I started selling plants for the first time last year. This is my suggestions, since it will be in Kansas, get your plant dealers license from the Kansas Department of Ag. You want to be legal and it is the law. Funny thing is, all you do is fill out a form and send in $5 this year, last year it was free. (There is some fund that was low so they charged everyone a fee to raise it up.) It will be $5 if you are planning on making less than 10,000 from these sales.

I started with 200 tomato plants and 50 peppers. The peppers were left overs that I didn't plant. Sold all 50 peppers and probably 2/3 of the tomatoes. In the KC area, you could probably easily sell 400. I would suggest to have some peppers too, just my findings. This year I am going to grow about 200-250 and 150 peppers. Have color pictures of all your tomatoes, this really helps sell them.

I will also suggest that you grow some hanging baskets of Tumbling Tomatoes. I grew 50 hanging pots last year and sold every one in 3 weeks. People keep asking for more. I had people asking if I would have them next year too. So, I am planning on having 100 this year. Super easy to grow and make good money doing it. I sold them for $12 each or 2 for $20. You may be able to get more, who knows. I know the tomatoes aren't OP, but they do taste very good. The variety is Tumbling Tom. There is a yellow and red variety. I put one of each in a 10 inch basket.

Here is a picture of one.
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Good luck and have fun!

Jay-what size was the plant when you sold it? Is it a problem transporting the plants to the market?

The picture is the size I sold. I was loading up the seedling and these hanging plants for the third week of the market and I remembered that I didn't take any pictures during the growing season. So I took a quick picture. I am glad I did because I sold out that day. As far as transporting, I have a truck and a little S10 truck bed trailer with a topper. I double decked the trailer and put the seedlings on the top and the baskets on the bottom. They did take up some space, but well worth it. I would take as many as I could. When the trailer was full, I would quit.

and what is the timing of that? You started the seeds in March and sold them in June?

jr: Thanks so much, I have been following your tunnel progress , you are a brave soul out there in that KS wind:) Really like your idea about the hangers, may try it.

Randi:
Good question: I usually seed first couple of weeks in March. Our ALFD is April 15th but I have been moving my actual planting date to the first week in May as the ground is just still to cold in April.

It actually was that I could plant out in April, but not the last 5-10 years.

Does anyone sow earlyier to allow for the gardeners that can't help but put out thier plants early, or just time it, to have them ready to go into the ground the day market opens.

Should I stagger the planting, as some be getting pretty big toward end of market?

Tom

I planted in early March and potted up to the baskets in Early April 3-6. I started selling them on May 9th. Sold out by the 23 or 30th of May.

Tom: I am planning on doing some staggered plantings. Out of lack of space and some of the plants got big on me last year. Another idea is with the big plants, plant them deep in a gallon pot or larger and charge more for them. Just an idea.

Jay

I have already started my seeds. Started the pepper seeds on 12/27 and some of the tomatoes on 1/16. I start some of my seeds very early to have really LARGE plants for the 1st of May (opening day for my market). My large plants will be sold in 3-5 gal pots for those people in apartments or without ground to grow in.

The commercial greenhouse that my sons have worked in start theirs about this time. They transplant some of those into 1203 several times. Only transplanting the largest plants, and keeping the smaller ones for the next transplant time.

They also sell several LARGE plants like I have described during the season.

I stagger my plantings so that I can have some smaller plants along with the larger plants.

JR, I have used the stack method, with a full size truck bed. Putting one shelf on the wheelwell, and another one on the edge of the topper. That gave me 3 shelves. I used that method also to carry LOTS of berries into the market, using tomato box lids to hold the pints/quarts.

Have you thought about putting some chains up to hold the hanging plants??

Thnx guys :
I have heard that large plants sell easier and for more.
Any suggestions on pricing ?
What soil medium do you use as final potup? Different than the soiless growing medium used during first process?

I start them in Vermiculite, Spaghnum mix, then pot to sterile soiless, like Shultz moisture Control, as soon as they emerge, then they go under lights in 50 degree environment for two weeks with small fans on low, then into the full light till harden off time.

I am considering potting to pure organic heat treated compost I can get in bulk.(ph-NPK great) That bagged stuff can get expensive. The only drawback is I will have to water more often, that moisture control is great, everything stays evenly moist for a long time.

Would the compost be ok to grow them in till market?

I use Miracle Grower with Moisture Control.

Yes, the larger plant sell for more money, but you also have more money/time invested.

I usually have several sizes for the customers to choose from. I offer 4 pks, 4" pots (100), 200 pots, 300 pots and 500 pots. I'm not sure exactly what the sizes of the last pots are, but that is what is marked on the bottom of the pots.

I start the season off with 4 pks/$2. This year, I'm considering selling 3/pks instead, also $2. The rest of my plants will be individual plants in the pots. 4"/$2-3, 200/$3-5, 300/$5-7, 500/$10-15. The prices depend upon how much I will pay for the dirt. I don't use soil-less mix, but I do add some compost in the larger pots.

Last year, we had 2 vendors that were selling plants by individual plants. They grew the plants in plug trays (60) and then cut the plugs about. I think they got between $1-2 each. One of the vendor's plants were close to 2' tall and totally rootbound.

I haven't thought of using chains. My topper doesn't have enough room to do that with.

As far as a growing medium, I used a homemade mix called Al's Mix from the growing in containers forum. It is really good stuff, cheap and easy to make.

I didn't have any problems with it. Some thought it dried out too fast, but I later found out they only wanted to water every week. Yes a hanging basket in Kansas sun and wind will dry out in a week. I watered every 3rd day and didn't have a problem. This year I will have a drip system. Work smarter, not harder! I picked up all the drip stuff for $12 in an auction. 300-350 feet of unused tubing and a box full of emitters, sprayers, pipe and fittings. It was a STEAL. There was over $400 worth of stuff there.

I wouldn't grow in compost. The roots would stay too wet.

Jay

I'm not sure what the pot sizes you mention are.

Are you starting 1100 seedlings, 100 in 4 or 3 pks.
200 in 4" pots next largest
300 in 4" pots next larger
400 in 4" pots larger still
500 in 4" pots LARGEST ?

Is one week apart starting the seeds enough starting some time soon?

Tom

No the 200,300,500 are pot sizes. I usually start seeds 1x month. I check the farmers almanac for the best planting days and try to start the seeds then.

Use the compost as an extra, not the total dirt.

Yes I probably start alot more than 1100 plants. I have close to that just in this 1st planting. Probably start 2x that many starts in Feb and then again in Mar.

Jay, I've seen others come into the auction with trailers with 4' tall sides with chains going from side to side. The chains help hold the sides and then they hang baskets on them also. I use a full size van. One of my vans have hooks in mutliple places on the sides to be able to tied things down. I think they would work for chains for the hanging baskets. I seem to not have room enough for all the boxes that I get AND get any baskets without using the chains. I think heavy dog chains would work.

Way to early to start seedlings here in NH (Zone 5) We usually start our tomato plants approximately 8 weeks before our last frost date and by then they are at least 8"-12" and stocky. We do not sell in any type of "paks", that is no 4-paks, 6-paks, etc. Instead we sell by the individual plant. That way people can mix and match and choose whatever number they want in a individual variety. Most of the tomatoes we grow are heirlooms and choice hybrids. Many people do not know the varieties and don't want to "risk" buying a six pack of something they are not sure of. But once they try our plants they come back and want the same, plus others. It's getting over the fear of trying something new. We purchase liners from WH Milokowski and get liners that have perferated edges that can be detached without cutting. They are approx. 2-1/2 x 3-1/4 in size, giving the plants plenty of room to grow to sellable size. We also grow "jumbo" tomato plants for $5/ea. They are usually at least 2' and bushy when we sell them. (We do start those a little earlier) Last year we had 40 trays of 32/per tray of tomato plants. We have pre-orders with other people coming to shop. We open Mothers' Day (June 14?) and by the first week of June we are sold out of all tomatoes, most vegetables, and annual/perennial flowers. I believe we had about 4,000 seedlings last year. We don't have time to fool around with various size pots, most people love the size we sell. More importantly the plants are grown properly, are healthy and usually everyone is happy with the results.

Mother's day is May 9th this year.

Last year was my first year selling the 4pks and it went over well. Of course, those plants are much smaller than the bigger pots.

I think we, as growers, have to supply the customers what they want. Mine want as assortment of available sized pots. Each of the plants are good and stocky, or they go into my garden.

tommyk, I picked up some marigold seeds and would like to have some blooming for Mother's day, Am I too late to start them? I still don't have a heated greenhouse, except by the sun if it ever comes back out.

I did the market in my city last year and had fun. Not sure about this year. Hard to do with a child.

Anyways, I sold only plants the first few weeks at market and it did well. I sold tumbling tom's like Jay and then sold individual, 4 packs, and 6 packs. I really like Tommyk's way of only selling individual plants. I would do it that way this year as well.

I also sold herb pots, eggplants, cucumbers, peppers, melons, and all did well. I didn't get the prices you guys seemed to get. Most of mine were .50 cents each. However my plants were on the smaller size.

Andrea

I am planning on buying 41/2" plastic pots w/ 1020 trays from a web site. They hold 15 per tray, 50 per case for 63.00.

The pots are 4.5 square 3 3/4 " 800 per case for 85.50.(greenhousemegastore.com)thats less than .15 cents a pot.(prolly thin plastic)economical vacume molded is how they describe them.

That sound about right to get me started?

Tom

Andrea, check prices elsewhere in your area. If you are offering different varieties or even the same as your local greenhouse, get your prices closer to theirs. Your expenses are close to theirs if not more.

I have several of the trays of 15. I found them at a greenhouse that went out of business a few years ago. They had an auction, and I brought home a truck full of all kinds of supplies. I'm going to have to buy some soon.

myfamilyfarm: Where are you located? Many marigolds are early bloomers. Do you want the large flowered, tall varieties or the smaller bloomers on shorter plants? It all depends on your location and whether you can grow them outside once they are large enough to plant.

I'm in Indiana, zone 5b. I bought some of the taller ones, thinking that if they didn't sell as plants, maybe they could be good as cut flowers. I have grown some outside, I used them as row markers. 1 plant at the end of my rows, much prettier than old posts. I also bought some Hollyhock seeds, my grandfather used to have them and they were so pretty. I don't know if they would make good cut flowers or not, I just wanted some. Also picked up some Zinnias, taller varieties.