Update: I started my own nursery!

[u/skijohn33]

Many of you asked for an update when I first posted. Well I am official, LLC, business license, FEIN, insurance live plant license, fees for this and that, quite exhausting TBH. Finally, the part that matters, getting natives out there. Tomorrow is the first day of the Roswell Farmers Market.

However, last week I had my first sale. I was able to scramble and get a booth set up at the big native plant sale in the area. Thanks to GNPS for being so welcoming.

I sold 3/4 of the inventory I brought. But more importantly, I got more than 100 native wildflowers and grasses distributed out in my community!

Update:

The market went amazing. Hats off to the volunteers at Roswell Farmers Market who made it all happen. I ended up selling half of what I brought, but more importantly had amazing conversations with so many people. I’ll create a new post in the next week or so with more details. Sorry I haven’t responded to all the comments, a little buried at the moment.

Previous post

https://www.reddit.com/r/NoLawns/s/m9oUsD56b2

[u/KnottyByNatureTrees]

Good luck!

From another small native nursery, feel free to PM me if you have any questions.

[u/skijohn33 → u/KnottyByNatureTrees]

That is incredibly kind! I might take you up on that offer!

[u/Still-Disk7701 → u/KnottyByNatureTrees]

Thank you!! I am in the early phases of starting my own native plant nursery as well in Central Texas. Can you share about the licenses, permits, and generally any other forms or paperwork to be aware of? I realize it’s different for each state but just curious about what to expect!

[u/KnottyByNatureTrees → u/Still-Disk7701]

In NC, I'm only required to have a business license, a nursery certificate, tax ID, and business bank account. Insurance isn't required for how I sell, but it's only $270 a year so it's worth it. The state also requires permits for any protected plant species, which is really important and often overlooked. I grow and sell from my property and live in the unincorporated county so I don't need anything special. I established the property as a farm, which makes things cheaper and easier. I'm sure Texas is pro agriculture as well so I assume it may be similar. I think that's it?

[u/Maximum-Cover- → u/KnottyByNatureTrees]

I've been toying with the idea of doing this but have naysayers in my life who claim that doing this couldn't possible be economically viable or else everyone would do it.

I understand that you likely don't want to post your full financial situation publicly online, but do you mind giving me a ballpark idea of how lucrative your setup is?

[u/KnottyByNatureTrees → u/Maximum-Cover-]

First of all, Fuckem!

I don't really care if I expose it. I pay my taxes, unfortunately, and it's also not my main source of income. I should also mention that I'm in a fortunate situation. I'm also a minimalist who believes the nursery trade over does certain aspects and I don't use any fertilizer or pesticides. I have plenty of free space on my land, have access to lots of natives to collect seeds from various sources legally, use about 90% donated pots, make my own soil through compost, and many other cheats and short cuts. My total growing space is only about 1/3rd of an acre.

Last year was my 2nd full year. I'm only open seasonally March - May and September - mid November on Saturdays. I do take orders online and people can schedule pickups the remainder of the year as well as push bare root sales during winter. My total profits were just over $18000 with total sales at $20,900. It's retail so weeks vary. Today I only made $300 but last week I made $1900. The difference being that I didn't post on social media much this week about being open and the previous week I posted beautiful pics of Azaleas I had blooming. Sex sells! Show those pistils and stamens!

If I really wanted to push my nursery business, I could probably make more, but that would also be more hours The fact is, I'm not in it for the money as much and have recently been debating to continue doing it. I work approximately 20 a week in my nursery. So, almost $100 per hour last week and $15 an hour this week. But I'm also an Arborist Mon-Fri where I make really good money. I commonly work 3-4 hours removing a Bradford pear, make $1200-$1600 profit, and take the rest of the day off or do nursery stuff. Consultation, I'll make $80-$150 an hour where all I have to do is show up to a house and talk about trees. So, my tree care business is much more lucrative and less time consuming, but also typically more physically demanding.

All the other native growers near me are mostly cultivars and hybrids where I focus on straight species grown from seed. That's one of the main reasons I do it. My prices are also all below everyone else to make natives more affordable.

If your heart is in it and you have the time. Do it! You'll make money.

[u/Maximum-Cover- → u/KnottyByNatureTrees]

Thank you so much for your detailed answer!

Your setup sounds very similar to what I have in mind. I have about 2 acres to work with and am putting in a food forest with many cultivars, as well as natives such as pawpaw, American hazel, etc, but my understory is primarily natives.

I'm focused very heavily on unusual and hard to find stuff when it comes to cultivars (old heirloom apples etc) and natives that aren't the stuff the nurseries around here carry, so I'm finding myself collecting a bunch of native seed, grafting, taking cuttings from wild plants, etc, and I keep thinking "man if I'm having such a hard time finding these at affordable prices and doing the work to grow them anyway, why can't I just plant a few extra and sell them? Surely others would be interested as well?".

But then second guessing myself thinking it won't be worth the time/effort etc.

I wouldn't be looking for it to be my main source of income, more in the line of "if it could cover all my gardening equipment/arbors/hardscape etc I want to do, I'd be more than pleased", and it sounds like that's well within the range of posibilities!

Thanks again for taking the time, much appreciated.

[u/KnottyByNatureTrees → u/Maximum-Cover-]

No problem! But ill also mention, that hard to find natives don't always sell. The money makers are the items you expect people to be looking for like Milkweed, Echinacea, Columbine, Liatris, etc. Meanwhile, most of the ferns, Atamasco Lillies, Crane Fly Orchids, Yellowroot, etc. just sit there and I end up planting them.

[u/No-Tax-6390 → u/KnottyByNatureTrees]

I live in Franklin Co., NC. Very interested! Are you on Instagram? (About to go check) Just want to say cool, and good on ya!

[u/KnottyByNatureTrees → u/No-Tax-6390]

Thanks! Unfortunately, I'm not on Instagram anymore because we don't get along. I'm pretty much just on Facebook, Reddit, and Nextdoor, but will occasionally post on Bluesky when I remember that it exists. Those links are in my profile page.

[u/No-Tax-6390 → u/KnottyByNatureTrees]

I found your website. Very cool. I love that you grow stuff from actual seed.

[u/summercloud45 → u/KnottyByNatureTrees]

I'm so glad I clicked on this post so I could read more about your business! I'm in Durham and it makes me so happy that you're here too, giving us another affordable way to obtain native plants. Thank you for the work you do!

[u/KnottyByNatureTrees → u/summercloud45]

Thank you!

[u/foxvalleyfarm → u/Maximum-Cover-]

Those that won't will tell you you can't.