NO-it's not hard to learn to propagate, BUT it is HARD to compete with the BIG BOX STORES. I started with my 24ft x 48ft greenhouse in 1998 growing and selling annuals (mostly the norm), hanging baskets (200 really nice ones), a few veggie plants (the norm), about 200 potted perennials (1/2gal & gal pots) and best of all i had one acre of field grown perennials (1yr & 2yr old plants), the field plants were a "you choose-I dig" operation. I did very well the first 4 yrs. But when the BBS's moved in (too cheap)it wasn't worth my time any more. Now I do market gardening and sell some veggie plants too. If you do plants - start small!! Oh, you need a "General Nursery Growers License" and an Agriculture inspection to sell any kind of perennial. Check on your state reg's.
Deb

In Indiana, if you propagate or grow woody plants, like trees and shrubs, you MUST have a nurseryman license. Check into the rules before you try to sell any. Doing for yourself is a different story. You will need a retail certificate for any plants and collect sales tax.Regular perennials, you don't need the license, but that's for Indiana.

Check your states rules. Each state can be different.

In Indiana, you have to have a license to propagate ANY perennial plant, not just trees and bushes. That applies to perennial flowers too. That is if you're doing it to sell them, for yourself, no license needed.

Ok, Sandy, you're more the expert on perennials. Does that include starting them from seeds? I know for trees and shrubs, by taking cuttings, you have to have them.

It's different everywhere, but fwiw the phrase that Illinois uses in regard to who needs the license is "over-winter nursery stock." The idea is preventing disease, and the state will want to at least get your consent to inspect the plants you took the cuttings from. And of course collect the fee.

Because I sold perennial flowers direct from the flower field (you choose-I dig em up)and potted perennials I had to be inspected for disease & pests and for over-winter potted plants also. Diseases could be transplanted from my flower field soil to someone elses flower garden soil, or from my potted perennials and the ones I started from seed. These perennials were sold at the farm and the market.
This pic was taken in the spring of 1999, all the plants were planted in rainbow shapes, each row in each rainbow was planted with diff colors, heights and bloom times. Of course this was when I was alot younger. We have since moved to a diff town, the greenhouse too. When we moved we had a sale on the field plants and moved about
1,000 or so plants with us to our new farm.
Deb

Sounds like too much hassle for a little extra variety

These days, the government makes everything a hassle.