How much to charge? What would you pay?

19 years ago

I enjoy growing different varieties of tomatoes and peppers from seeds. I hate to kill any of my babies and as a result I usually have way too many plants than I will ever use. This year I hope to sell the surplus in a garage sale this Friday and Saturday. I'd like to charge a price that will be sure to sell, but also would like to recoup my potting soil and seed costs. My time is a labor of love. I have 9 varieties of heirloom tomatoes, most of them early varieties from Russia. 3 types of hybrid tomatoes that perform really well for me. Most of the peppers are hybrid, 4 varieties sweet and 4 varieties hot. Herbs are basil, parsley and tarragon. The tomatoes and peppers are in 3.5" to 5" pots. Tomatoes are about 8" tall and peppers are about 6" tall. Herbs are in 2" dixie cups. My question is; what should I charge and if you saw seedlings at a rummage sale, what would you pay? I've seen the standard early girl and better boy for $2.50 for a 4" pot in the grocery and big-box stores. The local nursery that is 10 miles out of town has heirlooms for $1.00 each, but I don't know what size they are. I listed heirloom tomato plants, pepper plants and herbs as the first items in my ad. I'd sell the herbs for a quarter. Do you think the other plants would go for a dollar? more?

Thanks,

Chris

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Comments (7)

tedb_threecedarfarm
19 years ago
I would certainly pay a dollar or more for a home grown tomato, especially interesting varieties. But I'm plant crazy and never add up what I spend on plants.

I'd start at 1.50 or 2.00 for the tomatoes and peppers.

Ted
flwrlvrmnzone4
19 years ago
Do you have any pics?
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crrand
Original Author
19 years ago
Sorry, no pictures. I just saw a sales flier for the biggest in-town nursery and they are having a sale on 5" tomatoes, mostly hybrid, for 3.50. Maybe I should do $1.50 to $2.00.

Chris
doucanoe
19 years ago
Yes, I would pay $1.50-2.00 for the veggies. And I would think you could get more than a quarter for the herbs, too!

Where is this sale, I could use some tomato plants!

Linda
gamebird
19 years ago
Without the reputation or establishment of a nursery behind you, I'd only pay a dollar for the veggies and maybe 50 cents for the herbs, plus I'd be easily put off if the plants looked like they had any sort of problem.

I'm not saying anything bad about you, your methods or your plants. It's just that I'd be willing to pay double for the guarentee that the plant is as advertised and that I can bring it back and complain if something goes wrong. (Not that I ever have had cause to complain about plants bought from nurseries or garage sales.)

If your sale is near St. Paul, I'd like to come by and browse. I'll be buying my tomato and pepper plants this weekend anyway. I think there might be a forum rule against advertising products for sale, but maybe you could skirt the issue by directing those of us who are interested to where we could look up the sale in a newspaper listing ourselves? Or the neighborhood or something?
crrand
Original Author
19 years ago
Thanks for the input. I don't want to give the impression I am advertising so I won't give my location. I am not in the metro area, anyway. I've always gotten good reviews on my seedlings, but there is always a chance I made a mistake and mislabeled a plant or two. I think I'll try $1.50 for the large vegies and .75-1.00 for the smaller ones. $0.25 for the herbs will be OK, since they are smaller than what you see in the nursery. Wish me luck.

Chris
deweymn
19 years ago
I just received a phone call yesterday. Didn't recognize the name or number but it was about a plant sale this saturday in Roseville. Near hwy 36 and lexington?

My son said I was there last year and filled out my name and phone # then. Ah, now I remember. That was nice of him to put out a sheet for people to sign up and be reminded about his next sale. As I recall he had a lot of nice perrenials and quite a spread in his large backyard.
It will probably be listed in the paper. Worth checking out.