I'm not sure if Novosel does wholesale but they are certainly affordable, especially if you buy by the case.

Mike

sames story here park has gone down hill no much there, I have purchased from am leonard this year good prices and for next year if you buy in december no shipping charges

I've picked mine up off of ebay. I bought 1203s earlier in the season for $5-6 per 60 flats. Either this year or next, I'll have to buy 4" pots. I was given 4-5 truckloads of pots back in 2001 and have been using them since then. I just amleo.com for flats and found that Jordan Seeds was cheaper. I've been buying seeds from them for 3-4 years and have been happy with the seeds. I will be needing center ribs and no holes this years. I still have enough web trays, crossed fingers, for this year.

I haven't really looked at the larger pots to see if I'll need to order any of them. I think I'll ask for return of the pots that I sell this year and maybe get a few more.

Marla

Nolt's produce supplies in Leola, PA is the cheapest I have found for such things

Boulderbelt, how can we order from Nolt, since they don't have a website? Do they have a catalog?

Marla

W. H. Milikowski is our favorite. They have a great selection at good prices. They are headquartered in Connecticut.

Highly recommended!

www.whmilikowski.com

Has anyone ordered by BFG supply? They have a clearance sheet and there are a few things that I'm interested in ordering.

Marla

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll be looking up all of these. I just checked Growers Supply but the shipping seemed a bit high.

There are many large nursery and greenhouse operations in NC. Some supply company must be selling to them. I thought I had your problem solved. There is a really good company, Griffin Greenhouse Supply, that has warehouses all over the east coast from Maine to Georgia. They deliver on their own trucks, but when I checked their delivery schedule it dosn't look like they go into NC or SC. I wonder why? They have warehouses in Richmond, Knoxville and Ball Ground, GA. I don't know where you are in NC but if I were you I would check with them to see how close their deliveries come or if you can pick stuff up at the warehouse.

Here in western NY we have three companies. BFG, Griffin and Milikowski. They are all good and all make weekly deliveries. Several years ago I finally got smart and made up a big order in the fall for next year. I fax that out to all of them and let them bid on it. I save a lot of money. Way back 45 years ago when I started I had to mail order in all the supplies I needed.

Gotta add something more here. For many years we had around here an association of sorts of greenhouse and market growers. There were some large operations and little guys like me. In the spring we managed to have "twilight meetings" in the evenings before dark at our places so the others could see what we were doing. In the summer we had picnics. In the winter we had meetings and had experts come and talk about insects, weeds, diseases etc.

We were competitors but we were friends. If someone needed a few more flats or pots all he or she needed to do was ask. We could go in together on an order to save some money. I started with nothing and I know that the knowledge and cooperation and help I got was a huge factor in my success. Now I'm old and I'm the only one left of that bunch. The rest are dead or retired. The younger people now have maybe one big meeting in the summer and one in the winter for the whole state. That's good but it's not like trying to get along with each other at the local level. Now it seems like they think it's all some sort of cut-throat desperate competion. Believe me, when we used to realize we were all in the same boat and were all rowing together we all got somewhere. And it was more fun.

So, is there some other grower in your area you might befriend and get some help getting supplies? I'll bet every place you see has a pile of stuff out back. I had accumulated a mountain of plug trays, inserts, pots and heavy trays and finally last fall I decided to straighten up the mess. I saved back what I wanted and tried to give the rest away. No takers. I stacked up over 300 nice clean 1020 trays for one guy, but he never came. The stuff is gone now, thrown away. I wish you guys could have had it all.

I wish I had known, I'll need 1020s this year, also ribs.

A few years ago, a nursery/retailer went out of business and knew I was just getting started, he gave me all the pots I could take. He also sold me all of his seed that was left-over for $40, if I had to have purchased it, it would have cost me over $200. Some seed worked and some didn't, but I didn't lose money.

At my market, we still have a relationship with our fellow vendors. Need bags, someone has some, just pay them back on the next visit. If you don't, don't ask again, tho. Most of my fellow vendors live 30=100 miles away from me. I'm on one side and they're all are on the other side. Makes things more difficult for meetings and such.

Marla

McConkey actually manufactures its pots and trays and other plastic items so you eliminate the middleman, but you have to buy by the case. I got 4 inch square pots for 5.8 cents each, but had to buy a case of 880, and 3.3 inch deep square pots for 4.6 cents each but had to buy a case of 1375. They even sell automatic transplanting machines.

I'm not ready for the transplanting machines, but am glad to hear about McConkey. I'll have to check them out, where are they located? And do you need a business license or any special permits to buy from them?

This is a link to their website. Their warehouses are all on the West Coast, but maybe they will ship to other areas. I live 12 miles away from one of their warehouses and just go and pick the stuff up myself, so never bothered with finding out about shipping.

Here is a link that might be useful: McConkey growers supplies

I've printed off several of their pages, and will be researching the prices including shipping for me. They sound great, wish they were closer.

Marla

Marla, I think you are going to be shocked at the cost to ship bulk flats and containers from the the West coast.
100 - #1020 flats without inserts might be over 100.00 shipping alone
Can you buy them from your local Amish produce/growers/auction? Mark

Unfortunately my Amish produce/growers/auction don't offer the flats, but I can get them closer. At Jordan's in MN, I can get them, and they are alot closer. I can get the rib trays for $75/100 at my local greenhouse out of their personal supply. Not everyone can get these trays from them, but all 3 of my sons have worked for the greenhouse at one time or another.

I always check the shipping costs before I commit, but thanks for reminding me.

Marla

I found some good prices for stuff in FarmTek and AM Leonard for big orders. Irish Eyes had nice prices on trays and cell packs for a bit smaller orders but I would go with Farmtek if I had needed more.

Information for Nolt's Produce Supply. They have a catalog. They are Amish and that is why they don't have a website. the first year they were open they did not have a phone in the store so you had to let it ring 15+ times before any would answer. these days the phone is in the shop so it gets picked up fast.

they are good people to deal with and they ship fast and as cheap as possible

Here is a link that might be useful: Nolt's info

Thanks boulderbelt, I'll give them a call. Our Amish have a "English" do the website for the entire community that wish to use it. Maybe an idea for your community.

Marla

Marla, I order from Nolt's Midwest Produce Supplies, 3160 140th St., Charles City, Iowa 50616, Ph. 641-228-4496. They have the same products as their Pa. relatives. May be closer to you. Call or write for a catalog. I will be making a trip with my vegetable school bus to pick up a load of supplies, about 200 miles one way for me, 400 total. Greenhouse supplies, Pro-Mix soiless mix, Mulch and row cover, a few seeds, seed potatoes and onion sets, etc., will round out my load. I have always paid shipping but want to see what I can save. Hope I have a happy no crisis trip. I have a 1990 International formerly 36 passenger schoolbus. Might as well get it warmed up for the long vegetable hauling season. tonytiller

With gas prices like my area, I'm not sure if you'll be saving anything. Gas today went to $3.549, and somewhere in Chicago is was over $4/gal. This was for just regular gas.

I'm not sure which would be closer, PA or IA, but thanks for the contact info. Too busy today for anything, hopefully tomorrow will be better.

Marla

I've found FarmTek is too expensive for what I want. $84 for 100 1020 NR is at least $19 over what I can get them for at Jordan's. Of course, this is not including shipping for either company. $19 here and $19 there, starts adding up. Maybe you live close enough to them to pick up, but not me.

I need rib trays this year, I can get a sleeve of 100 for $75 from my local greenhouse, with no shipping.

Marla

Looks like diesel will be hitting $4.00 a gallon by the time I hit the road. With some frugal driving the 6 cyl. Navstar diesel will do 15 miles to the gallon. 400 miles will set me back $100.00 for fuel. Iam already paying license and insurance for it setting in my yard. It is licensed for 26,000 lbs. gross. Pro-Mix BX compressed bales are 75lbs sh. wt. x 15 bales is 1525 lbs, Pro-Mix PGX is 35 lbs. x 5 is 175 lbs, 400 lbs of seed potatoes, 64 lbs. of onion sets, Calcium Nitrate and sol u starter fertilizer 100 lbs, plus 5 case's of pots & flats, hanging baskets, steel tomato trellis (50+ w/500 ft. of heavy dupont cover), 5 rolls of woven ground cover will all ad up to over 3,500 lbs. Hopefully the trip will be worth a few days wages. I will make it in one long day. My past experience shows 10 to 19 cents per lb. for shipping or this load between $350.00 to $665.00 or more. I'm not sure why the big spread in shipping costs. I see Nolt's has 1020 solid side/bottom trays with drain holes for $62.00 100/case. tonytiller

I don't need the 1020 with holes, I need the No Hole trays, Jordan's offers both holes and no holes for $64.35, no much difference. I'll have to check the shipping between the 2 companies.

Alot of the shipping and handling costs is not the actual shipping costs, but the employee that is needed to box, label and sent it out. Also some for the boxes that might be needed.

Marla

your right marla about the shipping costs and the need to pay the employees, thats why I plan on being the employee and pick it up. The catalog price is the price if I pick it up on the loading dock and it includes the wrapping. I just came across another previous order where the shipping was $71.20 for 160 lbs. or 44.5 cents per lb. I too order from Jordan Seeds, Woodbury Mn. I have always been satisfied. Nolt's 1020 trays without holes are $63.00, since I will be on the dock I will load'm on the bus. bye tonytiller

Interesting information here. Just out of curiosity, why would Nolt's have email but no website?

A few of the Amish have an "English" (non-Amish) person to do the email. My Amish friends think a website is a waste of money, not realizing how much could be made off of it. Of course, they are not motivated totally by money.

Marla

Marla -

Your pretty close to Greenhouse Megastore in Danville, IL. They have 1020's but are about $10 higher than Nolt's but you probably can save that on shipping. We have been getting our BX mix there - it's not the cheapest place but when you figure in shipping compaired to what we can run up and pick it up for it's a lot cheaper. We usually call ahead and they have the order ready and waiting. You think shipping on trays is steep try shipping bales of gallon jugs - those are just nuts.

Tom

Here is a link that might be useful: Greenhouse Megastore

Thanks Tom, I'll check them out. Of course, I may want to just order and not look around, between James and I, we would want almost everything.

Marla

I found out the shipping for 1 sleeve of 100 is less than $11, I can't drive there for only those. I'll check out other things.

Marla

Thanks for suggesting Nolt's. I got their catalog today and WOW!! I wish I had known of them sooner. I will surely be ordering from them from now on!

I showed up at IGC (Garden Megastore) on Wednesday and was able to pick up my trays, I paid $83 plus sales tax, but I was able to check to see if any corners were crushed onsite. I'm pleased with them, and they're only 50 miles away from me. Next time, I'll need to pick up more items to make it worth my mileage.

I think I will get Nolt's catalog.

Marla

WyattQuarles is a wholesaler based in NC. They sell thru sales reps & their website is pretty basic. Maybe save on shipping charges.

I did business with Wyatt-Quarles years ago, but I don't think they want to do business with small growers. I sent an email a few weeks ago, got an auto reply and haven't heard anything since.

I received my first order from Nolt's today, just as they promised. Flats and 1801s arrived in perfect condition. I'll be re-ordering next week.