Growing Seedlings for Fun and Profit
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Gardening is a fun activity for both adults and children alike. It is therapeutic and stress-relieving. Gardens are peaceful places that can work wonders for your mental health and well-being. But it takes time, effort, and some investment. Not everyone has the luxury of spending time on something that does not make them a living. In these difficult times, people are more focused on things that could put food on the table for their families. Many have given up their love and passion for growing in place of office or online jobs and employment just to get by. Fortunately, gardening can be both. It is not limited to being a mere pastime or hobby. Growing plants can earn you a living too. In fact, if you do it well, it can make you a decent profit that could help provide for your family. So don't let go of your dream just yet. As customers' demand for fresh food grows, it is easier to turn your love for gardening into something enjoyable and profitable.
Growing a garden for business should be kept as simple as possible. Most especially if you are just getting started. This will enable you to focus on little details and learn to improve and adjust. Slowly but surely perfecting them can give you more chances of success. Choose a few items to focus on in the first year. Dedicate time, energy, and attention to growing and marketing high-quality produce.
Here below are a few great tips from those who have successfully turned their passion for growing things into something productive and profitable.
What to Sell
Seedlings are one of the most valuable goods you can sell. It allows you to encourage your consumers to develop a passion for growing their own food. You will be able to teach them about where food originates from and how much effort it takes to grow them. It will help them develop a deeper understanding and appreciation for the produce you grow. Vegetable and flower seeds or starts are simple to try out and are inexpensive. They are low-risk and have a quick turnaround.
Where you reside will determine which crops and varieties are the most popular. The most profitable seedlings come from the basics. Tomatoes, peppers, basil, zucchini, cucumber, lettuce, and other lush greens are among the most lucrative options. Consumers like to produce and consume what they are familiar with. And we all know how hard it is to resist homegrown tomatoes.
You could also take into consideration the plants that are not served by large nurseries in your region. This will bring you the edge as an appeal for hard-to-find varieties. Or specialty crops that are not common in the usual home vegetable gardens. Like bamboo, ginseng, flowers, popular culinary and medicinal herbs, mushrooms, and ornamental grasses. You can always put a higher price tag on the varieties not easily found or offered in your area. You can start in small quantities and grow more if you see good responses. Drop those varieties which are slow-moving.
Heirloom varieties are also growing popular due to its quality and known to be more packed with taste and flavor. This is also worth looking into as the demand for such has been rapidly growing in the past years.
Having a distinct product from the most regularly produced ones may provide you an advantage in attracting a diverse set of clients. Like gardeners who are constantly looking for new and exciting things to explore.
Taking orders is another option to consider if you have no clue which variety will sell. You can make a list of the different varieties you can offer. People will be able to choose what they want, and you will be certain to produce just those that are pre-ordered. Though there is a risk that a few people may fail to show up or will cancel their orders at the last minute.
No matter what kind of variety you choose to sell, keep it simple and start off with just a few in mind. This way, the learning curve will be simpler and easier to adjust.
Where to Sell
With the digital online world today, there are a lot of platforms that you can use and various places that you can go to and try to sell your seedlings. For online places, you can use Etsy, LocalHarvest, Amazon, eBay, make your own Facebook page, or your own website. You can also post in homesteading and local gardening Facebook groups. Alternatively, you can sell straight from your garden or from a stand in front of your house, at farmer's markets, food fairs, nurseries, bazaars, and other events in your local community. You may also visit local eateries, food stores, and bed and breakfast establishments. There are several places where you may sell. All you have to do is figure out which one would work best for you.
When selling face to face such as in farmers' markets or food fairs and bazaars having good signage and proper labels for each variety helps. It saves you a lot of time talking. Most customers would require a lot of coaching, especially beginners. It is an advantage and a good marketing strategy to engage customers and convince them to buy your products. But it will be hard to sell to someone else at the same time. It would be a good idea to have 2 or more people at your market stand if this is usually the case. Sharing simple tips about planting location, water, sunlight, and care needs are also good while selling starts. It will also be an advantage to be familiar with organic pest control. Most buyers will probably be interested in growing their plants organically.
Having consignment and wholesale options can also be another way to sell your seedlings. With consignment, you only get paid for what sells. Success largely depends on how the stores are consistent with taking care of your young plants. An advantage of consignments is that you have control over what type of plant you will bring and how many. You can also pull out any plant you think is no longer fit for selling. Having them displayed at popular stores can get you visibility from potential customers passing by. The disadvantage is that you can take a big loss, especially if the store does not care for them properly.
The wholesale option is the quickest and requires the least amount of effort. You may sell them to nurseries, garden shops, or any other plant store in your area. If you don't like meeting and chatting with a lot of people, this is an excellent option. This may result in a lower price than direct-to-customer sales, but the trade-off is the bulk purchasing and convenience it provides.
How to Sell and Market
There are a lot of ways to market your products. Among a few suggestions are the following:
Regular Communication (E-mail or Hand-Written Notes)
Making special deals with returning clients is one of the simplest methods to generate money. Every month, you may send your customers email coupons with your current special offer or seasonal discounts. If you already have a list of repeat customers, you might go even further by providing them with special discounts on special events. This can include their birthdays, Mother's Day, Valentine's Day, Thanksgiving, and other occasions. If you are just starting out, acquiring customer information in exchange for discount cards is a good way to start. Or give them your own business card or let them sign up online if you have a web page or website. Some consumers might be wary of giving away such personal information. In this digital era, an old-fashioned handwritten note is also a useful weapon, as few businesses take the time to do so. Your clients will feel valued and appreciated if you send them a simple thank you note every now and then. When done consistently and genuinely, the simple act of maintaining contact with your consumers by reaching out and connecting with them may be a tremendous company booster.
Free Publicity Through Community Service or Donations
There is nothing like positive publicity and doing a good deed that can help others in their time of need. Good news and word of mouth spread faster in our interconnected world and can get you easily recognized. You can grow your name by serving others with your own special contribution. If you grow food crops or flower starts you can donate some of those to local organizations. Like food banks, charities, or various community service groups supporting feeding and planting programs. They will surely welcome your donation. Whatever you grow will be greatly valued by others. You have provided a valuable service to the less fortunate as well as making your name and service recognized in a very positive light.
Mail Order or Online Sales
Mail-order sales have been a reliable source of revenue for most firms for a long time. Hundreds of mail-order firms manufacture a wide range of culinary, medicinal, ornamental, and nursery items and have them delivered to consumers' homes. Though today's definition of mail order includes internet or online transactions, the items must still be sent by mail. Many big companies have been successfully selling by mail for many years. Traditional marketing involves selling it through small display ads in magazines or catalogs. It may be quite costly for small companies though. Many small-scale growers have found online selling platforms like Etsy to sell their products. These entail very minimal costs.
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)
Community-supported agriculture originated in Europe 30 years ago. Growers and consumers alike greatly benefitted from this movement. This has become a popular way for both parties to support each other. Together they share the risks and benefits of food production all across the United States. In CSA, before each growing season, the member or consumer buys a share of the farm's production. In exchange, they get regular deliveries of the farm's fresh-picked local harvest. At the same time the satisfaction of supporting the local community. The farmers receive advanced working capital. This will help cover the costs of seed, fertilizer, and overhead expenses until the harvest. This way they gain financial security, earn better, and benefit from the direct marketing plan. Most CSA only provide fresh vegetables but many have started to integrate a wider range of similar items such as microgreens, herbs, flowers, fruits, meats, seedlings, and more. The local CSA represents a whole new market for what you grow or produce. Advertising is free as the CSA you partner with promotes your products. Plus the financial help is an advantage.
Flyers
Flyers or printed handouts are one of the ways that businesses can spread the word about their existence. This will make known their value-added products in the local community for prospective buyers and customers. It should contain the basics like company name, address, phone number, and email address. You can include some product photos, details, and prices. Or even a short story or history of how you started or share recipes containing your product to encourage them to keep the flyer. Many growers have found that a coupon with a special discount offering attached to the flyer works well as everyone loves a bargain.
Demonstrations and Tastings
Consumers are more likely to purchase items after sampling them. Thus, the reason why demos and tastings are effective and persuasive marketing methods. As a sample product of your seedlings, you might give full-grown tomatoes for sampling. This will offer your customers an idea of how their own produce will turn out. Sample tastings are usually held during peak shopping hours to reach the maximum number of prospects. Get a chance to talk with your prospective buyers, educate, and impart important information. You can also offer a special promotional price to give buyers a reason to buy right away.
Word of Mouth
This is perhaps the best free advertising given out by satisfied customers. These are usually the repeat buyers who have told their friends about your business. To be able to encourage your customers to share their enthusiasm about your business always give them good customer service. Give more than what they expect. This may be accomplished by treating customers with respect, compassion, and loyalty at all times, as well as by providing a "little extra" with their purchases. If you have your client information list, it doesn't hurt to remember them on important occasions like their birthdays. A little consideration goes a long way.
The world indeed needs more plants and more people growing them. As more people are veering towards growing their own food, it is a great opportunity for you to pursue your love for growing while earning from it. The beauty in the business of growing plants is that anybody can do it. It is a low-tech business and there is room for small-scale “mom and pop” part-timers to large-scale corporate giants. And you would be inspired to know that most large corporations just started out as backyard growers with a small growing space and a few hand tools. For those who love the outdoors and growing plants, helping people transform a lifeless lot into a beautiful landscape or even a small space into a flourishing garden space can be rewarding and fulfilling. Growing plants for fun and profit is possible. There are so many different ways to make money from gardening projects. Making use of your green thumb and doing something you love while contributing to your family’s finances is a great feeling. Making the effort doesn’t seem like work at all. And you don’t have to go any further than your own backyard.
Don’t forget to check out our all in one guide for homesteading, farming and ranching in Texas.
Become a farmers' market vendor in Texas and contribute to your local community while earning extra income. Learn the steps, from obtaining licenses and supplies to selling homemade food products, and embark on this rewarding journey.
