So You Want to Start a Tree Nursery
Posted: Monday, October 05, 2009
by Dennis Sons
tn nursery
Have you been thinking about starting your own tree nursery? Of course, you love the outdoors, hard work, the trees , shrubs , flowers and more ; not to mention your love for people, as well as for the environment, since you will be working with both. Do you plan to do this as a hobby, or as a sideline for secondary income, or do you plan to venture into a full-time career?
It is understood that a wholesale horticulturist grows in large quantities or bulk, but typically with limited varieties, while catering to a smaller number of clients, such as retail and mail-order nurseries, landscape designers, landscape architects and land developers.. Now that is one key to being profitable in a wholesale nursery: and that is to keep the varieties to a limit, but grow a quantity (large numbers) of them. Wholesale growers will require more land and more hired hands or laborers for that one key to work though.
On the other hand, the retailer grows a smaller quantity of products, but typically offers a wider variety. As a retailer, you will have a much larger consumer base as well, so you will need to have sound horticultural knowledge because your consumers will be counting on your expertise about plant names, climate and zoning, soil types, pest and disease control, and a myriad of other answers. The retailer deals with more people face-to-face than a wholesaler. It is important that you know what the demands and needs of your customers are, in order to decide what it is that you should grow.
The wholesale grower generally has more time to dedicate to the growing of and working with plants. So it comes down to your preferences. Would you prefer to work more with people or work more with the plants? Often, new growers believe they can do both, but once your business begins to thrive you will see that doing both is not feasible. The old adage, You can't be everywhere at once', will hold true, particularly in business. Quality plants need quality care; dedicated consumers deserve dedicated service. Thinking forward, or considering matters from a futuristic standpoint will help you to make good decisions.
Of course, you will follow a systematic approach, having things well thought out and researched. In fact, you are doing your research and that is why you are here on this page, reading this. That's great! It is true that there is much to consider, however, that pertains to any career you are contemplating, so don't let that hinder you. You will find that it is your customers' needs that will determine what you will grow and what how much you will grow. It's the old theory of supply-and-demand.
There are other things to consider as well, like a license, insurance and special permits. Do you plan on having a small backyard nursery or a large, regional wholesale nursery ? Will you grow your stock in a field, in a warehouse or greenhouse, or in containers? What kind of stock will you grow and how much stock do you plan to sell in a year? Will you be selling locally or will you be shipping live plants out to consumers? The answers to these questions will help you to determine if you need a license, insurance or special permits, such as construction permits.
According to the state agricultural department, the three types of licenses are: Nursery Dealer, Nursery Grower and Christmas Tree Grower. A Nursery dealer buys nursery stock from a distributor or wholesaler, and re-sells the stock. The nursery stock is not split, propagated, re-potted, planted in the ground, or changed from the way it was purchased. For example, a nursery dealer can be a landscaper who purchases, re-sells and installs nursery stock..
A Nursery Grower operates a nursery and grows, plants, splits or propagates nursery stock from seeds, seedlings, or mature plant material. The nursery stock is generally at the grower's location for at least a year. Nursery growers usually have fields that they grow their stock in, but they can also grow plants in containers and greenhouses. The last one is obvious. A Christmas Tree Grower grows and maintains evergreen trees for the eventual sale of the trees for Christmas time.
A license will also be affected by the total sales for a year also. For example, if you sell more than $250.00 in nursery stock in a year, you would need to obtain a license. The previous year's sales typically determine the cost of your license. If you are sure that you will not sell more than $250.00 worth of stock, then you will not need a license.
If you are planning to sell more than $250.00 worth of stock or if you plan on shipping plants anywhere, you must obtain a Plant Health Certificate. The plants will have to be inspected and certified before you can ship.
If you propagate, reproduce, split, or grow nursery stock either from cuttings, splitting, bulbs, seeds or seedlings , even if they are in containers or in a greenhouse, you will need a Nursery Grower license. You will need a Nursery Grower License if you grow or sell more than $250.00 annually any of the following: bulbs, rhizomes, perennials and perennial herbs, aquatic plants, trees, shrubs and fruit trees. You will not need this license to grow or sell any amount of vegetables, fruits, annuals or most herbs. You are wise not to buy stock from unlicensed sources, and do not accept unlabeled shipments. This is one way to ensure that you are not receiving plants with pests or disease, nor are you shipping out such plants.
The nursery business will be zoned or classified as commercial, for agricultural use or as an agribusiness. A trip or a call to your local or state agricultural department will be beneficial as they can address any questions or concerns you may have regarding your potential business.
You will likely need to obtain liners , which are young, immature plants that are purchased from a propagation (or liner) nursery to start. A nursery can advise you on the specific plants to grow for your zone, soil etc. also, but by the time you begin to plan out your nursery, you will have plenty of good ideas to consider. If you plan on remaining small scale, then find what species are popular in your area and stick with it. People will get to know you for your specialized' stock, and word-of-mouth is still the best advertiser.
Oftentimes, a very successful plant or tree nursery started off as a backyard business. Learn what plants are in demand and keep stock. Consider container growing also, as it will allow you to produce larger trees and shrubs without all the work, or high water consumption that is necessary when stock is grown in the fields. With containers, you will always have stock on hand in high demand seasons.
Having your own plant nursery means you can buy wholesale and get discounts, particularly when you buy in volume. Buying plant starters, such as plugs or liners can bring in a profit in a year or so. Plant them in a larger pot, allowing them to grow to saleable size. You can also propagate the original plant, by cuttings or root division, eventually reducing your plant costs down dramatically.
Here's a handy tip the three best crops for new growers to begin with are ornamental grasses , groundcovers , trees and shrubs . Ornamental grasses and groundcovers are not only attractive, but they are generally easy to grow, low maintenance, pest and disease tolerant, as well as easy to propagate. From land developers to the farmer to the home gardener, these plants are a hot' item.
Keep an open ear around your region and you will soon know what the needs are. You've come this far, now it's time to dig in and make this dream a reality!
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