Grand River combines benefits to produce top-quality trees

Since 1984, Charlie Morgan, owner of Grand River Nursery in Fort Gibson, Okla., has supplied trees and shrubs to the nursery industry throughout the United States. Keeping with the Oklahoma tradition for superiorly grown nursery stock, Morgan has managed to raise and deliver high-quality plant materials for rewholesalers, retail and landscape markets.

Given his modesty, Morgan attributes great soil, ideal climate and exceptional employees for his thriving business. These are indeed factors which, in part, explain his success in a competitive and ever-changing industry. Here are some other facets of his operation and how they come together to create a vibrant and thriving nursery operation with approximately $3 million in annual sales.

Experimenting with production

Grand River grows the majority of its nursery stock from liners cultivated with traditional field-production methods. However, pot-in-pot (PIP) and fabric containers (especially valuable for slow-growing species) are also being explored with the possibility of more extensive use in the future.

Soils at Grand River Nursery are well-drained and ideally lend themselves to the establishment of an in-ground PIP production scheme. Trees grown PIP range from 5 to 25 gallons. Growing PIP helps to reduce tree blowover and to insulate roots from temperature extremes. Grand River also has found other advantages by using this production strategy.

Morgan also uses root-control bags. Researchers have found greater root mass and overall proliferation with root-control bags versus traditional container production in Oklahoma. “Fabric containers are definitely the way to go to produce fibrous, non-circling root structures that transplant and take off well,” Morgan said. “Overall, grow bags are ideal for slow-growing, hard-to-transplant species, especially evergreens. We are specifically experimenting to see if our elms and plums will anchor their roots better in fabric containers over traditional containers or B&B methods.”

Root-control bags also use half of the soil volume to comprise the same root  mass. Morgan has a goal of up to 20 percent of his stock eventually grown all containerized to extend his market season. “Our live oaks -- Quercus virginiana -- and pines, for example, have a much lower mortality rate with containers over B&B,” Morgan said. Currently, balled-and-burlapped and related methods preclude the possibility of nearly year-round harvest. Regardless of production tactic, most trees are marketed at 2- to 3-inch caliper with up to 6-inch trees offered for sale. Nearly all stock is under drip irrigation.

Plant palette

A significant strength of Grand River is the sheer diversity of plant materials grown at any given time. About 150 selections of deciduous, coniferous and broadleaf evergreens are grown to supply markets spanning 17 states.

Like any astute businessperson, Morgan offers industry staples such as Autumn Blaze maple (Acer x freemanii Autumn Blaze) and Cleveland Select pear (Pyrus calleryana ‘Cleveland Select’). Morgan also grows less commonly produced trees in Oklahoma such as parrotia (Parrotia persica), Whiteshield osage orange (Maclura pomifera Whiteshield) and Fall Fiesta sugar maple (Acer saccharum Fall Fiesta). These trees are sold to discriminating buyers who seek to offer their clientele plant materials that are more “outside the box” than inventory basics.

Inventory numbers for any selection varies year from year, although certain trends have emerged. For example, ash once comprised nearly 1/3 of Grand River’s sales before the advent of emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis). One constant that has remained is that Grand River has continued to offer native and non-native plant material appropriate to withstand the climatic challenges of parts of Arizona to Michigan to western Pennsylvania down to Texas.

New plants, consistent standards

Morgan is always willing to trial new plant material. He canvasses the globe for better trees and shrubs for his patrons across the country. Morgan sees new selections at trade shows, in industry publications and at other continuing educational opportunities. Morgan remains committed to growing and selling selections resistant to insects and diseases known to befall plants in his sales territory. Morgan’s attention to detail and his insistence upon growing quality, tried-and-true selections has helped Oklahoma to transition toward sustainability and the promotion of lower-input crops.

For example, Morgan grows insect- and disease-resistant crabapples and better elms for Dutch elm disease resistance. All of these small steps collectively help toward fewer pesticide inputs, both in his nursery and ultimately in consumers’ landscapes, which translate to environmentally friendly practices. Regardless of the nature of Morgan’s plant palette years down the road, consistent quality will remain his No. 1 standard. “We don’t dig every tree in the row. Each plant must meet our quality standards before harvest,” Morgan said.

The Grand River Nursery catalog emphasizes growing quality, but more importantly, its customers know it, too. Some of the nursery’s customers have been so for nearly two decades.

Employees make the difference

Approximately 50 full-time and six part-time employees can be found at Grand River any time of the year. Many of Morgan’s employees have been with him up to 20 years.

“Sometimes  an entire family gets in on the action with husband, wife and children working at the operation,” Morgan said.

Morgan’s ability to recruit, but more importantly retain good people, is one of his key secrets to success.

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Grand River’s success in retaining customers is due to salespeople like Arlie Perry with his exceptional people skills and overall concern for his nursery and landscape clientele. Perry served as president of the Oklahoma Nursery and Landscape Association in 2000 and continues to be very active with this and related professional associations. He was Oklahoma’s Nurseryman of the Year in 2002 and is a household name in nursery circles.

Grand River Nursery

Location: Fort Gibson, Okla.

History: Started in 1984 by Charles Morgan.

Size: 950 acres.

Employees: 50 full-time, plus six part-time.

Market area: 17 states, including parts of Arizona to Michigan to western Pennsylvania down to Texas.

Crops: About 150 selections of deciduous, coniferous and broadleaf evergreens grown by a variety of methods, such as using PIP and root-control bags.

For more: Grand River Nursery, (918) 478-3964; www.grandrivernursery.com.

- Mike Schnelle

Mike Schnelle is professor at Oklahoma State University, (405) 744-7361; mike.schnelle@okstate.edu.

August 2008