Module 0 — Master Site Plan (Nursery on 5 acres)
Goal: decide where everything goes before you buy anything big. A clear master plan saves years of “moving things twice.”
Zones (simple diagram)
Think in zones, not “random areas.” A. Receiving + quarantine B. Propagation / greenhouse (controlled) C. Liner grow-on D. Production blocks (1g, 2g, 3g+) E. Potting / media handling F. Water / fert / chemical (secure) G. Shipping / staging / loading H. Storage (pots, trays, parts) I. Equipment / shop J. Retail/public (optional, separate flow)
Golden rules
- Water + drainage decide the site. Put production where you can irrigate and drain cleanly.
- Separate clean and dirty flows. Quarantine/receiving never mixes with propagation.
- Minimize steps. Potting → production should be short, flat, and forklift/tractor friendly.
- Plan for trucks early. 16–26 ft box trucks need turning room and firm surfaces.
- Build in phases. The site plan should show Year 1 footprint and Year 5 footprint.
Do this now (one afternoon)
- Print an aerial image / property map and sketch the zones above.
- Mark: water sources, power, slopes, wet spots, prevailing wind, sun exposure.
- Mark the “working spine”: the main path that connects potting → production → shipping.
- Choose one “utility corridor” for buried water + power so you don’t trench the same places repeatedly.
Pass/fail: Can you explain your nursery layout to a helper in 60 seconds? If not, the plan is not clear enough yet.