Publication 430-050

Getting Started in the Nursery Business

Nursery Production Options
Gregory K. Eaton, Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist, Department of Horticulture, Virginia Tech
Bonnie L. Appleton, Professor and Extension Specialist, Hampton Roads AREC
Reviewed by James Owen, Jr., Nursery Extension Specialist, Virginia Cooperative Extension, Virginia Tech
The nursery industry in Virginia has enjoyed an bareroot fruit trees, progressing to bareroot shade trees,
extended period of growth and expansion. Conse- and later to field-grown, balled-in-burlap (B&B) harvested
quently, there is considerable interest in and some trees. The container nursery industry started at the end
potential for new business opportunities in the indus- of World War II with the production of small trees and a
try. Another consequence of this period of economic variety of shrubs in #10 metal fruit cans. The industry has
growth is an increase in competition within the industry now progressed to growing an extremely diverse number
to supply the growing demand for landscape plants. of annuals, herbaceous perennials, vines, ground covers,
Those interested in getting into the nursery business are ornamental grasses, shrubs and trees. In particular, trees
strongly encouraged to invest their time and energy into can be grown to much larger sizes in field production with
learning as much as they can about the modern nursery the use of mechanical harvesting equipment (tree spades),
industry, and the many options now available in nursery and in wood and plastic containers of sizes of 200 gallons
production, before they invest any money in facilities or larger.
and operations.
In deciding whether to grow nursery stock in the field vs.
Virginias nursery industry has many more production containers, many factors should be considered relative to
options available today than when it began in the United nursery design and capitalization. Some of these factors
States during the 1700s. The first trees produced were are summarized in the table below.

Table 1. Considerations for field versus container nurseries.

Field (in-ground) nursery Container nursery Notes
Land area required larger Smaller Relative to profitability of
operation
Number of employees 1 per 5 10 acres 1 per acre Field production has more
seasonal employees
Economic return per acre Lesser with fewer plants per acre Greater with more plants per acre
and longer production cycle and realized sooner
Production cycle Longer (1 6+ years) Shorter (6 months 2 + years)
Production costs per acre Lesser costs for site preparation, Greater investment in production
labor and maintenance area construction, containers,
water, substrate, and larger labor
force
Intensity of management Lower fertilization and irrigation Daily irrigation; monitoring for
requirements; mowing of fallow blowover, weed control, rate
strips and weed control in of disease or insect spread, and
planting rows protection from temperature
extremes
Seasonality Periodic with limited harvest Year-round Both types of production have
during periods of active growth some down time in winter

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Virginia Cooperative Extension programs and employment are open to all, regardless of age, color, disability, gender, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation,
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Virginia State University, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture cooperating. Edwin J. Jones, Director, Virginia Cooperative Extension, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg; Jewel E. Hairston, Administrator, 1890 Extension Program,
Virginia State, Petersburg.
VT/1214/HORT-89P
 Field (in-ground) nursery Container nursery Notes
Types and sizes of plants Preferred production system for More efficient production of small Recent hybrid production
large caliper trees; limited holding shrubs, annuals and perennials; systems allow larger plant sizes in
time after harvest plants can be repotted to larger containers
containers if not sold
Growing area preparation Generally less required. Unique More extensive and expensive Important part of Best
and maintenance concerns for removal of acreage site preparation for drainage and Management Practices (BMPs)
from production for soil rebuilding, water recycling. Container beds
and replacement of soil removed by require a gravel, plastic or fabric
B&B harvesting covering
Irrigation Irrigation not mandatory; irrigating Daily irrigation mandatory; 27,000 Both production systems can
will help establish liners and gallons per acre per day capacity use drip or overhead irrigation;
produce faster growth recommended during peak important part of BMPs
production months
Fertilizer use and Less fertilizer per acre; usually Fertilizer topdressed by hand Either system via irrigation
application broadcast applied; less labor is labor intensive; substrate- (fertigation), with special
intensive incorporated fertilizer less labor injection equipment; controlled-
intensive, but requires special release fertilizers recommended
equipment for both production systems;
important part of BMPs
Weed control Mechanical weed control via More difficult due to close Weed control around production
cultivation or hoeing in addition to plant spacing, favorable weed areas will helpreduce weed
chemical (herbicide) options growth environment, weed seed pressure;important part of BMPs
introduction via irrigation and
substrate, and less substrate
buffering capacity against
herbicide application errors; hand
weeding and herbicide application
are available
Disease and insect control Somewhat less intensive; larger More intensive due to greater Regular monitoring or scouting
plants require specialized insect and disease pressure; more will reduce problems in either
equipment for pesticide delivery difficult control applications due to system;important part of BMPs
higher plant densities and reduced
air circulation

Summer stress Irrigation important to avoid Greater summer heat stress due
drought; less concern for heat stress. to high root zone temperatures
in containers, and heat produced
or reflected from container beds;
may use shade structures or
syringing (short cycle overhead
irrigation)
Overwintering Little protection is generally From simply jamming containers
required together to protecting plants in
heated overwintering structures
Harvesting Restricted to seasons when soil Any time by simply loading plants Improvements in irrigation
moisture is adequate and plants are from their production beds and postharvest handling have
dormant; plants are dug by hand or allowed somesummer digging of
machine, bareroot or with soil ball; field grown plants
root protection required during
holding (cold storage, heeling in,
balling-in-burlap)
Shipping Bareroot field-grown plants can be Containers can be stacked can- Long distance shipping is
bundled or boxed; large B&B plants on-can, boxed or racked; lighter possible for container-grown
spaced on trucks or tied toindividual weight reduces shipping costs plants, but cost prohibitive for
pallets field grown B&B
Equipment needs Requires more expensive machine- Production efficiency requires
harvesting equipment; may substrate mixing and container
require larger irrigation and spray filling equipment.
equipment.

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Table 2. Advantages and disadvantages of field versus container nurseries.
Field (in-ground) nursery Container nursery
Less labor intense Better control over factors affecting plant growth
Less water needed (substrate, irrigation, fertilization)

Root temperatures buffered by soil More marketing options (ways, sizes and times of year)

Advantages Some plants, especially trees, grow better in the Higher plant densities
field Ability to use sites unsuited to field production
Better soil nutrient reserve and pH buffering Planting and harvesting time not weather dependent
No plant blow-over Some plants easier to grow and/or harvest in containers
Easier control of pests (weeds, insects, diseases) Lighter weight for handling and shipping
Disadvantages Less control over factors affecting plant growth Intensive management
Smaller percent of plants absorbing roots Need for a large volume of higher quality water
harvested (especially trees - often no more than Rapid nutrient depletion
5% - 20%)
More difficult control of pests (weed, insect, disease)
Less harvest time flexibility (generally only when
Lethal root temperatures (heat in summer, cold in
dormant)
winter)
Lower plant densities
Blow-over (labor intense; wastes topdressed materials)
Planting and harvest weather dependent
Root circling/repotting frequency
Not all sites usable - field soil must have adequate
Runoff (nutrients and herbicides)
moisture and drainage.
With B&B, heavy product and loss of field soil with
product
Root pruning may be necessary

Types of Field Production: called balled-and-burlapped or balled-in-burlap (B&B)

plants. B&B is the next step up from bare root har-
Bare root - Bare root production and harvesting is gen- vest, and can be used for evergreen as well as deciduous
erally restricted to small groundcover, herbaceous peren- plants, and for much larger plants than are harvested
nial and ornamental grass divisions, and small deciduous bare root. Most B&B harvesting, as with bare root, is
shrubs and trees. Due to the potential for dessication, done while plants are dormant, but recent improvements
few evergreen shrubs or trees are harvested bare root, in holding and acclimating techniques (ways to prevent
with the exception of small conifer liners for Christ- balls from drying out and ways to stimulate summer
mas tree planting and reforestation. Bare root plants root growth) have allowed increased digging during the
should only be planted, harvested and transplanted growing season. Some landscapers prefer to transplant
while dormant (late fall to early spring while not actively B&B plants as opposed to container-grown plants to
growing), thus limiting the time when they can be used. avoid some of the soil interface problems that develop
The biggest challenge in working with bare root plants when plants are container-grown in soilless substrate.
is keeping the roots from drying out. A major advan- B&B plants are heavy and awkward to handle. Hand
tage to using bare root plants is their light weight and harvesting requires trained staff, and mechanical harvest-
relatively low cost. Also, because there are few producers ing requires hydraulic tree spades and other equipment.
of bare-root liners (seedlings or rooted cuttings) in
Virginia, there is a market for bare-root liner products Holding/marketing options - Bare root plants can be
among Virginia growers of finished nursery stock. held in cold storage with their roots exposed or packed
in damp moss or other material; they can also be pro-
Conventional B&B - Shrubs and trees that are dug with cess (or peat) balled where their roots are surrounded by
a portion of their roots covered with a ball of soil are

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organic matter that is then packaged to look like a root opment of a shallow, broad root system that more closely
ball; they can also be containerized or potted in a con- mirrors natural root systems. Root circling is reduced in
tainer with soilless substrate. There are also many new low-profile containers by air-root pruning at the con-
(and largely untested) products that may reduce dessica- tainer wall/plastic bed covering interface. Root circling
tion of bare root plants during storage. These products is reduced in the commercially available The Accelerator
may be root dips, gels, or clay products designed to via holes in and corrugations of the aluminum container
maintain a high moisture environment around roots. wall.
Some field plants dug with a soil ball are put in con-
tainers instead of being burlapped (field potted - roses, AGS - The Above Ground System (AGS) is a double
azaleas), while some B&B plants, with fully burlapped container system for use above ground. A production
root balls, are also containerized. container nests in a double-walled holder container that
serves to insulate the plants roots and buffer high and
low temperature extremes. The AGS can have ballast
Types of Container Production: added to prevent blow over, and is easier to harvest than
Conventional containers - The container nursery the in-ground, double container (Pot-in-pot) system .
industry started with #10 metal fruit cans, but now uses
mainly blow or injection molded plastic containers in Hybrid Systems - Several hybrid production systems,
unstandardized sizes ranging from small propagation combining advantages of field production with advan-
containers to production containers of 1 gallon to 200 tages of container production, have been developed.
gallon or more. Most production in Virginia occurs in Most of these systems attempt to do one or more of the
3, 5, 7, 10, 15 and 25 gallon containers. Some bare root following: harvest more absorbing roots, prevent root
and containerized field stock is put in fiber containers deformation, keep root temperatures buffered, conserve
(pressed paper and/or peat). moisture, prevent blow-over, increase ease of harvest, and
reduce labor use.
Engineered containers - To help reduce or eliminate
the problem of circling roots that often develop in In-ground fabric containers (grow bags) - In-ground
smooth or slick walled plastic containers, a variety of fabric containers are made from porous synthetic fabrics
containers have been designed that deflect or redirect (usually polypropylene). They permit exchange of
roots via molded container wall baffles, or that kill root moisture between in-container soil and the surrounding
tips when roots encounter holes in the container walls soil while preventing some or all of the plants roots from
(air root pruning). If conventional containers must growing outside the container. The earliest versions of
be used, those with vertical ribs help reduce circling the fabric containers were often difficult to remove at
roots vs. those with horizontal ribs that encourage transplant due to large root penetration or root entan-
circling root formation. Soft-walled poly bag containers glement in the fabrics fibers. Fabric containers are now
with gusseted bottoms are also a good solution to this easier to remove due to fabric improvements, or the use
problem. of fabrics with small holes, copper impregnation, or a
herbicide delivery system. Due to root restriction within
Copper-coated containers and copper inserts - A cop- the fabric container, drip irrigation is essential with fab-
per-containing product has been developed (Spinout) ric containers. Fabric containers are often removed prior
that can be applied to smooth container walls to reduce to sale and the root balls containerized to assure that
or eliminate root circling. The copper acts as a growth roots will not be restricted by non- removal of the fabric
regulator, stunting the root tips as opposed to redirect- container when the plant is transplanted.
ing or killing them. Effective for one growing season
in the container, normal root growth resumes when the Pot-in-pot (P&P) - This system uses two containers - a
container is removed and the plant transplanted into the production container nested inside the holder (sleeve or
landscape. stock or socket) container, both sunk into the ground.
This method of production has expanded rapidly in
Low-profile container/The Accelerator - The low recent years. It has allowed predominantly container
profile container is a bottomless container that sits on nursery operations to grow larger nursery stock, while
plastic or woven ground cloth. It is wider and more still maintaining tight controls over irrigation, fertiliza-
shallow than conventional containers to encourage devel- tion and other cultural practices of container produc-

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tion. Drainage of these in-ground pots is crucial and Production area preparation
generally maintained by the placement of corrugated
drain pipes beneath the rows of socket pots. Some form Field Production - Soils should be tested to determine
of micro-irrigation (drip or spray emitter) is necessary whether the pH needs adjusting, and if particular nutri-
in this production method to avoid tremendous ineffi- ents need to be incorporated prior to planting. For soil
ciency in water delivery with overhead sprinklers when low in organic matter either incorporation of organic
large containers are spaced far apart. Pot-in-pot produc- matter may be beneficial, or the field should be kept
tion also buffers root zone temperatures from extremes out of production for a year to grow a green manure
and reduces blow over of larger, top-heavy trees because crop (sudan-sorghum hybrids, etc.) for incorporation.
the containers are anchored in the ground. In addition to incorporating pH adjustment materials,
nutrients and organic matter, perennial weeds should be
Cellugro System - This is a multiple plant production eliminated with fumigation or with a systemic herbicide,
system for small plants and liners. Two sizes of Cellugro and then fields plowed and disced prior to planting.
systems are available. One measures 8x20 and holds Most planting is done in the spring, with some also in
561 six-quart-sized (one gallon plus) plants, while the the fall. On some sites, depending upon plant spacing,
other holds 7 gallon plants. Both systems consist of a erosion potential and other factors, it may be desirable to
polyliner, a drainboard, and the expandable production establish a cover crop.
cell unit. The system is installed either into the ground
(approximately 8 inches deep) or set above ground with Container Production - When preparing container
soil bermed around it. Not only are root temperatures production areas, there are three main parts to plan - the
buffered, but water consumption is dramatically reduced actual production beds, the irrigation and excess water
compared to above ground containers. collection system, and the roads. How much grading
is needed will depend upon the lands slope, the type of
irrigation and drainage system to be used, the rate of per-
Cultural Considerations colation of heavy rain into the soil, and the type of bed
covering to be used. If an impervious covering such as
Production sites black plastic (poly or polyethylene) will be used, grading
must drain all water off the bed. If gravel, clam shells
Field Production - The best sites for field production or woven nursery cloth will be used, water must either
have moderate slope for air and water drainage, or if drain through the soil beneath quickly enough that it
flat, have good internal soil water drainage. Soil types does not puddle, or the ground should be graded.
can vary from sandy soils for bare root production to
silty-clay loams for holding root balls together for B&B A goal of all nurseries should be to catch and recycle all
production. Heavy clay soils should be avoided due to excess water (irrigation and rain). This may require con-
poor drainage and aeration, but can be improved by the struction of a drainage system and holding ponds. Some
addition of organic matter or several years of a green drainage systems are designed as part of the container
manure crop. Soil pH should range from 6 to 6.5 for beds, while others may be part of the roads.
most plants, lower (5 to 6) for acid-loving plants like
azaleas. Soils should be tested for pH, P, K and certain Once general bed and drainage grading is complete, and
micronutrients, and possible pesticide residues, depend- any irrigation or catch ponds constructed, the soil should
ing on prior uses of the site. be stabilized to support equipment and prevent erosion.
The soil may need sterilizing or treatment with herbi-
Container Production - Site selection is less critical for cides to deal with weed problems. Materials (gravel,
container production. A container production bed can clam shells) may need to be applied for road beds. If
be built atop any soil type as long as drainage off the irrigation will use buried lines, these should be installed
bed is achieved by way of a moderate natural slope or before the container beds are constructed.
grading. Drainage is also important for the roadways
between the beds so that vehicles and equipment have Container bed dimensions will depend on several factors:
access year-round. Soil fertility level and pH are of no container sizes to be used; initial spacing and respacing
concern as they are for field production. requirements; cultural requirements (do you need to
walk between containers to topdress fertilizer, or to hand
weed); irrigation design and coverage; weight of growing

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substrate. Solid set irrigation allows less flexibility in bed ery production. These products package nutrient salts
dimensions than drip irrigation. in capsules of resin or polymer coating. The coating
controls the release of nutrient salts via moisture con-
tent or temperature of the substrate. CRFs are available
Fertilization in several formulations to suit the nutrient requirements
Field Production - Some fertilizers, generally containing of different plants, and also are available with different
phosphorus (P), potassium (K) and micronutrients (if coatings to provide nutrient release over different time
needed), will be pre-plant incorporated, as well as lime frames (e.g. 4 month vs 12 month formulations). These
to increase the pH. Nitrogen (N) fertilizers, which need products generally provide more consistent nutrient
to be applied for all field production due to the short soil availability to plants over time than traditional granular
life of N, may be incorporated pre-plant in organic or fertilizers.
inorganic form, or may be banded or broadcast post-
plant. Most fertilizers are applied in early spring, and Regardless of the fertilizer source and formulation,
then again in late summer or early fall. Fertilizer rates, regular analysis of the nutrient status of the production
ratios, ,etc. are dependent on many factors, including substrate is recommended in order to make adjustments
soil type and pH, type of plant, soil and leaf nutrient before plant problems develop. An easy method to
analysis tests, and other site and crop specific factors. use, which was developed at Virginia Tech, is the pour
Application rates generally range from 50 pounds to through method. Details of the pour-through method
200 pounds actual N per acre per year, with the lower of monitoring nutrients in containers will be addressed
rate being recommended to prevent ground water in a future Virginia Cooperative Extension publication,
contamination. A common recommendation for field are available in Wright (1986, see references), and can be
grown nursery stock is 60 pounds of N per acre per year, accessed through the web at: http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/
applied in three split applications (e.g. 20 pounds each depts/hort/nursery/cultural/topic4.htm
in March, May, July). If a drip irrigation system is used,
a water soluble fertilizer can be applied via the irrigation
system (fertigation).
Irrigation
Field Production - Considerable field production is
Container Production - All container-grown plants done without any supplemental irrigation, but this
must be fertilized since very few nutrients are available increases the potential for poor growth and survivability.
from the production substrate. Fertilizer may either be Some fields are irrigated on an as needed basis with
a dry, slow release granular material or a liquid, and is portable overhead systems (rainreels, moveable pipes,
generally a complete fertilizer (N-P-K) plus micronutri- etc.), with the ideal situation being to have drip irriga-
ents. The dry granular materials can be applied either tion available for all plants. Water source, water quality,
by incorporation into the production substrate prior to soil type, plant type and spacing, climate and topogra-
potting, can be placed or dibbled into the bottom of phy must all be considered when designing an irrigation
the planting hole, or can be topdressed or applied to system, with each type of system having advantages and
the substrate surface. No one placement method has disadvantages.
been found to be superior for all container-grown plants.
Water soluble fertilizer is generally applied via the irriga- Container Production - Irrigation is mandatory for
tion system, with many nurseries using a combination of container production, with irrigation often being applied
dry and water soluble fertilizers. daily during the growing season. It is generally recom-
mended that 1 acre-inch, or 27,000 gallons of water,
In addition to a complete fertilizer plus micronutrients, be maintained in storage for each acre of land under
additional phosphorus is often added, as well as lime to container production. While less than 1 inch per acre
increase the pH or to provide an additional source of cal- per day may be applied to container crops, the addi-
cium and magnesium. Most granular fertilizers do not tional volume of water in storage is insurance for periods
last an entire growing season and need to be reapplied of excessive heat and drought, and to ensure irrigation
around midsummer. water quality. Irrigation may be applied overhead, by
drip or trickle systems, or by subsurface or capillary
The use of controlled-release fertilizers (CRFs) has largely systems. Overhead irrigation uses the greatest volume of
replaced the use of traditional granular fertilizers in nurs- water while subsurface (rare in the U.S.) uses the least. A

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large volume of high quality water (low in salts, slightly wintering structures), pruning, control of insects and
acid pH, free of weed seeds, sediment, iron, etc.) must diseases; and container moving and shipping systems.
be available, and at a rate that allows daily or every other
day irrigation. If water is not applied daily a heavier BMPs - The nursery industry, in order to be a good
substrate (one with sand to create smaller water-holding steward of the environment, has been developing a set
pore spaces) is generally necessary. If irrigation runoff of production guidelines know as Best Management
and rainwater is collected and recycled, the water may Practices (BMPs). The Southern Nursery Association,
need chemical treatment to prevent disease problems. A in collaboration with regional research universities and
new means of applying water overhead involves pulse the Environmental Protection Agency, published Best
irrigation involving several applications of smaller quan- Management Practices, Guide for Producing Contain-
ities of water per application. Pulsed irrigation uses less er-Grown Plants which outlines important environmen-
water and leaches less fertilizer. tal considerations of container nurseries (see references).
BMPs include:

Weed Control s election and proper handling of container substrate

Field Production - Many nursery fields are chemically components
treated or fumigated prior to planting to help control proper water source selection
weed problems prior to planting. Weeds are also con- proper irrigation design and management
trolled by applying herbicides (both preemergent and runoff water collection and recycling
postemergent), mulching, hand weeding, mowing, and Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
cultivating. proper pesticide use and storage
proper nutrient selection and application
Container Production - Weeds are far more difficult to nutrient monitoring
control in container production than in field production
due to close plant spacing and the fact that only hand
weeding, substrate weed barriers, and herbicides can be
Bibliography
used. It is very important that weed-free substrate, water
and liners be used, and that weeds be controlled under General reference -
and around all production beds. Resources for Greenhouse and Nursery Operations and
Operators. Joyce G. Latimer and Gregory K. Eaton.
2002. VCE Web Publication 430-104W.
Other Considerations
Field Production - Other important considerations in
field production include liner sources, planting equip- Propagation references -
ment, staking, top and root pruning, control of insects, Plant Propagation, Principles and Practices (6th edition)
diseases and wildlife (deer, bird, moles, voles, rabbits), by Hudson Hartmann, Dale Kester and Fred Davies, Jr.
harvest techniques (bareroot vs. B&B vs. containerized), 1997. Prentice Hall.
harvesting and shipping equipment, and acclimation
and holding techniques. Further information on some Seeds of Woody Plants in North America by James
details of field production of nursery stock can be found Young and Cheryl Young. (Formerly USDA Forest Ser-
on the web at: http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/ depts/hort/ vice Ag. Handbook 450) 1992. Dioscorides Press
nursery/cultural/topic11.htm
The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation
Container Production - Other important consider- by Michael Dirr and Charles Heuser. 1987. Varsity
ations in container production include liner sources, Press, Inc.
container types, sources and disposal, substrate sources,
components and mixing/potting equipment, blow-over
of containers/plants, sun protection of some plants Nursery design and
during the summer (via trees, shade structures or extra production references -
irrigation), cold and wind protection of some plants American Standard for Nursery Stock. 1996. American
during the winter (via straw, synthetic coverings, over- Association of Nurserymen.

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7
Container Nursery Design by Bonnie Lee Appleton.
1986. American Nurseryman Publishing Company, Inc.

Best Management Practices, Guide for Producing

Container-Grown Plants by Tom Yeager, Donna Fare,
Charles Gilliam, Alex Niemiera, Ted Bilderback, and
Ken Tilt, 1997. Southern Nurserymens Association.

Nursery Management (3rd edition) by Harold David-

son, Roy Mecklenburg and Curtis Peterson. 1994.
Prentice Hall.

Nursery Production (2nd edition) edited by Charles

Heuser and Richard Stinson. 1989. Dept. of Ag.
and Ext. Educ. Vol. 28, No. 1T and 1S, Penn State
University.

Nursery Production Alternatives for Reduction or Elimi-

nation of Circling Tree Roots. Bonnie Appleton. 1993.
Journal of Arboriculture 19(6):383-388.

Nursery Production Methods for Improving Tree Roots - An

Update. Bonnie Appleton. 1995. Journal of Arboricul-
ture 21(6):265-270.

Plant Production in Containers by Carl Whitcomb.

1984. Lacebark Publications Inc.

Production of Landscape Plants II (in the field). by Carl

Whitcomb. 2001. Lacebark Publications, Inc.

The pour-through nutrient extraction procedure. Robert

D. Wright. 1986. HortScience 21:227-229.

Trade publications -
American Nurseryman, 77 W. Washington Street, Suite
2100, Chicago, IL 60602-2904 1-800-621-5727; 312-
782-5505; published semimonthly (24 issues per year)
fee.

NMPro (Nursery Management & Production), PO

Box 1868, Fort Worth, TX 76101 1-800-946-6776;
817-882-4120; published monthly (12 issues per year)
free.

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