Lesson 1 — Zones & Workflow (how plants move)

Goal: design the nursery like a production line so labor stays low as you scale.

Typical workflow

1. Receiving / quarantine
2. Propagation (or purchased liners)
3. Liner grow-on
4. Potting up (1g → 2g → 3g)
5. Production blocks (spacing changes over time)
6. Staging / shipping

Simple flow map

Receiving → Quarantine → (Prop OR Purchased Liners)
        → Potting → Production Blocks → Staging/Ship

Rules that prevent chaos

• One-way traffic when possible (no crisscrossing pallets).
• Wide, firm lanes (equipment-friendly even in winter mud).
• Potting area is central and close to production.
• Keep retail/public separated (if you add it later).

Do this

1. Define your “standard container path” (ex: liner → 1g → 2g).
2. Define where each step physically happens on the property.
3. Write down your top 5 time sinks (watering, moving, potting, weeding, loading) and design to reduce them.