Grading Balled & Grading Balled & Burlapped (B&B) PlantsBurlapped (B&B) Plants

Commercial Plant ProductionCommercial Plant Production

Why Grade Plants?Why Grade Plants?

Standardized system of sizing and describing Standardized system of sizing and describing all types of plant material.all types of plant material.

Facilitates the buying and selling of nursery Facilitates the buying and selling of nursery stock.stock.

The The American Standard for Nursery StockAmerican Standard for Nursery Stock is is published by the American Association of published by the American Association of Nurserymen (AAN).Nurserymen (AAN).

American Standard for Nursery StockAmerican Standard for Nursery Stock

Includes grading specifications for…Includes grading specifications for… Trees and shrubsTrees and shrubs Coniferous evergreensConiferous evergreens Broadleaf evergreensBroadleaf evergreens

Boxwood, Rhododendron, Holly, etc.Boxwood, Rhododendron, Holly, etc.

American Standard for Nursery StockAmerican Standard for Nursery Stock RosesRoses Young plantsYoung plants Fruit treesFruit trees Small fruitsSmall fruits UnderstocksUnderstocks Seedling trees and shrubsSeedling trees and shrubs Bulbs, corms, and tubersBulbs, corms, and tubers PerennialsPerennials Christmas treesChristmas trees

Grading Shade & Flowering Trees – Grading Shade & Flowering Trees – Types 1 & 2Types 1 & 2

Acer rubrum, Fraxinus, Gleditsia, Quercus, Aesculus, Acer rubrum, Fraxinus, Gleditsia, Quercus, Aesculus, Tilia,Tilia, etc. etc.

Graded by caliper.Graded by caliper. ¼ or ½ inch increments.¼ or ½ inch increments. ½”, ¾”, 1”, 1 ¼”, 1 ½”, 1 ¾”, 2”, 2 ½”, 3”, 3 ½”, 4”, ½”, ¾”, 1”, 1 ¼”, 1 ½”, 1 ¾”, 2”, 2 ½”, 3”, 3 ½”, 4”,

etc.etc. Caliper measured:Caliper measured:

At 6” above the ground for At 6” above the ground for grades up to and including the 4”grades up to and including the 4” caliper sizecaliper size..

At 12” above the ground for larger grades.At 12” above the ground for larger grades.

Trunk differences between older and Trunk differences between older and younger treesyounger trees

Younger Older

Trunk flare

Grading Shade & Flowering Trees – Grading Shade & Flowering Trees – Types 3 & 4Types 3 & 4

Small upright trees (type 3) and small spreading Small upright trees (type 3) and small spreading trees (type 4).trees (type 4).

Acer campestre, Cercis, Crataegus, Malus,Acer campestre, Cercis, Crataegus, Malus, Magnolia, Pyrus,Magnolia, Pyrus, etc. etc.

Up to 6 feet tall graded by height at 1-foot Up to 6 feet tall graded by height at 1-foot intervals.intervals.

At 6 feet and over graded by caliper.At 6 feet and over graded by caliper. 2’, 3’, 4’, 5’, ¾”, 1”, 1 ½”, 1 ¾”, 2”, 2 ½”, 3”, etc.2’, 3’, 4’, 5’, ¾”, 1”, 1 ½”, 1 ¾”, 2”, 2 ½”, 3”, etc.

Grading CalipersGrading Calipers

Multi-stem TreesMulti-stem Trees

Also called clump form or shrub form trees.Also called clump form or shrub form trees. Occur naturally in many genera of plants.Occur naturally in many genera of plants. Can be created in the nursery.Can be created in the nursery.

Cutting back single-stemmed plants.Cutting back single-stemmed plants. Planting multiple liners in the field.Planting multiple liners in the field. Planting multiple liners in containers, growing-on, Planting multiple liners in containers, growing-on,

then transplanting to the field.then transplanting to the field.

Grading Multi-stem TreesGrading Multi-stem Trees Acer ginnala, Alnus, Amelanchier, Betula, Acer ginnala, Alnus, Amelanchier, Betula,

Malus, Prunus cistena,Malus, Prunus cistena, etc. etc. Graded by height.Graded by height.

Measured from ground level to the average, Measured from ground level to the average, uppermost point of growth.uppermost point of growth.

1 foot intervals to the 8 foot grade, then 2 foot 1 foot intervals to the 8 foot grade, then 2 foot intervals thereafter.intervals thereafter.

4’, 5’, 6’, 7’, 8’, 10’, 12’, 14’, 16’, 18’, 20’, etc.4’, 5’, 6’, 7’, 8’, 10’, 12’, 14’, 16’, 18’, 20’, etc.

Grading Deciduous ShrubsGrading Deciduous Shrubs

To simplify grading, shrubs can broken down To simplify grading, shrubs can broken down into 2 basic types:into 2 basic types: Dwarf and semi-dwarf shrubs.Dwarf and semi-dwarf shrubs. Strong growing shrubs.Strong growing shrubs.

Dwarf and semi-dwarf shrubsDwarf and semi-dwarf shrubs

Graded by height.Graded by height. Grade in 3-inch series to 18 inches and in ½ Grade in 3-inch series to 18 inches and in ½

foot series over 18 inches.foot series over 18 inches. 12”, 15”, 18”, 2’, 2 ½’, 3’, 3 ½’, 4’, 4 ½’, etc. 12”, 15”, 18”, 2’, 2 ½’, 3’, 3 ½’, 4’, 4 ½’, etc.

Strong growing shrubsStrong growing shrubs

Graded by height.Graded by height. Grade in 6-inch series up to 2 feet; over 2 feet, Grade in 6-inch series up to 2 feet; over 2 feet,

grade in single feet up to 6 feet; over 6 feet, grade in single feet up to 6 feet; over 6 feet, grade in double feet.grade in double feet.

12”, 18”, 2’, 3’, 4’, 5’, 6’, 8’, 10’, 12’, 14’, etc.12”, 18”, 2’, 3’, 4’, 5’, 6’, 8’, 10’, 12’, 14’, etc.

Quality Considerations for ShrubsQuality Considerations for Shrubs

For each type of shrub, For each type of shrub, specifications require a specifications require a certain minimum certain minimum number of canes (stems) number of canes (stems) for each grade.for each grade.

For example type 1 For example type 1 shrubs, graded at 18 shrubs, graded at 18 inches, should have not inches, should have not less than 5 canes 18 less than 5 canes 18 inches and up.inches and up.

18”

Grading Coniferous EvergreensGrading Coniferous Evergreens

Come in a variety of Come in a variety of shapes.shapes.

Graded by either spread Graded by either spread or height.or height.

‘Techny’ Arborvitae

Prostrate EvergreensProstrate Evergreens

Graded by spread.Graded by spread. Measurement should be Measurement should be

average of plant and average of plant and notnot the greatest diameter.the greatest diameter.

9”, 12”, 15”, 18”, 2’, 9”, 12”, 15”, 18”, 2’,

2 ½’, 3’, 3 ½’, 4’, 5’, 6’, 2 ½’, 3’, 3 ½’, 4’, 5’, 6’, 7’, 8’, etc.7’, 8’, etc.

Prostrate evergreens grow wider than tall

Overhead view

NO!

Semi-spreading EvergreensSemi-spreading Evergreens

Graded by spread.Graded by spread. 9”, 12”, 15”, 18”, 2’, 9”, 12”, 15”, 18”, 2’,

2 ½’, 3’, 3 ½’, 4’, 5’, 6’, 2 ½’, 3’, 3 ½’, 4’, 5’, 6’, 7’, 8’, etc.7’, 8’, etc.

Grows wider than tall

Broad-spreading EvergreensBroad-spreading Evergreens

Graded by height.Graded by height. 9”, 12”, 15”, 18”, 2’, 9”, 12”, 15”, 18”, 2’,

2 ½’, 3’, 3 ½’, 4’, 5’, 6’, 2 ½’, 3’, 3 ½’, 4’, 5’, 6’, 7’, 8’, etc.7’, 8’, etc.

Height equals spread

Globe-shaped EvergreensGlobe-shaped Evergreens

Graded by height.Graded by height. 9”, 12”, 15”, 18”, 2’, 9”, 12”, 15”, 18”, 2’,

2 ½’, 3’, 3 ½’, 4’, 5’, 6’, 2 ½’, 3’, 3 ½’, 4’, 5’, 6’, 7’, 8’, etc.7’, 8’, etc.

Height equals spread

Broad upright EvergreensBroad upright Evergreens

Graded by height.Graded by height. 12”, 15”, 18”, 2’, 12”, 15”, 18”, 2’,

2 ½’, 3’, 4’, 5’, 6’, 7’, 2 ½’, 3’, 4’, 5’, 6’, 7’, 8’, 9’, 10’, 12’, 14’, etc.8’, 9’, 10’, 12’, 14’, etc.

Grows taller than wide

Cone type EvergreensCone type Evergreens

Graded by height.Graded by height. 12”, 15”, 18”, 2’, 12”, 15”, 18”, 2’,

2 ½’, 3’, 4’, 5’, 6’, 7’, 2 ½’, 3’, 4’, 5’, 6’, 7’, 8’, 9’, 10’, 12’, 14’, etc.8’, 9’, 10’, 12’, 14’, etc.

Grows taller than wide

Columnar EvergreensColumnar Evergreens

Graded by height.Graded by height. 12”, 15”, 18”, 2’, 2 ½’, 12”, 15”, 18”, 2’, 2 ½’,

3’, 4’, 5’, 6’, 7’, 8’, 9’, 3’, 4’, 5’, 6’, 7’, 8’, 9’, 10’, 12’, 14’, 16’, 18’, 10’, 12’, 14’, 16’, 18’, etc.etc.

Grows taller than wide

Broadleaf EvergreensBroadleaf Evergreens

Graded like evergreens. Graded like evergreens. Spreading types graded Spreading types graded

by spread.by spread. Taller growing types Taller growing types

graded by height.graded by height.

Buxus x ‘Green Velvet’

The EndThe End