Editing Plant nursery (section)

===Soil conditions===

For a nursery to produce healthy crops, it will need to have healthy soil. The soil should have good drainage and nutrient holding capacity. Soil testing will help a nursery find out its pH levels, and also the amounts of nutrients in the soil.<ref>Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. (2022, July 18). ''Starting a commercial nursery in Ontario.'' Retrieved from Ontario: <nowiki>https://www.ontario.ca/page/starting-commercial-nursery-ontario#:~:text=your%20market's%20needs.-,Production%20Systems,deciduous%20shrubs%20and%20herbaceous%20perennials</nowiki></ref> To test soil drainage, one method is to dig an 18" deep hole that is at least 4" in diameter. Fill the hole with water, and leave it for an hour. This will allow the soil to saturate. Next, fill the hole with water again but leave the top 2" of soil in the hole without water. Wait an hour then return to the hole with a measurement tool like a ruler to find out how much water has drained from the hole. The corresponding measurements will allow the tester to decide what type of drainage capacity their soil has. If the water level drops 1/2" or less it is poor draining. If water drops 1/2" to 1", it drains at a medium rate. 1"< means that the soil drains quickly.