This article is about growing shrubs and trees in a small space to create your own income, and make a good living right from your backyard. Even if you have a larger place it is still wise to start small and grow as you go.
There could be many reasons to make you consider this easy to start plant business. Is it because of passion, hobby, love of nature, love of the outdoors, or of necessity, it does not matter. If you have fallen on some hard times, like we all do once in a while, loosing your job, trying hard to make ends meet and pay your bills that never seem to go away, then this could be your way out! You never know.
In other words you feel like you are in a crises, and you have exhausted all attempts to find a job to get on your feet, but no success!
That is if you look at the situation and conclude that it is basically hopeless.
But remember, there is always hope and opportunity even in times of crises and hardships. Sometimes we have no idea what resources we have inside of us, if we would just stop for a moment and look around in search for some way of getting ahead, we'll be surprised of what we could be capable of achieving, just by trying and not seating idle. We should never give up.
Getting back to our article subject about how to grow plants for a profit in a small space, it could be easier than you've ever thought. With a strong will and determination you can do it! There is no doubt in my mind.
And believe me, I'm talking about my own experience, it is not something I've just read about. I have done it myself. So I know pretty much what it takes and I also know for a fact that it can be done!
It is almost impossible to write everything about this vast subject in a single article, but if you stick with me for a while, I will explain the best I can in a series of articles that will follow, related to this very subject.
Please notice that I'm not trying to sell you anything! This article is simply to help you get some ideas of how to start this plants growing business, and where to begin. Growing and selling garden and landscaping plants for a profit, even from your own backyard, is easy.
And let me tell you a little secret of mine. I've been involved in the sales business most of my life. And at times when nothing else seemed to sell, plant material always were selling! People love to garden and landscape and the gardening industry is so vast. So the opportunity is right there for everyone who wants to learn and apply it.
And yes, there is something about gardening, that many people find pleasurable and enjoyable just to get away in the tranquility of their little paradise!
Another thing about growing plants is that they never talk back! They just grow while you sleep. Isn't that nice!
But let's get to it orderly and in a step by step fashion to achieve this simple startup business of growing plants to create an income, as much as the size of this article will permit.
First you need some space, be it a small space or a larger one if you have available. If you have a back yard and a front yard, you'll need to start your growing operation in the back, and a small sales space in the front if you can.
Or you can sell the shrubs and seedlings from the back yard as long as you let your friends and neighbors know that you have plants for sale. There are many other ways to sell plant material, that I'm going to explain in another article.
Now let's get started by choosing a nice sunny spot in the back yard, where you want to place a small greenhouse. This is going to be necessary for your propagation of rooted cuttings, or the planting of your seeds to grow seedlings.
When you choose the spot, there are a few considerations to keep account of:
1) A close source of water. That's a must. You can not grow anything without water.
2) A plot that is level and not too sloppy.
3) The plot should be clear of rocks, tree roots protruding from the ground, and free of grass and weeds.
If you can get some gravel for the ground base that would be perfect. If not, a roll of ground cover from your hardware store would be great, to keep the weeds from growing in your greenhouse.
4) Build a small greenhouse. This is not as hard as you might think. You can build it on the cheap, with very little investment.
A) Mark the spot that you prepared for the greenhouse in the 4 corners with stakes. Let's say you have a small space of about 40 x 20, or 50 x 20, or 30 x 10. It doesn't matter what size you have.
B) Measure from the extreme stakes in diagonal from one corner to the other: adjust the stake in the ground accordingly, to make sure the whole layout is a perfect rectangular shape. This will make it easier for you when you'll cover your greenhouse.
C) Drive in the ground some treated 2 x 4's pieces of about 3' long, on the sides, front, and back of the greenhouse in a straight line, leaving 1 foot above the ground. The distance between the 2 x 4's depends on the size of your greenhouse. I would drive them in the ground at about 4 feet apart.
D) Get some 1 x 4 x 10 boards and nail them against the 2 x 4 driven in the ground at the base level, all around the frame of the greenhouse, to have something to staple the plastic film cover. After you covered the greenhouse, nail a strip of 1 x 2 alongside and on top of the plastic film and on the 1 x 4, to keep the plastic cover from being snapped up by the wind.
E) Get some 20' long PVC water pipes 1.5" or 2" diameter, with a schedule 20 or 30. They are more flexible and easier to work with to create several bows. Doesn't have to be schedule 40.
F) Fasten the ends of the pipes to the 2 x 4 that you've driven in the ground, using nails or brackets from the hardware store. Make sure the end of the pipe bows are well fastened to the 2 x 4 that is driven in the ground.
G) Get some scrap wood of 2 x 4 and 1 x 4 to build some kind of frame in the front and back of your greenhouse to enable you to fasten the plastic cover. Make sure you have doors in the back and front for access and air circulation.
The doors can be made of light frames with 1 x 2's or 2 x 4's and covered with plastic film. And have a pair of hinges on each door.
Once you've fastened the end of the pipes across on each pair of 2 x 4's making a bow, you are ready to cover your greenhouse.
H) Buy a roll of clear plastic film, 3 or 4 mill is preferable, about the size of your greenhouse. Now you are ready to cover your new project to house your rooted cuttings and seedlings.
Before you start rooting your own starter plants, it would be a good idea to just buy a few from an online or local Nursery source, just to get you started.
You are going to need this Greenhouse to grow and protect your rooted cuttings and/or seedlings during the winter time. You want to buy and grow the kind of woody shrubs and tree plants that do not require heating in the winter, only some protection from the elements while they are still young.
We'll talk about the rooted cuttings and the seedlings a little later. For now we are working on a little greenhouse made of cheap materials, many times available around the yard. The PVC water pipe system is inexpensive, is pretty flexible and it will withstand the wind.
You need to put them to good use. It's so easy, and very achievable and profitable, too.
If you really need to get to some money faster, you can locate some reasonable wholesalers of plant materials in your area, and start buying and selling for a profit, until you can have your own plants for sale.
In the autumn and winter people buy shrubs and dormant trees to give the plants time to get established in the ground for the next growing season. So plants are selling anytime.
Another thing you want to look for, is to find some source of used plastic pots and trays from some Nurseries around your area, or from some large department stores that have a Garden Center section. Many times they give them for free or very cheap. Just ask around.
Get a feel of it, and in the meantime you can start to search online all you can, to learn about plants and the Nursery business, as much as possible.
In the following articles we'll be talking about how to collect and root your own starter plants, how to water and fertilize, and a lot more related to this growing plants business in a small space to create a steady income.
Until next time, keep your hands dirty. It is good for you.
Mike Borlovan
