Tomato Seedling Prices

[BrokenAppleTree]

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

[bcday]

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.

[nctomatoman]

I've held at 2.00 per plant, 4 inch pot, for 9 years now, with no plans to increase.

[Miss_Mudcat]

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

[geoguy_TN]

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

[melody]

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.

[nctomatoman]

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!

[veggiecanner]

Originally Posted by melody

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.

We were thinking $1 each. Maybe we need to check around more. The local nursery sells 4 pks of plants for $1.29. In fact all of his plants in 4 inch or less are $1.29. They have quite a few heirllom and open polinated types for the same price.

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.

[Tomstrees]

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

[Plantersville]

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

[melody]

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.

[cthomato]

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!).

[nctomatoman]

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!

[Dave_Z6]

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

[geol]

Last weekend I saw QVC offering 8 tomato plants on a payment plan.
$1.50 seems very resonable.