Starting your own plant nursery isn’t too difficult, and the financial benefits can be quite rewarding. Plus, it shouldn’t cost you a huge amount of money. In fact you can start your own backyard plant nursery and be growing plants for profit for $400. Here’s how:
First you’ll need to take care of some legal things. Talk to your state about acquiring a business license. Having a license will help you be able to buy supplies and plants at wholesale prices. Next, you might need a special license or permit to operate a plant nursery. Again, check with your state to find out what their rules and regulations are. Finally, you might need a resale license if you live in a state with a sales tax. This requires you to collect sales tax, and also gets you an exemption certificate from purchasers who plan to resell any plants they buy from your plant business.
Now you need to think about what you’d like to grow. Visit nearby retail nurseries to see just what they are stocking and selling.. Pay attention to what pot size they’re selling their plants in and the different varieties they have to offer.
Okay, so you’ve picked out some plant possibilities. Hopefully you have a few basic hand tools and a water source. Here’s what else you’ll need:
1. Containers – Plant containers are fairly cheap. You can also get them free from landscapers. Get the sizes you’d like to try.
2. Potting Soil Mix – It’s important your plants grow up healthy and strong, so a good soil mix is essential. You can buy pre-mixed potting soil or make your own. A basic formula is:
- Six parts topsoil or compost
- Three parts peat moss
- Two parts sand
3. Fertilizers – Controlled-release fertilizers (also known as slow-release or time-release) do just that – they slowly release nutrients over a period of time, easing the amount of work on you. Don’t buy these fertilizers at your local garden center. Instead, buy them at a wholesale nursery supply in 50 pound bags. The price might seem high, but on a per plant basis it’s quite reasonable, as they will last for months.
4. Plant Labels – It’s important to know just what type of plant is in each container, so a plant label will help provide that information. You can even put other information on there, such as when it was planted. There are two kinds of plant labels that are commonly used:
- Stake tags, which are put in the soil next to the plant
- Slip-a-tags, which get attached to the branch of the plant
Once you gather all these supplies and obtain any licenses or permits you need, your backyard nursery is in business. It shouldn’t take you long to assemble these supplies, and it shouldn’t put you into debt either. You should be able to get your basic supplies for $400 or less. Soon your profitable plants will cover any start-up costs you had, and your backyard nursery business could be the business of your dreams. To learn more, read How to Start a Backyard Plant Nursery.