Factors you should consider when starting a wholesale tree nursery
When you are starting any business, most experts will advise you start small and grow your business as time goes by. Notably, when you want to start the business of growing plants and supplying them to various retailers, the word 'small' becomes somewhat relative. Wholesaling is in itself a large business venture that should be executed carefully aside from the licences and permits required. Below are some areas that you need to focus on when considering starting a wholesale tree nursery.
The site
Starting a wholesale tree nursery is not similar to starting a little garden in your backyard. You need to invest in a sustainable location where you are going to grow the plants from. When selecting a feasible site for your project, focus on the climatic conditions; the topography of the area and the type of soil; access to water, especially irrigation facilities; access to suppliers and the intended market and access to labour. The kind of plants that you intend to grow in your nursery will have a significant impact on the type of land you select. Settle for an area with a soil type that can support a variety of tree types.
The production type
Three common production systems are used when growing plants in a nursery: pot-in-pot system, field production system and container system. You can opt to combine all the three production systems, mix two of them or use one method exclusively. Either way, you will need to contend with the advantages and disadvantages. For example, while running a field system is easier in that it is less demanding, harvesting the plants is labour intensive. Moreover, when you are using the pot-in-pot system, the plants grow without being exposed to severe root temperatures, but running the system is very costly. Settle on a production system that you can comfortably support. There is no harm in trying all three, provided your budget can support it.
Planning your tree planting schedule
As a wholesaler, you will be expected to supply plants to the various retailers. If you want to retain customers, you need to make sure that you can supply them with their orders promptly and accurately. In other words, you need to have the trees when they are required. Learn how long the different types of trees you take to develop and generate a feasible planting schedule.
Penetrate the market
In business, making a profit is one of the top priorities of the owner; your business is no exception. Make sure that you scale the different retailers in the area and create a rapport so that when your trees are ready to be supplied, you have customers to buy your product.