Anybody gotta nursery?

[allinearth]

Just wondering if anyone on here has a nursery. Going into my third year.

 

[Kate Butler]

Yep, been a nursery for just over 20 seasons.

 

[northmichigan]

compared to hardscaping is a nursery a profitable activity in total hours worked?
mj

 

[The landscaper]

I have really been debating whether to start a nursery here.. I have basically an endless amount of acres to grow on. I would like to hear more about it from guys on here.
What are the pros and cons?
Is it pretty profitable?
Does it help your mowing business?
Anything else?

 

[allinearth]

For me, having a nursery has helped the landscape install side ofmy business. So far I would hate to rely on nursery business alone to make a living. Biggest con I can see is you can't just leave for even a weekend in the summer without planning for someone to wate plants etc. We do have auto irrigation on as much as possible but somone still has to touch up some areas. I don't know if a nursery would help mowing other than the fact that most people like to do business with a company that is established. This year I would like to start growing more of what we sell. I am considering pot in pot production for some larger trees etc. Does antone have any feedback on this system?

 

[Elmos]

Mine is more like a hobby run amuck...or so says my wife.

 

[n2h20]

thats funny you ask this.. i was going to ask myself. I just started working at a nursery run by a landscape company month.. They have 5 insall crews, the have a 3 acre grow nursery and a very small (10k sq') retail spot. they set it up to have a place for customers to stop by and look at plants pay bills and for advertisement. They get about 2 people a day that come in wanting then to do some sort of install.. I would say that the nursery is not very profitable sales wise but makes up for it in install sales... if the nursery gets the company 1 50k install job.. then it has paid for itself.

I think it would be a good idea to at least grow your own plants for installs.. that way you have what youl ike to use on hand, and can have potential customers stop at YOUR place rather than possible competitors, to see different plant material.

 

[dKoester]

We don't have a nursery, we just grow our own boxwoods.

 

[Kate Butler]

thats funny you ask this.. i was going to ask myself. I just started working at a nursery run by a landscape company month.. They have 5 insall crews, the have a 3 acre grow nursery and a very small (10k sq') retail spot. they set it up to have a place for customers to stop by and look at plants pay bills and for advertisement. They get about 2 people a day that come in wanting then to do some sort of install.. I would say that the nursery is not very profitable sales wise but makes up for it in install sales... if the nursery gets the company 1 50k install job.. then it has paid for itself.

I think it would be a good idea to at least grow your own plants for installs.. that way you have what youl ike to use on hand, and can have potential customers stop at YOUR place rather than possible competitors, to see different plant material.

A sizeable amount of my business comes from people who come to the nursery, explore, then ask "Can you come and do this at my place?" I grow 99% of the plants I use in my installations - putting a lot more money in my pocket at the end of the job. If you have the design flair, go for it.

 

[Cahsking]

Im with Kate...keeping a nursery is more profitable than mowing. I love mowing, but my biggest money maker is a little/big plant called HOSTA. With a nursery and softscapes you can tripple the cost of what you spent to grow the plant, just to transport it, and plant it in someones yard.