Member discussion regarding the methods, varieties and merits of growing tomatoes.
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February 22, 2006 | #1 |
CHOPTAG™
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Dayton, Oh
Posts: 46
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Tomato Seedling Prices
All who sell their seedlings,
I sold my seedlings for $1.50 per plant last year and I'm thinking about selling them for $2.00 per plant this year (limited quantity free for those who come to the plant swap ). For the quality of the product I sold and the time I invested, I felt like I could charge a little more. Just curious what others sell theirs for. Mine are all heirloom (around 15 varieties) with the exception of SunGold. Best Regards, Brian |
February 22, 2006 | #2 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: NY z5
Posts: 1,205
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A greenhouse here sells excellent quality tomato seedlings, including 11 different heirloom varieties, in 4" pots for $1.50.
With the dramatic rise in energy costs, I expect to see higher prices this year though. |
February 22, 2006 | #3 |
Tomatoville® Moderator
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Hendersonville, NC zone 7
Posts: 10,385
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I've held at 2.00 per plant, 4 inch pot, for 9 years now, with no plans to increase.
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Craig |
February 22, 2006 | #4 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Central Georgia
Posts: 366
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Brian,
I'm glad you asked the question. It's one I was wondering about also. I think $1.50 is fine, but there is such a limited supply for heirlooms (with the exception of just a few) that $2 seems very reasonable. I think that is what I've decided on. Lisa
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February 22, 2006 | #5 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Chattanooga, TN
Posts: 63
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I'm sure that I have paid $2 at the local farmers' market ir greenhouse. $1.50 is not enough. Go for the gold.
-Pete
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February 22, 2006 | #6 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Kentucky
Posts: 162
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I've sold for 1.50 several years...due to health problems, I haven't sold seedlings in the past couple of years...I think 2.00 isn't unreasonable at all. Especially for what you are getting.
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February 22, 2006 | #7 |
Tomatoville® Moderator
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Hendersonville, NC zone 7
Posts: 10,385
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Good feedback - when I add up cost for the 4 inch pots, plastic stickers, sharpies - and especially, bags of MetroMix - travel to and from the market, seeds (for those I purchase), cost to sell at the market - oh yeah, forgot something.......hours, and hours, and hours, of labor!!!! - it is, I think reasonable. At least we've really had no push back at all over our 9 years!
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Craig |
February 22, 2006 | #8 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Idaho
Posts: 35
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Quote:
He is the exception however, with others selling higher. I have seen tomatoes in 1/2 gallon pots going for $2.98. Not sure if I could compete with that.
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zone 5/6 north Idaho |
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February 22, 2006 | #9 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: NJ Bayshore
Posts: 3,848
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I guess my question about the price would be:
What am I getting ? $1.50 for 2 early-girls is ok - $2.75 for 2 Cherokee Purples would be reasonable ... Am I quoting New Jersey prices ???!!! lol ~ Tom
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My green thumb came only as a result of the mistakes I made while learning to see things from the plant's point of view. ~ H. Fred Ale |
February 22, 2006 | #10 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Plantersville, Texas Zone 8
Posts: 138
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Boy, the Houston area is bad for buying heirlooms. Plenty of places to buy hybrids like Lowe's and Home Depot and small garden centers. Even the hybrids here are selling for $2.00 each and some I have seen at Lowe's are selling for $9.95 each. For a heirloom, $2.00 is certainly not unreasonable especially if its for harder to find seeds and plants. When I first started giving tomatos away at church, there was no one that even knew what a Paul Robeson, Aunt Ruby's German Green or Aunt Gerdie's Gold was. Now they know and are asking what I'm planting new this year. I just say "its a surprise"
Anyone in the Houston area know of such places to buy Heirlooms? I drive all over town working and often stop at some of the smaller garden centers and have found nothing. Chuck B |
February 22, 2006 | #11 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Kentucky
Posts: 162
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I ignored the big box stores and the grocery kiosks that had generic seedlings for 1.29 for a 6 pack. I figure that I was giving something that couldn't be bought in places like those. I also only sold from my little greenhouse....not incurring the expense of travel and market spot fees.
Word of mouth, and a couple of articles in the Paducah Sun by the 'Community' editor gave me all of the customers that I needed. If I were to haul seedlings to a Farmer's Market or similar location, I would charge..2.00/3.00 per seedling and never look back. There'd still be the cheapskates who'd moan and complain, but if they were 50 cents each, someone would have issues with that too. |
February 22, 2006 | #12 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: SoCal z10
Posts: 96
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I saw $3 per 4" heirloom plant around here (San Diego) last year (Tomatomania and local nurseries). But then, everything is more expensive here (especially houses!).
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February 22, 2006 | #13 |
Tomatoville® Moderator
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Hendersonville, NC zone 7
Posts: 10,385
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What I've found is that there are two distinct "markets" - and I peacefully coexist with the cheap 6 pak folks. We both do well. We aim for a very different clientele - I advertise in the newspaper, use my web site - people find me with web site printed out and lists made, but there are plenty of people that want the 3 foot plant in the 6 inch pot - that's fine! People at the market sell those as well. I often send people to them if they think 2.00 for a plant is too much - they are often just looking for 6 packs of Mountain Pride or Better Boy. The 6 pak growers have my card and send plenty of people to me as well.
It's all good!
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Craig |
February 23, 2006 | #14 |
CHOPTAG™
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Columbus, OH
Posts: 79
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Brian:
I've sold 12"-15" plants in quart pots for $ 2.00 each for four years-all here at the house. Sold out last year. No complaints on the asking price. Good Luck ! Dave |
February 23, 2006 | #15 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: NJ - 6/7
Posts: 109
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Last weekend I saw QVC offering 8 tomato plants on a payment plan.
$1.50 seems very resonable. |
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