What would you buy?

[Helen]

We are going to be doing a few bootsales this spring (Apr/May/Jun) raising funds for the small pet rescue we run, last year we took a few Tom & Strawberry plants with us & we sold them very quickly so we have decided to concentrate a bit more on the plants this year, there are other plant sellers but they tend to stick to shrubs & bedding plants so we wanted to sell something a little bit different which leads to my question, What would you buy? most of the people who bought the tom plants commented that we were the only stall that bothered to label what they were (Gardeners Delight) & that most, even when asked did not know what tom plants they were selling, this year I was thinking about runner beans, chilli peppers etc what do you think?
Any ideas gratefully received
Helen

[Lesley Jay]

Courgettes, squashes and outdoor cucumbers are easy for anyone to grow and the young plants look impressive. Why not try a tumbler tomato variety aswell.

[Helen]

Now you've got me thinking! How about if I planted up one of those cheap wire hanging baskets with some tumbler toms? they are selling those at a local cheapy shop complete, basket & liner for a £1, I bought a couple last year to see how they stood up & they are fine,

[Lesley Jay]

As long as you can sell for a profit why not. Instant tomatoes - just hang them up!

[Helen]

How many would you plant in a basket 2/3? I think the baskets are 12" round, now comes the important bit! what would you pay for it?

[Cab]

Helen, you often find that veg seedlings are REALLY expensive at garden centres. So perhaps seedlings of things like cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, etc. Cost you next to nowt to produce.

How about things like little troughs of 'cut and come again' salad? So mixes of loose leaf lettuce, chard, mizuna, etc?

I like the tomato idea too. Nickys Nursery has some superb tumbling tomato varieties.

How about chilli plants? Easy to germinate and grow.

[Helen]

How about things like little troughs of 'cut and come again' salad? So mixes of loose leaf lettuce, chard, mizuna, etc?

Sounds like I'll be buying some plastic troughs! great Idea thanks!

[Lesley Jay]

Helen I have never grown tomatoes in a basket but I would think that two plants would be ample. As for the cost you have £1 for the basket and tomato seeds at Tuckers are 4p each so that's £1.08 plus compost. What would I pay - I don't know! How much did people pay last year for one tomato plant? Did you get this months GYO it has free tumbling tomato seeds.

[Helen]

Yes I've got those seeds so no seeds to buy!!!!! I'm sure I sold last years plants for 60p so in theory if someone was to plant up a basket it would cost them £1.20 for the plants, £1 for the basket, say 80p for the compost to round it up to £3, Would you say £4.99p is too expensive?

[andrewo]

People's wants

Have had a hand in this before, as the allotment I was on use to have a plant sale and people always wanted flowers that, to quote: "would flower all summer without anyone having to bother with them". So, we use to do a roaring trade in verbena and cosmos (latter was cheap to produce). I also introduced them to the delicious black hollyhock. How about potato sacks? Start a potato off in a black sack and sell them on as micro plants?

[nick the grief]

Dandelions they flower all summer

Seriously, If I were you Helen I'd put 1 in a basket & some Basil & dwarf Marigolds (or tagetes - I prefer them) trust me you'll have a basket full in the summer I did some a year or so back. Then collect all the freebie seed & any you can get cheap (Aldi seems to get a mention regularly here) and plan for next year.

Bedding always sells well at our plant sales along with the Chrysanths & Dahlis

If you want dome dahlia's for next year send me a private message with your address & I'll post you some cuttings of some of the smaller flowerd Varieties that look good in the garden/lotty

Heres a link to give you some idea of what I mean

http://warkcom.net/live/cme2011.htm

[Lesley Jay]

Helen I don't know if £4.99 is too little or too much. There is one way to find out - charge £4.99 the first month and if you sell out put the price up.

[Lesley Jay]

Helen have a look how many seeds are in the freebie packet of tomato seeds. If there aren't going to be enough you can have my free packet because I had already bought all my tomato seeds for the year including the same variety as the freebie. So if you want them they are yours.

[nick the grief]

I might have some spares of differnt varieties as well.

[Helen]

Lovely! I'll count how many tom seeds I have & get back to you on that matter, Many Thanks