Knowledge Bank

The objective of this study was to determine annual fixed costs of operating field nurseries in Ohio differentiated by size of firm and species of Plant. In the 50-acre nursery analyzed, fixed costs per salable plant were $11.31 for Taxus, $8.08 for Juniperus, $7.56 for Viburnum, $25.09 for Acer rubrum, $17.16 for Malus, and averaged $11.29 for all spec1es. In the 200-acre nursery they were $4.90 for Texua, $3.48 for Juniperus, $3.27 for Viburnum, $10.87 for Acer rubrum, $7.43 for Malus, and averaged S4.88 for all species. This very significant increase in efficiency when going from the 50-acre to the 200-acre field nursery is attributed to the more efficient use of buildings, machinery, and equipment of the large nursery over the small.