Starting a new gardening business, any advice?

[4390evans]

Helllooo,
it's been a long time since I posted anything on here.

I hope everyone is having a fab new year.

This year I am looking to start my own gardening business in my area, not landscaping but selling plants etc.

I will be growing them from seed this year and selling them on as I am only starting out with a few hundred quid. Next year I am hoping to buy plug plants in (shurbs) as I will still be sowing perennials and veg from seed.

This year I will be selling potted trees, fruit, veg, perennials, annuals and what ever shrubs I have took in the past year or so.

I have quite a large garden that I will be growing in but I am looking to sell away from the house. I have a page on fb where I will advertise what I have in and if people want to collect from the house they can but I thought I will sell more at carboot sales and fates but where else can I sell?

Also how would I go about getting my name out there, in the village where I live, although I have lived here 6+ years I am not well known.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks guys

[Doncasterpaul]

I have actually thought of doing the same thing. However and not to sound negative a few years back I started a business from my hobby ( diy)and it very quickly became a chor and not a hobby. It was successful but I now no longer enjoy it. Hope you don’t have the same feeling and good luck

[Small pumpkin]

It's a tricky one. I wish you the best of luck with it.
I sell a few surplus plants from a little barrow at the end of the drive. It makes enough so the garden pays for itself ( as long as it I don't include my time or compost! ) but I could never make a living from it. Due to location and not being a people person .
Do you have any local produce markets you could take your plants?
The only problem I see with taking your plants to car boots, markets or fates is the faff of loading and unloading and the high risk of them getting damaged on route.
As for getting your name out there. You definitely need a very memorable name for you new business. Posters in local shops, advert in local paper, word of mouth. Start up sales gimmick ( free plant with first order,or free plant if you spend more than £?). Or you could go with a unique sells thing ( don't know what ? ). Something like personalised growing info sheet with culinary advice on it ( depending on the plant ). Or maybe unique plant selection packs. Neither idea is actually unique in anyway, I've tried them both (after tweaking ideas I'd had from seeing how big plant sale companies do things) . With various degrees of success.

Good luck

[veggiechicken]

Good luck, Jen, with whatever you do.
Obviously, you want to make a profit from whatever you do, so make sure you do your costings accurately.
A bag of compost isn't cheap, decent pots to sell plants in, labels and of course the seeds.
If you sell at carboots/fairs, there's the costs of the "table".
There are sellers on Ebay but they have to factor in postage and packing. Cheap plants don't always mean good plants (expensive plants aren't always good either!)
Facebook, Marketplace. Gumtree, local neighbourhood sites.

You could specialise - maybe hanging baskets or seasonal planters -would give you an edge. Concentrate on what you're good at and don't try to do a little of everything - that's just bitty.
Annuals are more profitable than perennials because obviously, they have a short life and need replacing every year. Buy one perennial and it last for years.
Be aware of any legal and financial implications too if you want to create a true business rather than a hobby.

[roitelet]

Get yourself a permanent pitch somewhere, a local market. Carol Klein started that way in Barnstaple Market!!!!!

[Guest]

It is ruddy hard work and you need to find your market.

Do a business plan even if you do not need funding it will help clarify your goals, tasks etc. etc.
Farmers markets, open garden events, car boots are all places that will give you instant footfall. However the nearer the better - at 0.45p p/m it is surprising how quickly transport costs eat into your profits (taken from .gov site and will vary depending on how you wish to keep your accounts) Farmers markets will usually require you to have liability insurance (so yet another factor) and possibly some car boots as you will be deemed a trader rather than a general bod.
Approaching local businesses or even some stallholders at farmers markets where they take a split (or what ever agreement you make) might be a better option.
In regards to getting out there. Basically everything and anything. You need to establish your 'unique selling point' early on. Why should people buy your plants over others? you may know but you need to make others know. Include this when and if you do a website and look into search engine optimisation. Get business cards, if you are on a budget look for intro. offers on line i.e 100 free cards for p+p and always carry them. Door to door drops or even go round with a barrow with your plants on, talking to neighbours, friends. Local magazines. Notice boards in shops, schools, villages literally everywhere to the point you will be sick of it.
Flowers from the farm do an open hour on twitter you don't have to be a member to join in but they are likely to touch on things that will be beneficial.
There is a book called 'style your brand' that is worth reading.
Also look for networking groups in your area. They may not be beneficial in the short term but being able to supply locally grown plants for a landscaper or arranged baskets for a garden designer further down the line...
This is probably an overwhelming post but it is more about trying to cover as much as possible, adapt where needed and focus for the long term.

Good luck x

Edit: You might also want to remind yourself frequently it is a business not a hobby. - no molly codling those runts, sell want customers want not what you you want (quite often they want what they are familiar with) etc. etc.

[4390evans]

Fantastic response, Im quite a ruthless person with my plants so I don't think Id be nursing them too much I have some quirky ideas that I haven't seen anywhere else in my area or on the net so I'm hoping those will kick off. I have some cards printed already with a company logo etc.

I have a business plan already and been to see someone to help me out with accounts etc. Everything I make this year will be a profit (except compost and pots) as I am only selling the plants that I already have in seed form that has been collected over the years, because I am working from home I will only be out on a weekend selling there is a massive car boot near me so I recon that will be a good start but looking to supply landscapers is a good idea, I know quite a few already so that might be easy.

I know I have to pay loyalty charges on plants but I was in contact with someone from defra (think I rang the wrong place) but by chance he knew about loyalties etc and because I will be growing from seed I don't have to pay them its when I grow from plug that is when charges are occurred its only 8p a plant but it adds up when you get a sheet of 400. Although I do have to buy compost and pots and I can get 120 pots out of a 60l £3.25 bag.

If anyone has any other quirky ideas let me know, or let me know what you would like to see plant wise in a shop when you go for your veg etc

Thanks guys

[veggiechicken]

I know I have to pay loyalty charges on plants but I was in contact with someone from defra (think I rang the wrong place) but by chance he knew about loyalties etc and because I will be growing from seed I don't have to pay them its when I grow from plug that is when charges are occurred its only 8p a plant but it adds up when you get a sheet of 400. Although I do have to buy compost and pots and I can get 120 pots out of a 60l £3.25 bag.

Is that Royalty charges?

[4390evans]

yeah haha, my fat fingers!

[Guest]

This time of year you would be looking at forced bulbs and layered pots of bulbs but that can be pricey quite quickly. For future reference parkers wholesale is good to buy from. I know flowers from the farm allows members to do bulk orders and split them might be worth looking into if there are gardening groups or some such that allow you to do the same (min. order of 1000 bulbs of the same thing is a bit much for a start up )

Promo - don't forget celebratory days and weeks such as garden week or british flowers week. Flower farmers do what they call lonely bouquets there is no reason why you couldn't do lonely plants. You could also do an open garden - raise money whilst getting your name out there (see https://www.ngs.org.uk/ ) . Give out free plants as samples with a branded pot/pot sleeve.

Lastly be realistic it is easy to get carried away with big ideas or big expectations for that matter

Some people believe freebies devalue your goods so you may just want to offer discounts.

[roitelet]

If you are selling a flowering plant make sure it has flowers. People will buy by the look of the flower never mind the variety.