Purple Flowering Sandcherry is an easy plant to grow, always a great seller because of its purple leaves and delicate pink flowers.
Always in demand.
How is this plant sold? Let me count the ways.
Unrooted hardwood cuttings.
An unrooted cutting is pretty much nothing but a stick. But because of the popularity of Purple Flowering Sandcherry you can actually cut the branches into 5” pieces and sell those pieces as unrooted cuttings and guess what? They sell like crazy to other growers and even homeowners if you explain to them how to root them.
When you sell them as unrooted hardwood cuttings people usually buy them by the hundreds. Prices usually start around 35 cents on up to a dollar or more.
Rooted cuttings.
Purple sandcherry rooted cuttings are usually hot sellers because people can get a live, viable plant for around one dollar or two and because Purple Sandcherry is a fast growing plant they fill out a one gallon container quickly and can be sold for a lot more money just a few months after being potted up.
Liners.
A liner is rooted cutting that has been grown for one season. A liner has a heavier root system than a rooted cutting and it is starting to branch out. Liners usually sell for $1.50 to $2.00 each. Growers love buying liners because they can pot them up and sell them almost immediately.
Small Pots.
I sell most of my plants in these pots. https://mikesbackyardnursery.com/plastic-nursery-pots/. Right now my price is $5.97 per plant. So just about everything that I grow goes into one of these pots and I sell them for $5.97 each. That’s my Unique Selling Proposition, thousands and thousands of plants at only $5.97 each.
Now, before you get all rattled when I say thousands and thousands of plants, don’t think along those lines. Think “Small area, maybe the size of a card table”.
There are three types of growers in this business. There are people like me who grow and sell retail, there are wholesale growers who farm up to 1,000 acres and do millions of dollars per year and there are “Folks just like you” that sell to people like me.
I’m all the time buying small plants. Things that I don’t have or things that I’ve run out of. My favorite thing in the world to buy is a plant in small pot that I can buy for a few bucks and turn right around and resell immediately. Especially things that I don’t currently have in my nursery.
So no matter how small of a grower you are, it just doesn’t matter, there are people that will buy your plants if you grow quality, nicely grown, properly trimmed plants.
Back to Purple Sandcherry.
How about selling them in a 3 gallon container for $12.00 each or more.
Landscapers and homeowners love buying plants in 3 gallon containers. Just go to any garden center or big box store on a weekend in the spring and watch the craziness take place. People spend millions of dollars on plants each weekend across the country.
“Here’s something you need to know.”
People, including landscapers, would much rather do business with you than they would a big nursery or a big box store. Even if you don’t want to sell to people face to face or selling to landscapers, even mail order buyers, other small growers, would much rather buy from another small grower than they would a big wholesale nursery. I see it every day. It’s just easier. I do it all the time.
How do you find the buyers? I cover that in detail in the “Small Plants, Big Profits” book and the videos in our members area.
I’ve gotta run for now. Be sure to check out the movies and other products in our members area. More about that here.
-Mike McGroarty
P.S. Until next time, by all means stay inspired!
P.P.S. Growing small plants at home is a life changing experience for so many. You can be as small as you want, but still, you what you do will make a difference to somebody.
I separated a sand cherry and planted a piece of it with roots, intending to grow it as a tree. It has survived the first year, but has not done any growing. Bottom of the tree is wood with some thin branches coming off the top. Should I prune, the growth at the top to encourage more growth? Is it possible to start a tree this way? Any suggestions would be appreciate it!
Katherine,
It is not the normal way to propagate sandcherry but if it’s still alive it worked. You might be better off just sticking some hardwood cuttings and working with those. https://mikesbackyardnursery.com/2015/01/easy-winter-time-plant-propagation-can-home/
and this; https://mikesbackyardnursery.com/2016/09/hardwood-cuttings-winter-of-20152016/
I have a purple leaf sand cherry, that is growing starts from the root system, and I would like to cut them for transplanting. I’ve tried it before, and it didn’t work too well. How can I cut these starts, and plant them elsewhere on my property, without killing them?
Scott,
You can try doing it when the plant is completely dormant. If you get a piece with roots that’s fine. If not, just do some hardwood cuttings at the end of winter. Here in Ohio I do mine around 3/31. https://mikesbackyardnursery.com/2015/01/easy-winter-time-plant-propagation-can-home/
and this; https://mikesbackyardnursery.com/2016/09/hardwood-cuttings-winter-of-20152016/
would love to try this but I live in a trailer park the gound is to rockey and hard to dig can I put the smaller bucket inside a bigger bucket filled with dirt.
Mike,
Informative videos, thanks…
Would it be an issue to mix bundles of different plants in the bucket for the winter? i.e. I have forsythia, rose of sharon and grapes here I would like to try this with. Would it be a problem to throw a bundle of each into the same bucket? Or should I use seperate buckets for seperate species?
Thanks!
Fascinating, Mike! And very helpful and informative. Thanks.
thanks video great just tried it with rose of sharon would this work with carmine cherries
Mike, the rose of sharon should be fine, but I’m not sure about the cherries. Works great for sandcherries and Pink Flowering Almond which is in the prunus family.
Mike, will this method still work if I don’t take cuttings until early to mid January?
Rex,
Yes, it should work all through January. Don’t dig them up in the spring until all danger of frost has past.
Mike, I keep getting dropped from your mailing list. My nursery name is Timberline Nursery. I bought your growing information some time back, but this is the second time I have been dropped. Would you please add me back to your list. I will start selling my plants this spring and need your information. Thanks in advance, Dennis
Dennis, if you have my Backyard Growing System you need to be on the Backyard Growers list. Contact Kathy in the office and she can help you. Write to her at [email protected] Make sure you give her your name and address so she can locate you in the database.
will this work with lilac bushes?
Jan, probably not. Lilacs work a lot better as softwood cuttings in June. We’ll discuss those methods in the spring.
Nice going, Mike. Will this method work with various hollies and burning bush?
Hi Chris, I’m just getting to some of these comments. You can do hollies and burning bush as hardwood cuttings, but don’t bury them. Just stick out in a bed. But I’d wait til spring because they are much easier to do as softwood cuttings.
I am buying a large bucket with lid to get started rooting hard wood cuttings as you demonstrate. Can I use your method for BeautyBerry Bushes and Blue Chaste trees?
I don’t honestly know. The cut and bury method is limited to certain woody plants. But just about anything can be one like this:
http://www.freeplants.com/homemade-plant-propagation.htm
Hi Mike: Always great info and videos have learned a lot, thank you. P.S. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Donald
Hi Mike,
I love your emails and videos. You are so gracious with your free advice!! thank you.
My sister bought your whole system last year. We have learned so much from you.
Cathy
Thank you Cathy! I’m glad your sister is enjoying the Backyard Growing System. Join the Backyard Growers Group, you will be amazed.
Hi Mike
Great video. Thanks so much!! Quick question…do you check to be sure that the soil stays moist? I’m in zone 5b so it gets pretty chilly here and I’m afraid that bucket might just freeze shut.
thanks!
It wouldn’t hurt to wet the soil again over the winter, but if the bucket freezes just roll with it until spring.
Hi Mike:
Great video on plant propagation. It had some very good, useful, “I want to try this !” ideas.
You mentioned a few hardwood/deciduous shrubs by name. Would this video presentation be the same procedure for Rhododendron, Azalea, Hydrangea, and Hibiscus ? Also, with Vermont’s frost line being deeper that Ohio’s, I would have to use something (bucket) deeper than the one shown on your video, wouldn,t you say ?
Am enjoying the emails and presentations immensely. Keep them coming !!!
Hugfh Pierce
Hugh, Even though this method can be succesful, the number of plants you can do this way is limted. However, you can do almost anything thing this way and you do it when the weather is warmer. http://www.freeplants.com/homemade-plant-propagation.htm
Hi Mike,
Really interesting and well done. I haven’t seen this method before. I thought plants were best pruned in early spring … ‘course these are trees or shrubs, but still … quite a different way.
Even so, I believe you know you’re stuff, so I’ll have to try it.
Thanks for this video.
Patricia
PS You’re website is looking more terrific every time I visit. Congratulations!
PPS A wonderful holiday to you and your family.
Patricia, I’ve turned over my website to my son Duston. He now does all of the editing, images etc. He created this blog, edits the videos and does all kinds of other things. Expect a lot out of us in 2011.
I bet I can grow those Japanese maples after all
OMG! I am so amazed at this method. I’ve never heard of it before or seen it. I am going to have to try this with my Potentia (not sure of the spelling there). I never would have thought to turn the cuttings upside down. Way to go Mike!
I lost one of my yellow flowering bushes to drought in the winter…from then on I try to water in the winter once a month. I’m going to do it! Thank you for the tip! It makes perfect since to bury it so it doesn’t freeze and the warmth is almost like composting it. Wow! I’ve got to do this.
You go Colorado, but don’t overlook this method: http://www.freeplants.com/homemade-plant-propagation.htm it’s even easier.
Don’t bury the Japanese Maple cuttings, I’m sure they won’t root. But you might get them to root in the Homemade Plant Propagation System.
Is there a way to do pine trees other than seed??
William, you might have some success this way, http://www.freeplants.com/homemade-plant-propagation.htm, but most are grown from seed or grafted onto seedlings.
Mike: your tips regarding gardening are extremely useful….would like to go outside and begin a project but our snow climate does not permit this, as yet………..I am a spring/summer person and do not like fall/winter as it inhibits the growing season………….enjoy all your information as it is short and to the point – easy to ujnderstand and remember……thanks, Gloria
How long until these would be ready to put out for sale?
Hi Mike,
Thanks for your wonderful ideas and videos. A question, will the mother plant withstand so heavy pruning this time of the year?
I’m planning to do the same with my grapevine but I’d like to know I won’t kill the mother vine.
Thanks, Harry
Harry, no you won’t harm the parent plant. Woody plants like to be aggressively pruned.
linda you keep them buried until the next spring around may 15, once the danger of frost is gone.
Andrew, I think she was asking about when she took them out of the pail and planted them…
Can you do rosebushes like that.
Can this be done with fruit trees like plums or peaches?
Hi Mike, Again, very good. Will this method work where I live ? (border line of zones 3-4)
I too would really like to see something with evergreen cuttings, I haven’t had any success with them yet. Thank You for all of the great advice throughout the years, you’re definitely a garden guru, please keep up the good work.
Good video! Thanks! I did have a little trouble seeing what you were doing as the dark branches blended in with the dark clothes. When you plant these out, do you keep them covered for a few weeks?
Very good info…thanks!
Very Interesting. Could you post a video on how to do evergreen shrub cuttings?
This was a great video, Mike! I’ve never seen this method before. One question, do you have to put the bucket in a sunny spot or can it be in the shade? I live with woods surrounding my yard so that is a big concern for me.
Hi Mike,
This video was very educational.
I learned a lot from it.
Well done.
Marie