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Home » Miscellaneous » $180.00 per Square Foot? Is it really possible?

$180.00 per Square Foot? Is it really possible?

Updated : April 27, 2023

5 Comments

Several beds full of rooted cuttings.

In beds like the one you see above I stick my cuttings about one cutting per square inch. I really put them as close together as 3/4″ of an inch, but the rows are about 1-1/2″ apart. That’s about one cutting per square inch. That’s 144 cuttings in a square foot. If you sell those cuttings for $1.25 each which is kinda on the low end these days, that’s $180. So there you have it in a nut shell.

The system that we use for getting these softwood cuttings to root in six to eight weeks is A Simple, Yet Very Effective Set Up. Details here.

Danger, danger, stranger danger.

The big thing that you have to be aware of these days when rooting cuttings is to be careful that you do not root anything that is patented. Many, many plants that are sold in garden center today are patented. If it’s in a colored, branded pot, then there is a good chance that it is patented. But the only true way to know is to check the plant tag. The tag will show whether or not the name of the plant is a registered trademark and whether or not the plant has been issued a plant patent number.

Notice! I am Not a Lawyer, this is Not Legal Advice. I’m a ‘Dumb Ole Dirt Farmer’. Do not take legal advice from a dirt farmer.

This is the back of a plant tag for ‘Lilac Lipstick’ Salvia. At the very top of the tag it says, “Unauthorized Propagation Prohibited”. There you have it. Do not propagate this plant.

Is it patented? Not yet. At least not at the time of the printing of this tag, but right under the name of the plant you’ll see PPAF. That means, “Plant Patent Applied For”. More than likely the patent will be issued. If it were patented there would be Plant Patent number like PP552149, or something like that.

Just walk away. There are way too many plants that you and I are free to propagate.

Interestingly enough the name of this plant is not a registered trademark. There is no “R” with a circle around it symbol after the name of the plant like this; Endless Summer® Hydrangea.

Not only is Endless Summer Hydrangea a patented plant, but the name is also a registered trademark. So even after the patent expires, 20 years from the date of application, the name is still protected.

However and this is a huge however!

All Summer Beauty, Forever Pink, and David Ramsey hydrangeas are not patented and they are really, really nice and two of those are re-bloomers.

Where can you buy them? Probably not in a garden center, but in Our Members Area they are often sold for less than $3.00 each.

Listen, there are tons and tons of plants that are in the public domain that you and are free to grow and propagate. They are a bit tricky to track down, but they are out there and there is no better way to find them than in our members area. Not to mention a million other things you can learn along the way.

Hardwood cuttings are really easy to do.

Dappled Willow Hard Wood Cuttings.

Hardwood cuttings are so doggone easy it’s crazy. Lately I’ve done hundreds and hundreds of them.

I buy these mortar tubs at Home Depot for about $9.00 each, drill a few one inch holes in each corner so water can drain.
I fit about 200 cuttings in each one.
I too this photo at the end of April 2023. The cuttings are leafing out and making roots at the same time.
For the first time I am sticking some hardwood cuttings one per 4″ pot. That way once they root I can trim them and actually
sell them later this summer or fall for $7.97 each right in these pots. Ask me in the fall how well this worked.
I did 50 or 70 of each variety straight into 4″ pots.

What am I rooting as hardwood cuttings right now? Silver Dollar Hydrangea, Ruby Slippers Hydrangea, Pink Diamond Hydrangea, Phantom Hydrangea, Tardiva Hydrangea, Dappled Willow and Red Prince Weigela.

There are a ton of other plants that you can do from hardwood cuttings, but those are the ones that I am doing now.

Questions, comments, mean things to say? Post them below and I will respond. Until then, by any and all means stay inspired!

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Comments

  1. Erika says

    September 20, 2023 at 9:18 am

    I have a VERY shaded yard, any cuttings or plants that I can propagate and grow in the shade?

    Reply
    • Mike says

      September 21, 2023 at 8:21 am

      Erika,

      Not only are there a lot of things that do well in the shade, the demand for shade plants is huge. Lots and lots of people have shade and are looking for shade plants. The list is exhaustive. We sell all kinds or Coral Bells, Brunnera and lots of other shade loving perennials including all kinds of hostas, mini and giant.

      Reply
  2. Jason Dancy says

    April 21, 2023 at 9:56 pm

    Hello!

    I would love to know when membership will open again. Is there a list I can get on?

    Reply
    • Mike says

      April 22, 2023 at 8:11 am

      Jason,

      email Duston and he’ll help you out. [email protected] or [email protected]

      Reply
  3. Ed Casey says

    April 21, 2023 at 9:27 am

    Blueberry bush info

    Have any old arrivals?

    Reply

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