Vegetable Seedlings - Are they worth the hassle for a Nursery Business??

[@RachelTsTime]

This is what I’m doing at the very start of my FB marketplace selling. Tomatoes are my #1 seller and I’m so proud of the product I’ve been able to give out. Hardened off, great roots and ready to go. 🎉 I’m probably pricing a bit low but this started as something just for fun because I needed a hobby ❤ this is what I was intended to do for sure

[@savvydirtfarmer]

I love that!

[@muddshuvel2714]

I found that starting in 72 cell trays and ending up in 3.5” square pots works good. Always have a few that will grow out of control and need a bigger pot though.

[@Lynnhopeacres]

I’m glad that the vegetable plants are working out for you and love that your customers love them! I’m planning on selling starts next year, just didn’t have the time to do it this year! We all learn from our experiences!

[@kburkes4245]

And definitely worth making the investment in proper pots and flats. I use 4 inch pots and 1020 flats. I used cups at first and hated them too for the same reasons you mentioned.

[@savvydirtfarmer]

I got a case of 32/tray pots I had hoped to use. Snap in. I think I can use them next year, if I WILL WAIT and not start so early. That was my biggest problem... it caused much of the others.

[@publicdomain3378]

My idea in my future nursery for when im using soda cups is a simple 2x4 framed rectangle sitting on the ground. The cups would be lined, ground cover on the bottom. I wad thinking standard 4x8ft size, 4- 8ft 2x4s and some nails. Would give you 2 beds.

[@stevenfrey8034]

I learned a huge lesson this year doing growing tomato seedlings in a 7x12 cheap hoop greenhouse. I had I small heater that I would run on low every night which kept it in the upper 40's-lower 50's. Well one night about a month ago I forgot to plug the heater in and lost about half of them to frost.The lesson was that I should have used a timer and not depended on my memory.

[@savvydirtfarmer]

Sounds like something I would do. When I do a greenhouse, whenever that is, it will be double plastic, inflated, with climate control. Otherwise, it's just a high tunnel.

[@ejfishes7610]

Before doing perennials, I only sold tomatoes and peppers (usually basil too). You hit the nail on the head with a few varieties and making sure not to start them too early, I typically would sell a cherry tomato, a slicer, and roma. For peppers I always did jalapeño, sweet banana, and bell. Always appreciate your transparency and honesty. Keep up the great work!

[@savvydirtfarmer]

Much appreciated!

[@justsayin5609]

Hi Craig from Zone 6b in Canada. Been following you for a few years now and love your videos. Come spring I'll be starting toms, peppers and flowers from seed for the 4th year. I don't have a greenhouse but a pretty good setup in my utility room (blessed with 3 workbenches from previous owner..lol). I've yet to get the timing perfected, but in my zone basically 12 weeks for peppers and 8 weeks for toms. As for hardening off, it means a lot of bringing them in & out of the unheated garage which is a pain in the neck but absolutely has to be done. Great advice about limiting varieties. Mostly just supply family, friends and self for now. Always the intent to start selling, but end up discarding a whole lot not having gotten over the hump of advertising yet. Good luck next season, and God bless your lovely family.

[@justsayin5609]

PS For now, I save tall cups with the help of family from take out, drivethroughs, etc. Plastic ones get holes made with a soldering iron (wear a mask to protect your lungs!) The paper type I use kitchen shears. Sure you have better options but these work well for me as they're stable enough and allow good roots to grow. When I get around to selling, I'd pot them up in presentable containers..lol

[@horticultureandhomes]

Crank up your heat mat to germinate peppers. Count backwards to figure out planting dates. Seed every two weeks to keep fresh plants ready to sell. You'll need bench heat and a double poly inflated house to grow annuals and veg well, if you are in N Alabama. Woody plants need the least amount of care and annual crops take the most time.

[@danradtke1663]

I believe anything ventured is a great learning process. Great job but I think it's best let those who have the space and fined tuned the process do the starts. You are helping them survive in their business and they provide you with their knowledge and you be the one ti provide your customers with with their years of growing. Great job with your starts. Wish you would have planted them to see the final results. You may have been surprised. Doesn't your daughter have that garden space prepped? Would have been a great finishing result. You need a test garden area for those questionable plants. You may be very surprised. The ugliest plants sometimes are a great surprise. Not all but some. Just remember every year is different weather wise and rain wise also. So the variables are always different. One year I planted my cannas in February in ground as that year was 70's in February and stays warm enough that they grew beautiful. May is usually our planting time. Great job. But everything changes year to year. Zones are changing also so new learning is necessary even to the seasoned gardeners.

[@savvydirtfarmer]

I have certainly considered that. There's no way I can do everything I want to do. I want to be THE hydrangea guy. THE perennial guy. THE arborvitae guy. THE tomato guy. Can't do it. Not when I'm the propagator and grower. Gets to be way too many irons in the fire. I'm learning to manage all that, but I'm not there yet.

[@danradtke1663]

Just giving you ideas for future because you will weed out those things that aren't working for you in regards to time involved and limited space. You know what works for you. Just trying to give you new ideas so you don't get bored also. I think you're doing great. We will never be perfect. There is only One perfect One and we are not He. Thanks be to God. Have fun with it. They say when you enjoy your work it's not like work at all. 👍👍👍👍

[@danarevell9425]

I love following your videos. Just telling it like it is. I think your plants are great. I have had to throw away plants too and it is hard to do.

[@SindySchneck]

OMG, I could have totally made this video! I made the exact same mistakes: too early, burned some, too many varieties, just too many, freezing nights, etc. I had over 50 trays of annuals that I bought in and herb/veg that I grew and the 2 nights before my season opener it was right at freezing - had to truck everything into the basement, 1 tray at a time. I decided that next year I will only grow tomatoes and basil as those seem to be what people gravitated toward and in a lot less quantity. For my customers, they were there for the perennial deals and the herb/veg seemed more like an impulse purchase. The jury is still out on the annuals - I bought those in, so not much work, other than just watering. So glad you made a follow-up video, was wondering how you made out!

[@jkkelley7582]

Lots of great information!! Love so many varieties but garden space makes us choose fewer varieties too.. Your plants look good, sorry you had to do double time on potting them. Mine I got from you are doing wonderful! Good luck wished for all you do!

[@savvydirtfarmer]

Thanks so much!

[@Tokyo_Titus]

I ran I to sun scald issues this year as well. I found that my plants that stayed in a small outside green house that only received mid day sun did the best. Moving the same plants into more sun, albeit morning and early day, seemed to scald them. Leaving them in the same area, without the green house, hardened them to the sun very well. The greenhouse was only heated on freezing nights to keep it above 34 degrees F.

[@LibertyFallFarms]

I love doing the vegetable starts.. It gets me through the winter blues…. BUT.. I’m glad it is over. I do everything just about the same as you have done.. Changed a few things over the years.. Mass sow and transplant into solo cups.. This year I didn’t have to harden my plants off…. They can handle the sun as soon as they emerge. So I carried them out every day.. WAY too much work for someone that works 50 hours a week. I will be adding a greenhouse. And yes, fewer varieties is better!!! Lots better! And not the odd varieties. I did Better Boys, Cherokee Purple, and an Ox Heart variety (only because I had them).. Thanks for you sharing your experience. God bless!

[@amydu5498]

I think you did a fabulous job with veggies as a first timer. I do the same at home: one type of slicer, one type for sauce or salsa and then sun golds and grape tomatoes. Thanks for sharing!!

[@nikolateslawirelessradio]

I have a nursery up north. We also sell veg plants. Tomatoes we sell 3 type, (San Marzano) juicer, (Arkansas Traveler or Delicious) slicer, and a beefsteak. Peppers; Red Bell, Green Bell, Correl Bell. I stay away from the "Hots" We also do an Eggplant (Black Beauty) I stay away from anything that vines except a Zucchini. Zukes will stay vertical for a long time before falling over to vine. Basically we sell 8 varieties total. Tomatoes I start in the basement grow room in mid Feb, for single plants and mid March for 6 cell plants. Peppers are the same.

[@5rabbits807]

I’m excited for you with this part of your nursery. One smaller green house and a heater away from being a well rounded nursery keep it up. You give me a lot of hope and info for growing my business. Thank you!

[@chadolson6889]

I seed started for the first time myself this year. Tomatoes, Peppers, Herbs. My experience has been mixed as well. My tomato plants grew quickly, and I believe outgrew the cups (used solo/party cups). The cups also I didnt think drained well and caused some issues with my tomato plants. I also end up throwing a bunch of my tomatoes in the trash as they just didnt look good and I wont sell something that I wouldnt buy myself. My peppers are doing good. The herbs I grew (Italian basil, genovese basil, lemon basil, dill, and cilantro) they are doing quite well in the cups. I'm up here in Wisconsin and actively hardening off my plants. Its a challenge as I'm using my basement, and carrying everything outside each day. Having my first sale next week. Interested to see how that goes.

[@savvydirtfarmer]

You definitely need to reply back and let us know how that goes

[@robinbass3133]

I have started all my veggies from seed for the last two years. Very minimal cost is very worth it. Covered the building of my infrastructure for nursery last year. I have figured the best times to start seeds due to some grow slower than others

[@Growing-Our-Retirement]

Great, overall a success into a new category. You can narrow it down and tighten up the process. Maybe converting a shade house to a green house for 3-4 months would make sense. Glad it mostly went well!

[@gemhomebuys]

Keep doing what you’ve been doing. Just like everything else you’ve learned a bunch !

[@blubbietweeduizend]

Same here, I started to early and now my Cherry tomatoes (indeterminated, Piccolo) are still indoors at a height of 1,6m and its getting quite impossible to take them outside for hardening off. 😂

[@johnc6228]

Over just a two season period you take notes and change the timing. We always pot up everything early to sell later. They are also easier to water because the soil volume is larger. There is plenty of room for an assortment of 10" and bigger pots of tomatoes and peppers. We use them for a Memorial Day and Fourth of July Sale. Others get planted in the ground for us to use or sell.

[@PaulBengtsson]

Nice video. Moved to Thailand and can't work with this here. Agriculture is for Thais only.

[@nel6211]

I'm like you, I started all of my veggies too early and now have tp baby sit them until the weather cooperates. Tomatoes too tall, cucumbers flowering, cucamelons out of hand. Hardening off is tough with tall tomatoes. I'm having to stake them with shish kebob skewers in my solo cups. As for your tomatoes next year, just start them in solo cups with a small amount of soil. Then add more soil as they get bigger. No need to transplant. If you give people 3 choices of tomatoes or peppers, they buy all 3. If you have more choices of either they don't buy any. Your place looks great!

[@farmyourbackyard2023]

If you put some hip boards and a few more end wall studs on one of your shade houses, you could easily turn it into a greenhouse for starting and sheltering plants that early. I've been giving away the extra plants I started to food ministries for distribution or to locals who can't afford gardens this year. I don't know if you are comfortable doing that since you are a bigger commercial nursery. Still, I think you are doing a great job and are being analytical about each step. That thoughtfulness will surely serve you well in the coming months and years. As far as containers go, we have very large nurseries in the Tulsa area who have recycle bins out in the front of their nurseries. They give away stacks and stacks of the purple pots in your videos and the trays to hold them. They give away all shapes and sizes. I recently got a whole shopping cart full for free. If you have that in your area, don't overlook that resource.

[@amsohn1]

Great video, learning never stops!! Thanks for your honesty. Blessings ❤

[@SoThatsGoot]

Craig, those plants look amazing. Maybe your standards are way higher than mine, but if my vegetables in my nursery looked like that, I'd be over the moon

[@savvydirtfarmer]

I threw out the hundreds of bad ones

[@denisebalog994]

You nailed it every point 👍 Especially the varieties. I can't give a Habanero away 🤦🤣 Literally. Thank you for sharing your experience 🌱🍅🍅🍅 I'm with you, it's worth it but it is a lot of detail work and care.🌱🌱🌱🍅

[@Tokyo_Titus]

Seeing some of your unhealthy (Cayenne) pepper plants made me smile. I struggled this year with some varieties, and it's nice to know that everyone experiences some failures. Thank you for the video, and most importantly, the honesty.

[@savvydirtfarmer]

Thanks! I always try to show the successes and failures… there’s always plenty of both, it seems.

[@johnt3728]

There’s a lot to know and a lot of work. It looks like you’re getting it,hang in there.❤

[@janethalsey8753]

Just like with anything growing related, it takes a season or two to get the timing down on new plants. Stick with the vegetables. I know they dont bring in a ton of profit but it gives customers a lower price point item to purchase. Thanks as always for the honest talk.

[@teresaholland4790]

Absolutely worth it $20 for a silly little too for tomato plant to tractor supply. Yeah I don’t think so. Keep up the good work. Congratulations on a great grand opening.❤

[@davidwells9342]

Great video I appreciate how candid you are with everything and I enjoyed watching the process of you growing them and learning because it taught me a lot and the ones I bought from you have worked out really great so far

[@savvydirtfarmer]

Great!

[@melissaoleary8196]

Very informative. Thank you!

[@walkaboutjesusradio]

I tried trays from dollar tree to hold the red cups. They fit twelve perfectly. However, as soon as there are not twelve they become weeble wobbles.

[@reginaneufeld1092]

I so feel your pain .. especially planting in solo cups. Only did that one year..haha. I sell out my backyard..like you...hundreds of self sown bedding plants. I prefer square 2.5", 4", 6"....I have learnt alot as well. This year which I have never had an issue before, I got aphids..I ended up throwing dozens of plants away. Disappointing

[@VerageJoe]

I have beena pepper grower for years and i still hate hardening them off.

[@amandabottoms1]

Just curious if you were fertilizing your seedlings regularly? I start mine on a weekly fertilizing schedule after they get their second set of leaves. This is the first year I'm keeping track of what sells or doesn't, I'm realizing that I grew way too many. 😂 I'm too scared to keep track of the time i put into it, but i do keep track of what varieties folks ask for, it helps guide me to know what works in my area and what to go for next year. On the hardening off, this year i tried putting the plants in full shade for 2 days before moving them into the sun. It helped a lot, but then they got scorched when i had to pull them in during a late season frost - totally my fault. I rushed hardening off. I prune off the damaged leaves when it does happen, no one knows the difference! Lol I really like the 4in square pot for the plants, they lock into the 1020 type trays i get from menards. I get the 4 in square plastic pots from growers solutions. Great job on how many you sold! 👏 sending your family all the love from my family ❤

[@savvydirtfarmer]

Yes, I started fertilizer early

[@popandbob]

Seems to me that the demand was there but the setup was lacking. I’d sure be looking at a greenhouse to do them in if I were in your shoes. You can often find cheap used frames that just need the plastic. Up here in Canada I have a line on a 16’x80’ greenhouse frame for a couple grand, plastic covering is a couple grand also. Quite cheap really considering the value that can be made from it. I’d also consider doing some annual flower starts as well as seeding some perennials that start well from seeds. Maybe get the kids involved, set them up each with their own part of the nursery.

[@savvydirtfarmer]

Setup was definitely lacking.

[@easternacademy]

The kitchen is good place to germinate, but it's not a great place to grow plants. I see that you have hoop houses. If you want to get into vegetable plant production, you need to explore converting at least one of them into a high tunnel. It's basically a huge cold frame. I harden tomatoes and peppers in a cold frame with no difficulty. The advantage of the high tunnel is that it is much larger and not as prone to over heating on sunny days. I know a guy who grows acres of jalapenos. He germinates them on 3/4" soil blocks, then transplants into 4" pots in a high tunnel with kerosene heaters and frost blankets for cold spells.. I'm 20 days past the frost-free date and his plants in the field are now over 12" tall. I was a child laborer in a nursery in the late 1950's. Tomato and pepper plants were started in wooden flats in the greenhouse, then transplanted into 2" clay pots and grown on the ground in a poly tunnel with supplemental heat. When the customer bought the plants, they were knocked out of the pot and carried home in a cardboard box. I attended a lecture on annual bedding plants at Longwood Gardens over 30 years ago. Their production is very similar to vegetable plants. My biggest takeaway from that lecture was that by the time the plant is ready for the garden, it has been micro-dosed with fertilizer with every watering to get it into market condition. The lecturer's exact words were "when they leave here, they are totally addicted (to fertilizer) and strung out. You didn't mention herbs, specifically basil. I know a guy who was in sales with Bonnie Plants. Basil was the number one seller in the facility where he worked. There are resources that you should check out. They include: 1. Old timers in your area who grow plants from seed rather than buying them. 2. Your state nurseryman's association. 3. Nursery trade shows (I'm not sure where you're located, but it may be worth it for you to travel to Baltimore for MANTS. It's the biggie on the East Coast and it happens every January.) 4. Visit other mom and pop operations between 30 minutes and 2 hours of you and talk to them. You're selling locally and competing against big box stores, not the little guys 30 minutes away--and they know it.

[@joewestervelt5940]

Have you given any consideration to purchasing cell packs for resale? Based on your current operation they would be the way to go.Purchased from a wholesale nursery------32 plants for $8 +/- totally eliminates the headaches you encountered under your present system.The plants are healthy and ready for sale the moment you receive them.Other than watering the "babysitting" aspect of plant care is eliminated..

[@savvydirtfarmer]

I have bought and quickly resold some this month

[@mattdaddi]

Biggest tip for hardening off, and the hardest one to try to abide by….don’t put plants in midday sun when hardening off. Do earlier morning sun and late afternoon. It’s too easy to say I’ll just put then out for 30 minutes (which often becomes an hour) at noon, and the they are toast. Earlier morning and later afternoon initially.

[@savvydirtfarmer]

Makes sense!

[@nick63660]

What do you think about growing and selling annuals? Would it be worth saving money rather than buying them in?

[@savvydirtfarmer]

If I had a large, insulated, heated greenhouse, I might try it.

[@kburkes4245]

The major issue with vegetable plants is an oversaturated market. Most serious gardeners will grow their own because seed is cheap. And lots of people now grow vegetable plants for sale -- so the market is pretty saturated. In my area, NW Arkansas, we probably have 30 individuals who are trying to sell their vegetable starts right now, not to mention all the local nurseries, Master Gardener, FFA, 4H, who are also having plant sales. I think there's going to be a lot of leftover plants thrown away ☹️

[@erbauungstutztaufgnade1875]

🙂🙏🏼

[@jeffdinter600]

Now that everybody else is selling their tomato plants and vegetable plants at the store go by places like walmart, home depot, and other places like that and take off their hands the empty craze that the tomato plants pepper plants

[@donnaj1049]

FYI, your mic is not picking up your voice very well. I have to turn my volume up very high to hear you and remember to turn it down when I listen to another video so I don't blow my ears out. Also, are you going to eventually put up a greenhouse?

[@savvydirtfarmer]

Greenhouse? Maybe. There's a lot to that though.

[@donnaj1049]

@@savvydirtfarmer , totally agree with you on that one. Would take selling a lot of plants to make up for the cost.

[@pamelamercado6902]

My golden rule is not to plant any of my fast growing plants no more than six weeks before last frost. Depending on what peppers I'm planting will dictate when planted. I don't throw away any of my veggies I plant them and then I sell them right all with the different types of plants I have for sale. I'll just put a notice out of what I have. I've had several people tell me I just came to buy this or that and they would buy veggies and a plant or two.

[@alexestrada9396]

Instead of vegetables from seed, how about start some annual flowers that may sell better. I'm sure there is a better market for flowers than vegetables. Zinnia, petunia, begonia, celosia, geranium, impatiens, marigolds, snapdragons, pansies, etc. If they outgrow your cellars you can up pot them to 4" and sell them that way. Can't go wrong with annuals IMHO.

[@savvydirtfarmer]

Definitely a great market for annuals. If I had a large, climate controlled greenhouse, I may try some. Not ready for that yet.

[@jaredaleman3682]

Goes to show how Bonnie Plants has really mastered their craft. I love their veggies - other nurseries just don’t come close in terms of quality.

[@teresaholland4790]

No offense, but you should’ve offered them two schools nursing homes. I’m sure those people that would love to have had some free tomato plants just a thought.

[@savvydirtfarmer]

None taken. Part of owning a nursery is throwing out plants. It's part of the deal. I don't have time to make phone calls to track down someone to take them, then deliver them. Much better business decision to chunk 'em over the fence and move on with my day.

[@joanotto9984]

You do not have to carry vegetables at all. Why not focus on perennials, shrubs and a few annuals. This is your core. There is a local nursery that only does perennials and shrubs, and they are doing great.

[@savvydirtfarmer]

@@joanotto9984 Agree. I don't have to. As you said, those other things are my core, but not my only. Always different ways to go with it.

[@quicksilver3975]

I personally think that selling in numbers is the best way to make the best profit of vegetable plants. Also just my opinion the price for a tomato plant or pepper plant shouldn’t be over 75 cent. That’s the only way you will sell in real numbers. If I was in your shoes and wanted to keep the current price and sell close to what you have I would start the seeds in 288 plug trays then transplant in the 6 pack flats. Doing vegetable starts in any real amounts requires a greeenhouse. Maybe keeping it down to not so many plants will give you a few years to figure out the timing and all the other little quirks and then if you want to scale up it will go smoothly.

[@quicksilver3975]

I think I also should throw out here that the customer base on vegetable starts is generally going to be different than the nursery plants you already start. 2 different types of people. Just to be blunt if building a greenhouse (atleast 20x20 ) and adding about a 1/3 of the workload to what you currently have is worth an additional 7500 to 8000 per season is worth it to you then I’d go towards selling in larger amounts ( roughly 10000 plants )required for me to make around this amount excluding labor. Everyone’s profit margin needs are different. If I said you would likely make more than this in your area I’d be blowing smoke.