A SPECIALIST ENTERPRISE

Seedling Production

Transplanting seedlings into punnets is labour intensive and requires a lot of concentration.

Expensive machinery is required in order to produce large quantities of seedlings at competitive prices. This machine will place seed into trays which are then sent to a germinating chamber.

Plants which are being grown in the nursery need to be clearly identified and labelled.

A healthy and even batch of colourful ornamentals are being grown in a clean protected environment.

These seedlings are being "hardened off" before being sent to the retail outlet. The plants are placed in more exposed conditions until they are ready to be planted in gardens.

Order An order is collected and is ready for delivery to the retail outlet.

Some hobby farmers may be interested in growing seedlings with the intention of selling these at markets and to retail nursery outlets. In order to be successful at such an enterprise, it is important to have an understanding of the level of competition present, as well, an appreciation of what the retail nursery operator requires.

Quality Business Image

Potential growers regularly appear at the retail nursery’s door with the intention of doing business, only to be told the quality of their stock is unsatisfactory. The price may be competitive, but the retail nursery operator needs to protect the image of their business.

Knowing one way to get a quick impression of the quality of a retail nursery is by looking at the seedlings on sale, the operator needs to be satisfied that their seedlings are healthy and will have a long shelf life if not sold immediately. Also, having a small volume of soil within the growing container, seedlings may quickly dry out or lose their colour if the potting mix used is not satisfactory. A wide range of healthy seedlings on display in the retail outlet is a sign that turnover is good and that the nursery is well patronized, giving confidence to new customers.

Competitive Price

The retail nursery operator aims to sell healthy, hardened and well-developed seedlings at a competitive price. The main aim being to satisfy the needs of customers, not deal with complaints.

Hence the retail nursery operator needs to have a reliable source of seedlings produced to a consistently high standard.

Meeting Demand

The seedling grower needs to have a good relationship with the retail outlet, especially during the busy spring and autumn planting seasons when sales peak. The seedling grower must also be able to supply seedlings that are mostly ready for immediate planting within exposed garden beds.

The Necessary Preparations

For the potential seedling grower, a visit to a wholesale nursery is well worth the effort. Here it is possible to get an impression of the levels of hygiene required and to see how well the seedlings are prepared for planting in their required exposed locations.

Observing the seedling production process also gives a good appreciation of how the growers deal with problems on a daily basis. Preparations for a crop of seedlings needs to occur well in advance, so the operator needs to estimate the quantity and range of flowers, herbs and vegetables to be grown. Weather conditions need to be anticipated in advance and unforeseen circumstances such as severe frosts need to be guarded against. As well, the grower needs to produce a range of seedlings such as advanced single pots, punnets or grafted plants.

The customer is quick to express concerns regarding the quality of seedlings on sale at the retail outlet, but rarely spares a thought regarding the amount of effort and dedication required to produce this product.

Seedling Production Success Factors

Many factors come into play when growing seedlings to a professional standard. These include; having a reliable workforce, machinery in good order, soils that have been blended consistently, clean and viable seed, a preventative pest and disease control program, and an efficient system for collating and dispatch of orders.

If you are contemplating an enterprise such as seedling growing on your hobby farm, be prepared to do much research and certainly hands on experience will be needed in order to gain an understanding of what is needed to satisfy the retail operator.