Starting a small nurseryEvening all i was looking for abit of research of my fellow goyers
By Sensei89
Nottinghamshire,
United Kingdom 
Starting a small nursery
Evening all i was looking for abit of research of my fellow goyers.
Im starting this year growing a supply of hardy perennials mainly for sale next year, at my local market in town the lady sells them at £3 a perennial and for annuals she sells 9 for £2.
Do you think this is reasonable to carry on or should i aim abit lower. I am quite far from the market im talking about so wont be competing with her customers.
I was thinking £1.50 for perennials, same for annuals like her and then maybe 50p for veg plants. what do you think?
Thankyou for any other advice anyone is willing to give :)
13 Jul, 2012
Answers
It all depends on your local prices Sensei. Also what size pots will you be selling your perennials in?
I'm a nurseryman growing one litre perennials and sell plants at auction and a few on stalls ,one owned by a local farmer who mainly sells farm produce and one outside a friend's home on a main roads. My area has low prices but i'm in the sticks.
I sell at £1.50 for 1 litre perennials at the farmer's stall( He keeps 50p) and £1 each or 6 for £5 at my friends who doesn't charge me commission.
Many people are taking 6 for £5 and it won't surprise you to learn that I'm selling 5 times more at my friends than at the farmer's stall!
Similar perennials sell at £1. 50 to £1. 99 on the local market or £2.99 or 4 for £10 at two local garden centres .
If the local market will pay £3 that is what you should charge but if she's been there years she will have built up a good reputation so can probably charge more than you as a beginner with no reputation yet..
13 Jul, 2012
£1.50 sounds rather cheap to me - do you want to make money? I think the other lady has it about right - you only have to visit garden centres to see the crazy prices they charge. We have 3 in our immediate vicinity and I do the rounds and get whichever is selling the cheapest.
13 Jul, 2012