Seed Starting Albumn

This is our seedling room in our basement.

The new double decker under construction.

Geraniums growing & perennials germinating.

Closeup of geraniums.

Geraniums; won't be long they will need larger pots!

Perennial seedlings.

Nice photos. You'll definitely have sturdy seedlings with all those lights! What type of bulbs are you using?

Just the cheapies, soft white 40W.
They give the best light, so called grow lights, all you get is to give someone extra money!
Bernie

That's what I use too :)

Bernie,
Do you grow these to sell, or for your own property? Thats a really neat setup ya got there, how much space do you use for seed starting. The plywood doesn't rot???? Hmmm think thats all my questions! It looks awesome

Katrina

Which perennials do you have in there?
Very nice setup!

a

We have around 160 varieties. Sell at Farmers Market & our own garden center. Adding bareroots that we pot up in larger containers, about 1000 of them. Seed perennials go into a 3 1/2" pots. Sell them for $2 each. Sold about 5500 last spring & summer. All these things are for zone 4.
Bernie

I'm SO impressed with that set up! Great idea.

and is this just an extra income type project or your main business? Sorry just being nosey since I'm starting one myself :)

Katrina

Supposed to be our main income, I think we paid our employees to good, we are doing some building to make ends meet!
Bernie

I am hoping to eventually make it mine at it also. We are starting this year with 550 perennials and approx 3000 annuals. Going to do them in 4", 1 gal, 8" patio containers, and hanging baskets for the first season, and then hopefully go from there! Our 4" down here don't sell for nearly what they do up there though, our market is 50-75 cents per 4" and 2.00-3.50 on 1g and around 10.00-15.00 on hanging baskets....But I can dream right!

Katrina

That is so cool. I have a small area in my basement that I've been wanting to do that to for personal use, but I keep putting it off. You may have pushed me over the edge! Good luck to you in the upcoming season.

Hahha I will keep everyone updated!!! Hopefully we'll do good :) I'll be trying my best !!! If all else fails will put my cute little 3 yr old boy out at the road with a sale sign!

Katrina

Katrina, wish you the best in your venture. We started out very small. Just a few extra plants from what we needed for our own garden. Every year we do a little more. Needed 6 employees last year to get everything done. This year we are focusing on more sales per person hour & per acre in the garden produce. Have never sold wholesale much, but are planning on more of that also. Hopeing our 2nd year at the garden center will increase a bunch. We are going to add trees & shrubery. Sorry to hear you have all those permits & such. We have sales tax on flowers, but not on anything you can eat! We will need a permit to sell woody plants. Next year all plant selling will be licensed. Even the big boxes!! Will need to be inspected also, at least once a year. Should level out the playing field. Grower organizations are behind the new regulations. All has to do with bugs & disease things.
Good Luck!
Bernie

Its really wonderful you're doing so well Bernie it gives me hope :) Sounds like you guys have a great plan! I'm so glad you have shared with me it gives me inspiration :)


Katrina

This is the trailer we had built to haul perennials to Farmers Market. It holds 1584 - 3 1/2" pots. People love to shop out of it.
Bernie

So you pull it open like this? It doesn't damage the plants or anything??? Thats a really neat set-up. About how many 3" pots do you avg sell on a normal day at the farmers market?

Katrina

Oh and do you ever do any annuals?

Sorry the covers are up in the photo, they are down for transport. 1000's of annuals! You can see some of them here.
Bernie

You start all of these from seed? Thats amazing they are so wonderful! so the sides just pop back down?


Katrina

We don't have a trailer or anything, but we'll start deliver and selling out of back of truck haha something is better than nothing though right? How far are you from Minneapolis? I might be visiting a friend soon and would love to come by!

Katrina

I got your message on IM, but a bad accident happened in front of our nursery (where I work) and I had to call 911 and go check on everyone, they are now cleaning it up, but we are closing the nursery. Will email you when I get home sorry I missed you would have loved to chat!

Katrina

no problem; was in just a short while; wanted to ask how you were doing with the zone change.
TLC

Ahhh no news as of yet, will call to the courthouse monday and find out when the next zoning meeting is so that we can attend. The daycare where our son goes said that they just require us to go to 3 town meetings and no fee!


Katrina

Awesome, Bernie!
Wish I had that much space.
This is only the second year I've started from seed. I am trying to do better this year. Made lots of mistakes last year.

Have some tips? Since you're up north, how do you get them to bloom for spring sales?
I have petunias, lisianthus, impatiens, coleus, & lots of others started. Last year they didn't seem to want to bloom very early. I started everything at the maximum time from last frost. If it could be started 10-12 weeks early, I've started them 12 weeks early.

When do you start fertilizing them & what do you use? What size pots (cells?) do you start them in & do you pot them up to a bigger size as they grow? What do you use for a watering system?

Sorry for all the questions. It's nice to see someone successfully doing what I want to do.

Thank you so much for sharing your setup & your info!
Pam

Boy, I forgot about this thread.
To save a lot of typing, on my part, go to my member page & then to threads I have started. Somewhere in there you will find all the answers.
I think I am going to put all this in a book next winter.
Seems like people would rather get their information from an active grower than some book wrote many years ago.
E-mail me if you don't find the amswers in the threads.
Hacve a great day!
Bernie

Thank you so much!
Sorry about that. I got here from the link in the other post & didn't pay attention to the date.
I'll check out your threads.

A book sounds like a great idea!

Thanks again!
Pam

People keep asking the same questions about grow lights.
Review this thread, it gives lots of information.
Bernie

I mix cool white bulbs to provide the whites and blues and warm whites to provide the red shades. All cool whites are good for starting and the mix is good to help produce flowering.

This message was edited Apr 13, 2009 6:32 AM

I will answer any questions. I don't know what this person is talking about. I am willing to help anyone at any time!
Have a Great Day!
Bernie

CountryGardens...Wow love your set up in basement..My basement is very warm in one room might be better for starting plants..Just never thought of using it before. Old basement I have duck a little.LOL
Glad I seen this.

Tubby

Can you tell me about your lighting fixtures?
I have searched for reasonably priced hanging fluorescent fixtures that do not have to be wired into the wall. Everything that I've found is very expensive. I am setting up shelves for tender plants brought inside for winter.
Any suggestions???
Johanna

These are called shop lights. They sell at Lowes or Home Depot for around $10.00 each. Bulbs are cool white, 2 for maybe $2.50.

Bernie, I just came across this thread and really like it, I understand it's been a long time since you started it but I have a question, I understand you grow a little of everything flowers and veggies etc... what brings you the most income? Do people prefer flowers over veggies?
I am thinking of growing a few more veggies and maybe flower starts out of my house for a little income next year and also to help me with the expenses of expanding my growing space and also buying seeds etc... I thought it would be like a small job out of my house. Any good advice on how I can start this?

We only grow veggie transplants for our own use now.
Wal Mart & the other big box stores put us out of plant business. They give them away.
Also Minnesota now requires a license to sell perennials.
Good luck!

Bernie so the only thing you guys sell are annual flowers? I understand about Walmart, they put anybody out of bussiness, but I am sure they don't grow as good quality or as many varieties as you guys. I for once have never seen any OP tomato plants sold in any of my retail stores here or even nurseries.

No annuals either.