Price for seedlings?

[whistler]

The pressed cup carriers are sold at restaurant supply stores. As I recall, the unit price was between 15-25 cents each in packs of 75. I just went to McD and the local gas station chain which serves a lot of food and asked to buy 20 carriers to use for my seedling sales. They just said here, we don't really have a way to ring that up, just take them. Guess I go there enough that they didn't mind giving away a few cup carriers... Anyway, you could start collecting the trays now for next season.

[tam91]

Kinkos and places like that will laminate things - as I recall, it didn't cost too much. You could put the cards flat, with space between them, then laminate a whole sheet. As long as there's 1/2" or something between the cards, the just take a scissors and cut it up - probably the cheapest way to get that done.

[erlyberd]

This year I offered plants in 16-18oz cups for $2.00 a pop. I also had $5.00 plants with green fruit on them and sold none of them! I ended up giving them away to people who were repeat customers or folks who bought a lot. Next year I'm not going to bother with offering older plants. I'll keep them to myself and let everyone wait until August to pick ripe fruit!

[twisting tendril]

And just to underscore how widely different areas and different markets can vary, last year I sold chunky plants in 4" pots for $4, got chided a little by customers for not charging more, and when I'd take 4 or 5 bigger plants, in 2 gallons for $12, I'd usually sell out of the big plants in the half hour before market opened. That happened to be an affluent, appreciative market, not all areas can have such eager customers.

[clkeiper]

nisiNJ,
Walmart sells laminators pretty cheap. I bought mine for 25.00 (not on sale) and I think you could get a better deal than that (maybe even a used one from ebay or craigslist). I needed it for a project for my farmers market and didn't worry about the cost, figuring I would make the $$ back with the interest from the customers.

[gourmetgardener]

Generally, on a contract basis I pay 40 cents a plant in 1204 inserts, that is 48 per flat, plus then the cost of my seed. It varies from 10 cents a seed for Granadero, all the way up to $1.35 a seed for Sunstream. That's roughly $1.10 per plant on average.

[Alpinejs]

I sell in 3 1/2 inch plastic pots. I started at $5 ea., but after listening to
crap at the swap meet, I lowered to $3.00 for the balance of the season
and will hold that price this spring and hope to make more based on volume.
Last year, I only had 6 varieties. This year, I will have in excess of 20 and,
hopefully, will have happy repeat customers.

What are some of your reports from repeat customers. Did they blow it or
were they successful and happy with heirlooms? I have had both types
from among my "give away" to friends plants. Some just say "they died"
and others raved about heirlooms.

[Wi-sunflower]

I have found that "Flea Markets" are the WORST place to try to sell QUALITY.

For the most part the customers there are only looking at price and if you have something different and/or better, you will mostly just sit there hoping to make you fees back.

If you can find some kind of "farmers market" or even a craft show that will allow plants, you will not have so many only looking at your price.

It really sucks when a flea market is your only choice. You will have to "educate" your customers and talk yourself hoarse every market.

The first season at any market will be the worst til people get to know you and your product.

I have customers that always look for me because my plants are hardy as all get-out. They don't always look the best, but people know they will take off for them.

It's not easy introducing heirlooms to a market that has never heard of the varieties you are growing. But persistence eventually pays off.

Carol

[huntsman]

Originally Posted by whistler

My plants are in either 3.5" square pots or plastic drinking cups. This year I got a bunch of pressed 4 cup carriers like you get at fast food joints, and they hold the cups & pots securely for the trip to their new home. Worked out great, and customers were happy to be able to easily carry their plants.

Great idea!

4/U$12

Regarding eddicayshun(!): All of my plants have a decent sized, full colour pic of the tomato when ripe, as well as a little info about origin, size, etc, but it's the pic that slows them down then my interaction that closes the deal...

I find that are not overly keen to read, but want to be convinced verbally, so if you know a little (and I only know a little) you are in like the proverbial Flynn...

[Alpinejs]

Carol.....I agree with most of what you say about flea markets. People are there to dicker
and I am NOT. They could care less if it is early girl or Brandywine. I just don't do them
anymore. After considering entrance fees, mileage, I get much better result just off the
edge of the road at a fairly busy, but somewhat rural intersection. You may have to educate on heirlooms, but usually not on the value of gardening. I am set up only from
about 3-6 PM to hit the school traffic and working folk heading home. I enjoy the
interaction, which I didn't find true at the swap meet. I must be becoming a snob!!

Those selling times are also my book reading times and I get somewhat caught up as I
get way behind by spending all my time on tomato message boards. Good thing I can't
pick up Wi-Fi out there!!

[Alpinejs]

huntsman....one does not have to know an awful lot about heirlooms in order
to know more than 95% of your customers. The customer loves the feeling
of having gained knowledge besides nice seedlings.

Also, I try to keep the customer engaged in conversation until the next car
pulls over. One customer seems to be a magnet for others. When I was in
the pizza business, on slow week nights, I would ask a couple employees to
park out front so we looked somewhat busy. It had a similar and good
psychological effect.

Of course, if you still don't feel confident, you could ask Carolyn Male to come
down there and work your booth with you!! LOL

[JackE]

"It's not easy introducing heirlooms to a market that has never heard of the varieties you are growing"

Carol, I sincerely don't understand why y'all feel the need to educate people about their tastes in tomatoes. Why don't you just sell what people want - which in places like a flea market is simply nice-looking, half-way decent tasting, round red tomaotes at a price similar to the grocery store. They'll give a little extra for the vine-ripened.

We take tomatoes to a flea market about 30 miles from here when we have a surplus, and they fly off the table. We've never had anyone ever ask for an OP tomato - sometimes we're asked if we "spray them", but customers don't give a hoot about varieties - if they were into that they'd have a garden of their own.

This is Texas, though.

Jack

[huntsman]

I can't answer for Carol, Jack, but the reason I don't do it is...space. I have a limited area in my garden and I choose to grow fun, attractive plants. The selling is secondary in my case, but I do get your point.

Certainly with my peppers I have more lateral movement as I can plant so many in pots and I have indeed started planted a certain percentage of peppers that I know are going to sell,,,

[SEAMSFASTER]

Originally Posted by Alpinejs

I sell in 3 1/2 inch plastic pots. I started at $5 ea., but after listening to
crap at the swap meet, I lowered to $3.00 for the balance of the season
and will hold that price this spring and hope to make more based on volume.
Last year, I only had 6 varieties. This year, I will have in excess of 20 and,
hopefully, will have happy repeat customers.

What are some of your reports from repeat customers. Did they blow it or
were they successful and happy with heirlooms? I have had both types
from among my "give away" to friends plants. Some just say "they died"
and others raved about heirlooms.

In 2011 (my first year at this business), I made far more selling seedlings than I did selling produce. All seedling production and sells were from my basement/garage/backyard/driveway.

Most of my seedlings were also in 3-1/2" square pots and went for $3. I had only the occasional complaint about my prices.

About 10% were in 6" ("gallon") pots for $5 and those sold quite well - but they sure took up a lot of precious space!

I raised about 215 varieties of tomato seedlings (and about 100 total varieties of other types) - mostly heirlooms that none of my customers had ever heard of. I had lots of enjoyable (and time-consuming...) conversations during seedling sales. Many (but certainly not all) were quite excited to try something new.

Feedback was nearly all positive, some of it raving - makes me want to do it again!

The biggest mistake I made was not having pictures and information posted with each variety. Nobody wanted to read from the 20-page brochure I prepared. I did a LOT of explaining/educating/promoting.

So I appreciate the tips about laminating and minimal printed verbiage.

[JackE]

How in the world do you keep track of 215 varieties? I mean just the logistics of labelling and handling them blows my mind! I can't even keep two or three varieties separate with all the moving around, etc - stick labels fall out and tape labels fall off etc.

DO you label each individual seedling or just the trays they are in? I usually label just the trays - maybe that's why I have so much trouble with that.

Jack