5498]

Very cool! Thank you for our virtual field trip!

[@jeffjohnson2958]

That was a great visit/tour, Jason!!! And great for us as well...two masters (successfully doing things in different settings) talking strategies, techniques and shop in general!!! Have a great season. /JJ

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Thanks Jeff

[@JustJamesDean]

greetings from the southern seas. i did a few hundred cuttings this summer, none has rooted and slowly drying up (even with humidity dome). after watching this videos, I am convinced, its better to just pay the professionals to grow the plugs and I simply grow them out yes, it cost some money, but its a much better use of time

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Definitely always worth weighing the options!

[@marmaladesunrise]

Nice seeing you, Jason. As always, a very informative video. Thank you.

[@cindyl3916]

Nice to see you back here showing us more of what it takes to get us our plants. So interesting. Really enjoy the education you’re providing, Thank you ❤

[@lesliebehrens7252]

Thanks so much this is fascinating.

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Glad you enjoyed it Leslie

[@jennifergreene8891]

Hi Jason 👋 What a great and informative video! Thank you!

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

My pleasure Jennifer. Thanks for watching

[@Growing-Our-Retirement]

Wow, serious operation!

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

You bet - and certainly compared to my own little farm, but I'd probably still call this medium scale within the local industry. I might (crossing fingers) have a chance to tour and show a truly next level operation this season.

[@Growing-Our-Retirement]

Yes, I am sure there are much larger! Hope you get to do that video!

[@ColorMyWorldGardening]

I love these behind the scenes videos! Keep them coming! 👍👍

[@mattiecopeland8741]

Awesome. I enjoyed this Starter Plants Tour. Thank you!

[@aalejardin]

It's really helpful to understand how things are propagated in the nurseries. I always wondered about those little net bags of soil that you find around some plants!

[@mikedan297]

It's an interesting video. We better understand the conditions and settings professional growers have to ensure good results in plant propagation. I love seeing how they make standard roses.

[@tbradtbrad]

Excellent video!

[@bc.dorian]

This was so interesting!

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Thanks Dorian

[@bbr9707]

Thanks Jason… just a great insights… I wish all my seeds and cuttings grew that well😂

[@spacebirb4339]

I learn now TC too from Plants in Jars channel, she explains very well all of that which is amazing!

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Thanks - I'm a fan of that channel, along with Plant Cell Technology

[@camicri4263]

Oh, that is so cool! Thank you Jason, thank you Julia! I wanted to buy some plugs but I am not ready for it yet and I spent so mach money on the plants and was not able to take proper care of them , I hope they make it! I want so any things and I forget I am not physicaly able to do things at the moment! Blessings!

[@gibsonissac9449]

Thank you so much mr.Jason I'm more learning from your farm and I'm build green house I'm doing one by one I'm soon opening garden center my hometown in India

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Outstanding. I'm so excited for you!

[@LifeHomeandGardenwithAnaRica]

So informative! Thank you so much!

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

So welcome Ana

[@MelissaBlair-ls3ye]

Thank you for the information!

[@lighthouse739]

Thanks for an amazing informative video!

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

You're very welcome

[@paulnovak833]

TC is the past, present and future of horticulture.

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Thanks Paul. I suppose I can agree in a way, but so far other methods of prop (seed, cutting, division) remain viable and generally beat TC in one major respect: cost.

[@paulnovak833]

@FraserValleyRoseFarm beat it in cost! Haha. Not even close. A small scale setup like yourself could easily have a lab in your basement and do tissue culture. You'd find it to be easier in literally every single aspect. There is nothing overly challenging about tc. Most of the protocols of the plants you grow are freely available online. I am attempting to propagate via tc some harder varieties myself but I wouldn't have to. The only other method that I find close are my apple rootstock stoolbeds but that took years to get them to where they are now.

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

I have no hesitation to try, and probably will get some experience with it this year, but I have to push back about the cost of TC plants in commerce. They're currently much more expensive than cutting or seed produced plants from outside suppliers. You could talk about bringing those skills in-house, and that's fine, but it still takes a more specialized setup, more training, more precautions around contaminating the cultures. You're totally right that for a small-scale (and technically proficient) grower like myself, there could be cost savings. But having supervised the employees at this same scale of nursery, I know what an uphill battle it would be to train the techniques vs. the relatively fast and simple sticking of cuttings. Only once I've played around with it a bit would I tell you how much financial sense it would make, but I also have a suspicion that starting with relatively large cuttings (compared to micropropagation) also may yield marketable size plants quicker when you take the entire grow cycle into account.

[@popandbob]

Tissue Culture is not the future. It has a place in the conversation but not as a sole means of propagation. If you make 100% of horticultural crops genetically identical you will explode the pest and disease spread many times over. When you grow from seed each plant will have slightly different genetics and this creates genetic diversity so that pests and diseases can't spread as easily. Not to mention that every variety that is raised via tissue culture had to start as a seed somewhere along the line... so growing from seed could yield a new variety - its a slim chance but without the seeds, there would be no new varieties!

[@kkeenan536]

Very interesting, thank you! 💚

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

My pleasure

[@geraldinefields1730]

Thank you.

[@leonshomegrown]

Fantastic content 😊😊😊

[@Muhammad_Syakir]

It looks like Canada is the home to very pretty girl like Julia. 🌷

[@butette]

that is so cool

[@EcofriendlyFarm]

Very well, thank your sharing video , I have idea for my channel

[@CliffordAllison]

Great video ! With the misting in damp conditions how does she control fungal issues?

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Thanks Clifford. They (try to) time the mist to just about dry down between cycles. You may have heard some fan noise in the background - they definitely move a good amount of air through the greenhouses to reduce standing air and moisture on the foliage. The other thing Julia mentioned in passing was fungicide (applied with the feeding) - and while I don't find it necessary at my scale, but for a larger commercial greenhouse it makes some sense to act preventively.

[@Robert-cd2ht]

Let's see more rose tissue culture and what about hydroponic roses? I have ben experimenting with a colloidal mix of 75 mineral and more to optimize rose health and disease resistance, plus human health is mostly a deficiency problem so the secrets are now unlocked.

[@andrewjames6676]

Hi Jason, thanks as always for your teaching! I have a question about fuchsia cutings. I took them last October and they grew in the greenhoouse in 50/50 vermiculite/perlite kept moist. When I pulled them out this week (Feb 28) they had tremendous bushy root growth - about 4"-5". Should I cut that root growth back before potting? Or pot them as they are, curling the roots round inside the pot?

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Nicely done. If you can tease apart the roots, do that, but if they're pretty tightly wound together then pruning to free them up would be a good idea.

[@FireflyOnTheMoon]

Could you do a vid explaining tissue culture? I hope the net or binder with the plugs are degradable. Those tea bags that nurseries use are horrible and stick around for decades

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Thanks. I'll put in the list, maybe for a collab. I wonder if Plants in Jars would be game. The ones I saw in this tray looked like they used a binding agent rather than a net, but I suppose depending on the chemical it's also something to think about.

[@MyFocusVaries]

That was a great tour. So interesting.

[@larakalevra2233]

Ooh red delphiniums! I saw those seeds a while ago one Jelittos website and am still tempted. How hard were they to grow for you?

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Reasonably even germination at 23C and 80% humidity after 7 days

[@bradcarby3765]

I have the need to go to the nursery that does our raspberry starts from time to time. We get about 20-50k starts from them every couple of months. While they are certainly a very good operation, I can't help but notice what an absolute debacle their irrigation is. I had a similar thought here. All that quality with their operation but their tables are just cement blocks with a flat surface on top. I guess its one of those "Let's just make some money and we'll fix it later" type things that never eventuates.

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Thanks Brad. I happen to know this facility from my time as a professional grower, and your sense isn't too far off. The owner built it to meet the propagation needs of a small to medium operation - that eventually closed up. Since then the site has been leased to a couple of other growers (including most recently Exemplar). For anyone to have incentive to install "proper" stainless steel benches, or replace the boiler (or anything else for that matter) there'd need to be a cost/benefit conversation - and in that kind of discussion, the concrete blocks that are already there and doing the job have inertia behind them!

[@bradcarby3765]

@@FraserValleyRoseFarm Fraser, from Jason Valley Rose Farm, you seem like a man I could spend a lot of time talking to. Great vid, all the best.

[@judymckerrow6720]

Maybe you could help me if you have the time ? I ordered a bare root peony for my daughter’s birthday, it was supposed to be sent to her home but it showed up at mine. I need to pot it up somehow and “ save “ it for her until I can see her again, it may be a couple of months. If I pot in up where should I keep it, it’s still freezing here but I do have an unheated porch I could keep it on ? I’m not at all sure what I should do with it ? Should I keep it in my warm house so it doesn’t throughly freeze outside, should I keep it on my unheated porch ? I absolutely hate it when they send plants that are out of season to plant. I just got a crepe myrtle that I have to try and hold over until it’s warm enough to plant outside and now the peony. Companies use to hold on to orders until it was safe to plant in your growing zone. With the crepe myrtle I could plant it now the ground is not frozen anymore but it’s only February and I KNOW we’re going to get more BAD weather and the crepe myrtle is only hardy to my zone, conundrum ! I THINK that I can deal with moving the crepe myrtle in and outside weather permitting BUT I ABSOLUTELY DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH THE PEONY ? Any suggestions would be most appreciated. Thank you. ❄️🫠💚🙃

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Peonies are extremely cold hardy, so a bit of cold isn't the worst - but obviously I don't know your climate, and a long solid freeze on unrooted bare root could be a bit risky. The middle ground is what I would aim for - quite cool but not deeply frozen in a slightly moist (but definitely not soaking) medium. How to achieve that with your situation is something I can't weigh in on too much. For me (and at this later stage of winter in my climate) it would be outside on the unheated porch, and then only tuck into the garage if a deep cold is expected.

[@judymckerrow6720]

@@FraserValleyRoseFarm Thank you SO much Jason ! ❄️🫠💚🙃

[@80sforever3]

Which fungicide suitable for cuttings and young seedlings? Would copper solution ok?

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

It's not something I would give a lot of general advice about, as the range of fungicides available (and the licensing required to apply) varies by jurisdiction. Copper (depending on the formulation) is often targeted toward bacterial problems more so than fungal. I personally don't apply any fungicide to my cuttings or seedlings, and get away with only minor rot problems. In the local industry I see them using Daconil (Chlorothalonil) and sometimes Pristine (Boscalid & Pyraclostrobin) on seedlings, but they may use others in rotation as well.

[@80sforever3]

@@FraserValleyRoseFarm Thanks. Obviously i need to curb my overwatering tendency

[@dovinhgardenfarm]

Tuyệt vời quá

[@dialecticcoma]

cheers just commenting for algorithm

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Thanks. Every bit helps!

[@dialecticcoma]

videos with knowledgable growers competently explaining their process are invaluable, thank you@@FraserValleyRoseFarm

[@vynedvyne59]

💯

[@elainebernier]

How do they propagate Peonies?

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Some, especially the Itoh peonies are tissue culture, but most herbaceous kinds are division.

[@ceili]

Can anyone tell me what sort of qualifications one would need before pursuing a job like this? I’ve plenty of experience but not the necessary paperwork

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Unless you're dealing with larger institutions (government, universities) the horticulture industry is fairly open to those with experience and aptitude but no formal degrees. My first job for a nursery - working under Julia's parents incidentally, was literally loading plants onto racks for shipping. There's no diploma for that! I eventually made it onto the growing team, and was making decent money as a grower before I went to run my own farm/nursery.

[@ceili]

@@FraserValleyRoseFarm great, thanks for your reply.

[@teslaandhumanity7383]

Why say Erbs and not herbs 🌿 is because the French pronunciation?

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Lol. I'm a product of whatever regional pronunciation I've been exposed to.