As I’m not rich, I’m always keeping an eye out for a business opportuntity that might allow some of the finer things in life to become affordable. This back garden business opportunity might be applicable in the UK as well as the USA. It sounds fun, anyway.
Now that I have your attention, anyone can be a farmer. You can grow trees and plants even if you have to raise them in POTS. I feel the best opportunity in agriculture is in raising plants and trees.
Growing plants can be done almost anywhere. You don’t have to have large fields and hundreds of acres. You only have to have imagination. People who grow dope do it in cellars and in caves. Select plants to raise that you see being sold in quantity by local nurseries or garden centers, and do as they do.
Arborvitae (Thuja firs) in Demand
In our area arborvitae are in hot demand. These plants can be started from cuttings or you can buy rooted cuttings. Thousands can be grown in a 20’x20′ area in small containers. Arborvitae are not the only plants that you can choose. Dwarf conifers and bonsai are other avenues to consider.
The first thing to consider is what plants you like. They make a nice starting point. I like arborvitae. Plus they are easy to grow.
There are many that are available. These can be grown from your own cuttings or you can purchase rooted cuttings, or even small liners. I suggest that you raise Emerald Green Arborvitae.
They are compact and very popular. A 2-inch to 3-inch rooted cutting in 3 years should be 2 feet tall if growing conditions are optimal. These might sell for as much as $5-10 depending on your market and quality. If you were to raise 1000 of them that might be $5-10,000. You can market them just as I do on the internet.
Being small you can ship them via UPS practically anywhere. An example of a plant that is not suitable for small plot urban farming is an Oak tree. It is very fast in growing (good), but has a big tap root, and is best marketed when over 6-8′ tall.
You will use up your space with a hard to confine, large tree that is not suitable for close compact container production. Shipping will also be more costly as starter plants tend to be larger hence larger shipping fees per tree. Besides I have sold many people 50 -100 arbs at a time but no one, 100 oaks at a time.
Sell Multiples to Maximise Profit
My largest order for arbs to one homeowner was 265. Try to target plants that will sell multiples to a customer rather than just one at a time. If you target single plants to individual customers you need high value plants for your sales cost per unit will be higher.
You will hear the same story from your customers about 1 plant as you will about 10 plants. I can tell you without a doubt that each customer will tell you about his property and his neighbors dog. I would rather hear the story once for each 10 plants that I sell. That is why I like plants that sell in multiples to a single customer.
Small developers are a good potential market in the UK. If they’re putting up three or four houses they want them to stand out and hedging or trees a little past the sapling stage will help them.
You could even consider offering a landscaping service to them so being paid to plant your trees as well
Additionally an unusual or exotic plant is seldom purchased in quanity and the buyer has little knowledge of the plant. They will have many more questions about this plant. This translates to a higher amount of time spent on a smaller volume of product sold.
Arborvitae are commonly used evergreen shrubs or trees useful in urban areas where low maintenance and durability is needed. Many cultivars with forms such as being globed in shape, columnar, or narrow pyramidal, tend to be near buildings, doors, and walkways. Other forms which are larger are used for screens and buffers that are planted in rows. These plants will be easy to raise on your small urban lot.
Cultivation of Arborvitae
The form of arborvitae is small, medium, or large depending on the cultivar. Some reach 50′, others only 3′. Most prefer full sun to partial sun. Planting in dense shade conditions should be avoided.
A moist , well drained, loamy soil in full sunlight are ideal conditions for growing healthy arborvitae. These plants will tolerate rocky, clay, urban conditions of heat drought and pollution. The most important pest we have is bagworms which must be controlled to prevent complete defoliation. Some cultivars have multiple leaders which also prove to be a detraction for the plant.
Finding Land
Pruning out multiple leaders in some cultivars is a simple remedy. As you raise these plants if you find that you are selling more than you can raise on your property, an add in the newspaper such as, “Wanted: land to grow trees on” will help you find vacant parcels to use in growing more stock.
Another suggestion is that you work for another local urban grower. They may have facilities set up that they would allow you to use after hours. When they see that you are a willing go getter, they might even ask you to grow special plants that they don’t want to grow because the volumes are light or they are to intensive in labor.
At any rate it is the best way to learn the trade and its secrets. Most nurserymen will tell all their trade secrets because its the best way to help the industry and build a network of reliable and knowledgeable associates. See my web site below
About the author: Bill Hirst has been growing Arborvitae for over 25 years on his Doylestown Pa. farms. See his website for more articles. http://www.seedlingsrus.com
Growing Guides, Information & Articles
- 3 Creative Ways To Beautify Your Garden
- 6 Ways to Enjoy Your Garden More This Summer
- Cats Toileting: How to Stop Cats using Garden or Veg Plot as a Toilet
- Desert Botanical Garden – what makes it so special?
- Garden Hints & Tips
- How Fast Does Cherry Laurel Grow?
- How Inflatable Hot Tubs Improve Your Garden Ten Fold
- How to Get the Most Out of Your Garden
- How To Give Your Garden A Makeover During Lockdown
- How to Grow Gladiolus in Your Garden
- How To Make A Side Income From Your Garden
- How to Protect Your Vegetable Garden from the Wind
- How to take care of your pond
- Microgreens – How to Grow Micro-greens Winter & Summer
- Planning a garden or allotment clearance
- Redesigning flower beds – How to do it
- Repair Rather Than Replace Old Garden Machinery and Power Tools
- Starting Them Young: 6 Homesteading Skills to Teach Children
- Top tips for amateur gardeners: get started today
- Zen Garden for Meditative Space
- Best Temperatures for Seed Germination
- Raised Beds – Vegetable Growing in Raised Beds
- Seed Saving
- Lawn Care Guides and Advice
- 10 Ways to Increase the Aesthetic Appeal of Your Backyard
- Fluid Seed Sowing & Seed Pre-Germination
- Home Made Pesticides & Unlicensed Use of Pesticides
- Decorative Garden Arches – Roman, Gothic, Ogee Garden Arches
- 5 Popular Uses for Log Cabins
- Grow Your Own Vegetables, Fruit, Herbs & Nuts
- Weed Control
- Gardening And The Importance Of Water Quality
- How to Build a Concrete Garden Path
- Concrete Garden Path Construction – Step by Step Photo Guide
- How Can Gardeners Cope with Climate Change?
- Gardening & Growing Vegetables Under a Hosepipe Ban
- Water Conservation: Garden Techniques
- Flood! Safe Growing & Harvesting of Crops After a Flood
- Day Length and Growing Plants
- Gardener’s Back Pain – Look After Your Back in the Garden
- Become an Urban Farmer and Start Growing Potted Plants
- Allotment Vegetable Plot Planning Software
- Start Your Seeds Indoors For A Jump On Spring Planting
- An Eco-Friendly Garden Backyard – Green Gardening
- Lunar Gardening, planting and gardening according to the phase of the Moon
