People have Money to Spend!
Start Growing Small Plants Now So You Too will have Plants to Sell!
No matter what they tell you on the news, there are a lot of people who have plenty of money to spend and they are willing to spend it on small plants because plants bring them joy!
People say to me; “Mike, I’d really like to start Growing and Selling Small Plants from Home, but I’m concerned about this economy. As a matter of fact, one of my newer members who bought my system was concerned about the present economy and had concerns for the future economy and this is what I wrote for all of my Backyard Growers.
This is directed at all of us.
First thing we need to do is turn off the TV and go outside and spend that time making baby plants. It’s more productive, it’s less stressful and at the end of the day you know that you’ve done something positive for the world. Every plant that you make improves our planet.
When they say unemployment is at 8% do what I constantly remind my mother-in-law of, that’s means that 92% are still working. Yeah, I know, there’s an argument against that and I will not discuss politics so please don’t try and engage me in a political debate, I just won’t do it. By stating that 92% are still working is just my take on positive thinking. We can swim in a sea of negativity, or we can see the bright side, and yes there is one.
As Backyard Growers this is what we need to do.
If you constantly tell yourself that nobody is working and nobody has any money, then no money will come to you. It’s called money karma. (Not sure where I first heard that.) You yourself will repel money and customers if you buy into that sort of thinking.
Secondly, if the economy tanks again, those that have money will still have money. They’ll spend it a little differently, but since small plants bring them comfort and give them purpose, they won’t agonize over buying a few$4.97 plants. They’ll buy plants because plants makes them feel good.
I Ran into an old friend of mine two days ago, nurseryman of course, this has been his best year ever. Why? Because many nurseries scaled back production when the economy tanked in 2008 and now they are facing serious shortages and are buying up small plants like crazy in order to get back up to speed.
If you don’t grow em, you can’t sell em.
Had Joe scaled back his production like others he couldn’t have had a good year because he wouldn’t have had anything to sell. My neighbor, another nurseryman, told me I should be buying Rhododendron liners from this guy in our local area. So I went to see him. He had none to sell me, told me they cut way back because of the economy.
Really?
How can his business improve if he doesn’t have any plants to sell me?
I was looking for Rhododendron liners! Everybody wants Rhododendron liners! And he quit growing them because of the economy???? I promise you this, if I advertised Rhododendrons to my customer list right now they’d be knocking the doors down to get them!
As Backyard Growers we all have a major advantage. We don’t have any overhead! When we sell $500.00 worth of plants we get to keep most of the money because it costs us so little to grow plants.
But anyway, my point is, if you don’t start growing plants now, when will you? If you don’t grow them you can’t sell them which brings to me the case of Tammy H. from Ohio.
Hey Tammy! How’s business? Awe shucks, she won’t see my question. Why? Because she is so busy growing and selling plants she’s too busy to read much of anything. Her, let’s see now, is Rachel 21 now?, daughter is busy selling plants too. Those of us who have been around here for a long time have watched Rachel go from a young child to a homeowner and a successful nursery woman.
How did that happen? I taught Tammy this business, she taught it to Rachel.
Recently Tammy posted that she is having a stellar year, apparently she doesn’t watch TV because if she did she’d know she can’t have a stellar year because the economy is bad. But since she isn’t buying into that she is selling so many plants that she is sold out of many items and has been buying them from Rachel wholesale to fill her orders.
Now here’s the million dollar question.
How can Tammy buy plants from Rachel?
Why does Rachel have plants to sell?
Because she went out in the backyard of the home that she, as 21 year old woman owns, and made baby plants, not knowing for sure that they would sell or not. She just kept making baby plants. I tell my Backyard Growers that all the time. Just keep making baby plants!
If you grow beautiful small plants people will buy them.
Don’t focus on the guy that just lost his job. His world has been rocked.
But the lady across the street from him has some disposable income and if she wants, she can spend a few hundred on plants if she takes the notion.
Way back when Tammy was just starting out she had her kids helping her. At that time as a 15 year old teenager Rachel asked her mom as she was sticking cuttings; “Are you sure this is legal?” Look at Rachel now.
Read this post from Tammy.
https://mikesbackyardnursery.com/2011/02/a-successful-20-year-old/
Islay says
August 19, 2012 at 1:34 pmDear Mike :
What a quandary! I really want to get started selling plants, (I will buy your system soon) but, here’s the deal :1) I’m on SSI and SSDI, 2) I live in a mobile home park where the rules won’t allow me to sell anything out of my yard, 3) next year, come hell or high water, we are moving out of WA down to San Diego.
I don’t want to start a business here only to move 300+ miles next year. What I am hoping for is some insight as to what I can do to prepare for a smooth start once our move is complete?
Scott says
August 20, 2012 at 5:30 pmIslay,
I’m not Mike, but I have been growing plants for a couple years now myself, still fairly new to it. I can tell you from experience this stuff works and people will buy your plants.
The key for you is to remember this isn’t a get rich quick deal. It takes a little bit of time and patience to “grow” your nursery and business. My opinion on what you should do is this:
Start small. Buy a few stock plants from which you can take cuttings
Start taking cuttings and grow your plants in propagation trays. This way you will be able to easily transport them when you move.
Most of us don’t learn to propagate over night. By practicing now you will have a few plants and a lot of knowledge to take with you down to CA next year.
Keep your stock plants in pots and all your cuttings in trays and you can move the whole thing. You’ll be able to hit the ground running next year.
Mike says
August 20, 2012 at 6:25 pmIslay, you could get my Backyard Growing System and study it before you move. That way you’ll have a better idea of what you want in the way of a house and zoning of course. And you will be ready to go when you get to Calif.
Carol Sue Perkins says
August 14, 2012 at 12:22 pmMike, you are so right about always having money for plants. I’m an example. With a fixed income of less then $800 a month I still found money for flowering plants. My yard was lovely but when I was asked to have it on the KOI club pond tour I was so thrilled that emediately I went out and bought some color. You are so right. The first nursery I went to had few plants and those in poor condition. The second nursery had tables full of lovely plants and, you told it right customers everywhere. Keep up the good advice.
CS
Mike says
August 18, 2012 at 7:35 amCarol, thank you so much for sharing this, but you are living proof that even with a limited budget people still want and buy plants. That why I and all of our Backyard Growers, http://freeplants.com/wanted.htm, work really hard to bring beautiful, low priced plants to the market.
Ronel says
August 13, 2012 at 3:45 pmMike, people always have money for plants,
a change in the garden is as good as a holiday.Thank you that you always inspire
us with the interesting emails, we realy learn a lot from you.
Mike says
August 18, 2012 at 7:40 amRonel,
thank you so much for sharing how you can always find a few dollars to spend on a beautiful plant.
dave says
August 12, 2012 at 9:19 pmmike have you ever done any grafting like on apple trees etc
i am interested in this,& have tried but not much success??
Mike says
August 18, 2012 at 7:53 amDave, I’ve grafted Japanese maples with good success. I have a page about grafting on http://freeplants.com with photos etc.
Donna lee says
August 12, 2012 at 8:32 pmMike- I always enjoy all your sharing/no matter if it’s WORLD OR LIFE LESSONS!! I don’t fear the economy -God is my source. I’M RETIRED from 38 yrs career as a RN.As a OUTREACH MINISTER (12 years-Holistic Health Practitioner 25 years)I DON’T HAVE THE TIME TO BE GROWING SMALL PLANTS. at some point I maybe a affliate to help connect you& those who do have time to grow.I’m restructuring the ministry so I can recrute/train others who can relieve me from some of my duties.
Dwayne says
August 12, 2012 at 12:57 pmI Mike love here from you all the time’s you right or send out new up dates will i want in so much want to be in the group with you and making money will i am wanting on the gov to send me my disabilHity money but i have a lot to look for ward to win it dos come in i have a for room house the i need to fix up and make my garden i will have to pout up a video of want i have to do to show you and the group can give so help on want to do with it all
Dwayne says
August 12, 2012 at 12:55 pmHI Mike love here from you all the time’s you right or send out new up dates will i want in so much want to be in the group with you and making money will i am wanting on the gov to send me my disability money but i have a lot to look for ward to win it dos come in i have a for room house the i need to fix up and make my garden i will have to pout up a video of want i have to do to show you and the group can give so help on want to do with it all
hay we will be in here to see more of the videos you have good to here from you love it and take care Dwayne DO
Neil says
August 15, 2012 at 4:13 pmHI
Neil from New Zealand
I have discovered through Mike the joy and benifits of growning cuttings.
Absolutely love the mail doming thought and all the storyeys
I am going to do it I am going to do it. grown plants and sell them
I like Rhododendrons and wonder of wonder my cutting are growing
Cant grow mable from seed though. It seems to be all done from grafts here.
Neil
Neil
Mike says
August 18, 2012 at 7:31 amNeil,
Each year hundreds of thousands, millions really, of Japanese Red Maples are grown from seed and they sell like hot cakes. I am right now getting ready to order 500 Japanese Red Maples grown from seed for my nursery. Hot seller! Details on to do them from seed are here:
http://japanesemaplelovers.com/
Mike says
August 18, 2012 at 9:00 amDwayne,
You’ll love growing and selling small plants. As you can see from some of the comments here, even people with limited income still set aside money to buy plants.