Level II Agricultural Business Operations

Selection Scheduling Management Tasks Harvesting – post harvest Marketing Performance Targets

Choosing your crop 1. Interest 2. Expertise 3. Labour 4. Equipment / structures

Why select?Climate – soil, protected, temperature, light

levels.High Input – pest & disease, weed control,

fertiliser, heat. Marketability – demand, market, price,

production cost, cash flow, harvesting costs.Variety – F1, style, colour.

Useful sites:

www.ballcolegrave.co.ukwww.moleseeds.co.ukwww.young-plants.co.ukwww.florensis.comwww.gasagroup.com

Why? Climate (light levels, cooler temperatures) The market (spring, summer, season

extension) Spacing requirements Number of crops per house

Day to day operationsOrdering the plant – seed, plugs (at least 3

months in advance)Planting / potting – labour, time, space,

holdingSpacing – labour, density (number per m2) Culture notes

Nutrient management/Fertiliser /Feeding

Moisture content – use of different composts with different AFP

pH levels – Why?E.C levels – use of base fertilisers, slow

release fertilisers and liquid fertilisersNPK rates at vegetative growth and flowering

requirement

Growth RegulationWhy?

Meet specificationsReduce vegetative growthFlower/bract initiation

How?PinchingChemicalLightNutrient

Pest & DiseaseWhat could effect the crop (harvest

intervals)Examples of common pest & diseases

Pest & Disease

Weed ControlIn bedding and pot plant production should

have no weeds due toClean compostClean potsClean facilities

Cut flowers – weed control difficultChemical soil sterilisationSteam soil sterilisationMechanical / hand weeding

Harvesting Timescale At what stage Specifications Labour required Presentation Orders, labelling & dispatch

Post harvestCooling the crop (removing field heat)

Harvest timeCooling facilities

StorageFacilitiesPriceMoisture contentDuration

StorageDry storage

Examples in cut flowers, Lilies, Peony & Hydrangea

Storage success depends on;1. Hygiene2. Pest & disease free3. Chemical post harvest treatments

Market identification Product specification Quality/Price Minimum price

Why measure crop performance? See what's happening Compare crop types/enterprises Improve Assess profitability

Bedding, pot plant & cut flowers Number of plants per m2Input cost per m2

◦ Labour◦ Materials◦ Overheads

OutputHow much achieved per plant /stem per m2

Target spacingCut Flower crops Scented stock – 64 plants per m2 Antirrhinum – 64 plants per m2 Dianthus – 56 plants per m2 Alstromeria – 9 plants per m2 Delphinium – 24 plants per m2 (some plants may produce at least 3 stems

per plant)

Target spacing Pot plants / nursery stock 9cm pots – 18 per tray x 4 trays =72 10.5cm pots – 15 per tray x 4 trays =60 13cm pots – 40/50 1 litre pots – 40/50 2 litre pots – 20/25

Crop Commodity

Pot size Planting

density/m2

Financial Out put

Percentage marketable

Gross margin per pot/stem

Pot plant Poinsettia 13cm 10 95% £0.50

Cut Flower

Lily 16 per crate

64 99% £0.14

Nursery Stock

shrub 2 litre 20 95% £1.00

Percentage wastageWhy included?Examples:Protected pot plants – 10%Field Vegetables – 25%Nursery Stock – 10%