Is it really true?

[Cole_Robbie]

The going rate for most garden plants at my farmer's market is $1.50 per 6-pack. What I do to make more money is simply have larger plants and more unusual varieties. I get $5 for a big tomato plant in a gallon pot. I sell medium-sized plants in plastic cups for $1.50. One thing I do to get more money out of people is "bundling," where I offer four of my $1.50 plants for $5. Every customer who buys more than one will get four to get the deal, and I end up getting $5 out of the customer instead of $1.50.

[gardenstartup]

Last year I thought I can maybe buy a greenhouse and sent some emails to traders.
That was foolish thinking.
Asked about simple 300m2 tunnel and got offer...25 000$
That was way over my head.
Our minimum take it home salary is ca 320$ and I got a little more before I started.
Now I'm building my second, bigger and also got film for that(600$),
payment due date 20. May. How I pay - no idea, if marketing season will not start soon, but we have still cold weather, some nights -6..-7 C, so nobody is wanting flowers or tomatoes yet.
Btw. Tried bundling, but it is very hard to sell cheaper, if your can make profit 10 cents per plant
Growing tomatoes for food is a different story. Our people will pay more if you sell your crop labeled as "organic", but person who wants eco stuff is also very lazy and you need to deliver your goods behind his/her front door. And it must be fresh and no more than 1-2 kg.
It is difficult to do, because you have only 24 hours every day. And transport is expensive.

[Rockporter]

Sorry garden, but it sounds to me like folks over ther want you to grow and pay for it all and just hand it over. That wouldn't fly here for me. I don't mind passing out some extras that I have, I don't charge anyone for them but am thinking about getting started at the farmer's market. I have never heard ayone complain about the prices here and they have always been reasonable.

[Cole_Robbie]

Asked about simple 300m2 tunnel and got offer...25 000$

That's 3230 square feet. I just built an 888 square foot high tunnel for about $1,550 US. I spent about $250 for my hoop bender and the table I built to mount it on. My cost for that building you want would be about $6,000. If you can get the materials to build a chain link fence, that is what it is made out of. I can help you at least with the knowledge of how to make it happen if you want to build that building.

[clkeiper]

Gardenstartup, Is the 25,00$ in your currency? so if your currency is the kroon the conversion is 1.00 USD to 11.73 kroons Then the greenhouse would be comparable to the cost for one here. I have a catalog that has a kit in it for a fairly basic house. 20x48 =960 sq.ft or almost 300m2? correct? This house has 13 bows 9 runs of purlins, spring lock and channel, all the needed hardware, roll up curtain, two layers of 6mil plastic and 1 roll of ground cover (no blower fan, jumper hoses etc. or spacer blocks). The end walls or vents or fans and sill boards are not included so you must purchase those materials elswhere (or recycle, like I do) The cost of the kit is 2315.95$ USD and I am guestimating the endwalls to be around 700.00 plus the sill boards of treated lumber, if desired. So you are up to 3,000.00 USD which is close to 33,000.00 kroons. But there are always costs incurred as you are putting it up that you aren't expecting, too. When I invest in a house it is only because the previous season "paid" for it, but I am not supporting a family on this income, either. We have many jobs between all of us who live here. My husband has his own business that actually supports the household, 1 of our sons works for us when he is not in school, one son goes to college and works, too. My husband is also a township trustee, which doesn't pay huge amounts, but is appreciated and helps to provide health ins. and he also tunes piano's in his "spare" time. Gardening is not a huge money maker in our country. It does not cover the income needed for an entire household. It is a hobby that makes us a little money.

[gardenstartup]

Our currency is eur now(from 2011).
offer was over 22000 eur, but i converted it freely to $
Of course i said no. It is ridiculous, because plastic and steel + other things necessary I can get all in total about 10000-12000$
And I'm building it now. Not 1x300m2 but 2 x 150m2 because it's easier to keep pests and diseases under control so. + you can invest in smaller parts.
Yes, material prices and costs are almost same as in US, except fuel, but salary is not. And what you think how long you must save from 500$ net salary to buy 25000$ greenhouse? Food prices and other living costs same like in us now.
Well if you grow only tomatoes in estonia, then as I calculated quickly, it takes ca 12 years until you reach to point where you start making profit from your expensive greenhouse.
So you need to grow flowers before tomatoes and between tomatoe plants - herbs.
It sounds like expensive hobby, but i will do it anyway. If you work hard and not only 8 hours per day, then finally you will suceed. And you need a lot of optimistic thinking.

Cole: Nice frame, but sides are little bit low, just my opinion. Thumbrule in here: sides 1.5m minimum, 1.8m optimal.
Rockporter: yes, people are thinking that gardening is easy and it costs nothing. so they are complaining about the prices.
and additionally if they see somekind of commercial like "viola's 10pack 1.80€", then even if it is 150km away, they want same price from you. Of course - 0.18 per viola is dumping price it's not covering costprice, but our bigger flowershops will start with violas every spring. It's a little bit weird business. Every season starts from beginning and if you can get a customer early spring he or she will remain loyal until season end. Next year same person is deciding again.

Sorry about my english - never learned it at school, we had only german lessons.

[clkeiper]

Gardenstartup, First...your English is fine. Don't give that too much worry! No point in doing so.

Your costs are similar, but your salary is not? was that a weekly/monthly pay check and not income you are living off of from your GH venture?
If people are balking at the prices is that part of the 'same old, same old" their parents complained at every infinitesimal change and it is ingrained in their brains to do the same?

All of my structures came one at a time and only because I was able to pay for it from the proceeding years sales. I didn't spend any money from our household income to put up a structure, except for the very first "lean to" on the back of the house made out of contractors grade plastic. It was a ugly, but it accomplished my goal for that first year. I used recycled flats and inserts, window blinds cut up for plant labels, I asked friends if I could grow their plants for them instead of them getting them elsewhere ( and I still grow for them every year) I tell people I will grow specific varieties if they tell me those are what they want, I grow specifically for people who just stop and ask if I will start their seeds.... Grow what people will buy, not what you like/want. They are the consumer of the product. Every thing and anything to be profitable. Just yesterday I had someone who buys plants and vegetables from me during the summer stop and ask if I would start the packet of seeds her grandson bought and paid a lot of money for ...of course I will!!

Do you sell vegetables from your garden? or do you not grow or can/can't you do that? I do, it will bridge the gap between spring and fall (if you do them) sales. We have a roadside stand and use the honor system (for the most part people are honest, too) to sell our vegetables and fruits. At first we used recycled everything, but now I use mostly new containers as it looks better. People don't like to see grungy containers for their food to be in contact with.

I truly hope you are able to get your business up and going and it becomes profitable faster than you expect. ask questions, see what sells, what people prefer, what works, what doesn't... Does your family help? this isn't a venture for a single person. It really takes many hands to make it successful.

[gardenstartup]

Thnx.

320$ or near 500 what I got - it's monthly. In estonia we don't have weekly paychecks.

Current minimum is 320$ per month(168 hours).
And f.e. a pair of leather shoes costs from 70..80$
electricity 1000 kw/h about 150$

I'm selling everything what I can grow. Potatoes, tomatoes,onions, garlic, strawberries, apples, cucumbers...
And I'm using everything what can be used. Old newspapers, used strings from a nerby farm... And I'm like a calculator.

Family? well I have one 11 years old son and wife. Thats'all.
Forgot my cat... it likes sand
And dog is helping with digging, unfortunately in wrong places :S

By the way... if you look closer my pictures you can see "...window blinds cut up for plant labels..."

Well, I hope it too, I''m still dreaming that a day will come when my business looks like this one: