I also have two Ikea bookcases I was thinking of using but don't know how I would add grow lights.

You've made some good points that I will look into. Especially, the scheduling things out. I'm glad to hear that this could be rewarding. Thanks for your help

vurseana, I just tried something that might be more helpful to you about annuals. Scroll to the top and see where it says Houzz and then right beside it is a long rectangular area? Type in marketing annuals and then enter. It goes straight to all the conversations about annuals!

awww thank you so much. I try to search the threads before I post, but I couldn't find much. I appreciate your help.

random thought ...

the hardest part for a newb.. would be timing it out perfectly ... so that they actually look salable ....

start too early.. and they peak and get ugly ... too late.. and they are tiny ...

you might take a year.. just trying it .. before you start counting sales ...

starting the seed is actually the easy part .... you are thinking a winter hobby ... but you are talking about selling them the first of summer.. so you might not be starting seed until march or so ...

ken

and of course.. you will need to research what if any Ag certifications you might need ....

ken

thank you ken. Everything you mentioned is actually what I'm concerned about. Especially, giving it a year just to try it out. Timing is my biggest concern so I was thinking of winter sowing a few plants but annuals don't over winter well.

I came across a site that's very helpful for getting the setup together to produce that many plants but it seems like a huge start up cost for not knowing what I'm doing. I have nothing to start with so maybe I'll will start gathering the equipment and tools and give it a year. Thanks for your advice I know your very honest with your posts.. I feel like your a celebrity on the forum so your advice is really appreciated.

Vee

but annuals don't over winter well.

==>>>.. most annuals dont.. hence the term annual ... lol ...

why dont you hit the local farmers market .. thru fall ... and try to make some friends ... perhaps find a mentor ...

just suck it up.. and intro yourself and find someone willing to teach ...

i worked in a greenhouse for a season .. way back in the stone age ... i learned so much ... maybe you could find a place to spend a few hours a day ... to learn stuff .... you need some time away anyway .... my mom watched to two year old when i got to go play in the dirt.. media ....

carp.. you're in detroit.. i didnt notice that.. where ... burbs??? .. grew up in livonia ...

ken

Yup from Detroit...about 15 minutes from Livonia.

I just get so eager at times when I want to do something and dive right in. I realize I do need to take a step back and really think about this. I could use the time away. I am going to give it a try over the winter and take it slow and see where it takes me.

Thanks again

vee

i grew hosta indoors over winter ... in house humidity was a problem until i had enough plants ... that the system created its own micro climate.. in regard to the forced air furnace ...

below is a link from the hosta forum ... where the dude.. bob .. gives a pretty good overview of indoor gardening under lights ... its just a quick link that i am aware of ... when you read thru.. just look for the variables of mother nature.. and how they are addressed ... that would be temps.. water.. media .. humidity .. and light .... then read thru the other two options.. seeing how each of those variables may vary .. or be handled .... and then once you get a handle on all those;... you would have to figure out how the plants you want to grow .... would change the variables ... mostly the timing thing i spoke of ....

check other forums for a forum about such.. and use the internet.. and start small this winter.. and see where you get ...

ken

http://www.hostalibrary.org/growingseed.html

I see....Not sure if you teach but you should. If you were my professor in economics II I might of passed. As a newbie to all of this, I can't tell you how I understand what you're saying but I do. It's crystal clear to me. I will check out the website, do a little more research and plan out a schedule.

and see where you...

I have no choice at this point but to try.

expect failure... and be pleasantly surprised at how it works out ...

dont set the expectations bar to high .. .lol

thx for the kind words ...

ken

What is the most unusual thing you have grown so far? I would consider having at least one or two things that no one can get a flat of at Home Depot or Walmart for a few bucks. DIfferentiate yourself. I would also think that you could make more money by selling containers or hanging baskets. Your artistry will be added to your plant competence.

I am planning to sell Zinnia's, narcissus, and the a few of the box store favorites. I have noticed in my neighborhood everyone does more hanging baskets and containers than ground planting. I'm in the process now of figuring the cost for making hanging baskets and the what I would sell them for.

I'm here pondering on your comment: Your artistry will be added to your plant competence.

Are you saying the more I know the growth habit, light requirements, color combo's, bloom time... thrillers....fillers;....spillers...the more appealing the baskets will be to buyers?

vee

I meant that your competence at growing healthy, appealing plants is the first step in enabling you to compete with big box stores. But I don't think you will be able (or want) to do it at their price or on their terms. That's where your artistry comes in. Grow something they don't, or in ways that they don't. Unusual baskets could be the answer. I have to say I have shopped for baskets at big stores and nurseries and ended up buying nothing. I wanted bigger baskets than any of them had. Really big, to hang ferns and other shade plants from trees where I didn't feel like watering constantly. I wanted tiered baskets and found none. I guess I saw nothing that knocked my socks off -- so I would have been a perfect customer for someone like you offering something different. I would take photographs of your work so you can show people what the baskets will look like when they fill out so you can sell them newly planted -- or take orders for color combos to match their gardens or decor.

I think that would be a great marketing strategy. I will look into doing something like that. I do think hanging baskets are very appealing...it's a finished product and that's what people want. Thanks for taking the time to reply. I gotta admit, I don't know anything about this but sometimes you just gotta take a chance.

Vurseana, I know people who have built businesses around hanging baskets and artistic containers. Do you have any design skills/talent/experience? It can be learned!

That way you could buy the plants, a good fast draining potting mix, inexpensive plastic hanging baskets, and plant labels

One of the numerous jobs I had in college was working for a greenhouse grower in the winter/spring transplanting season. He mostly sold finished flats of bedding plant but also did beautiful hanging baskets timed for mother's day.

His best sellers were pretty white baskets filled with blooming and fruiting strawberries, but we also built gorgeous mixed baskets with a variety of annuals and perennials used like annuals.

I'd avoid Impatiens walleriana, if I were you. Downy Mildew is still a problem.

I believe I'm pretty creative. I'm always the person my friends come to on advice about color, design, and gardening. I plan to buy a few books on the subject and whatever I can find on the internet and youtube.

Mother's Day would be the perfect time for hanging baskets. but since this is my first time I am concerned about the timing. I was thinking of just growing a few cell packs just to get an idea of the timing.

Vee, have you ever looked at adeniums? It become very popular but not readily available in US. Gougeous plant, fairly easy to grow and you can sell them year around. I just got into them recently and first thing that come into my mind was "such a great business opportunity!" Like someone here suggested, "grow something they don't!"