Bootstrap Business: Earn Cash With your own Garden-grown Nursery

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Some plants grow well from cuttings, which are pieces of stems — willows being the best example. In fact, willow stems that are soaked overnight in water exude a natural root-promoting chemical that can be used to water cuttings of other species.

Cuttings of woody plants that root well this way (check Dirr’s book for specifics) should be about 6 inches long. Some do best when taken during the succulent growth period in early summer. Others are better taken when the wood has hardened a bit.

For most woody ornamentals, a fertile garden soil will do. Some, such as rhododendrons, azaleas, mountain laurel and blueberries, require an acidic soil. If you want to grow this type and your soil has a more alkaline pH, you might be better off growing in pots, or in a separate plot than in your vegetable garden. The pots could be aligned on plastic mulch between the rows of vegetable crops to make the most of your garden’s space and to help keep weeds down in the garden. Remember that potted plants need water regularly, sometimes more than once a day. An automatic drip-irrigation system can be invaluable.

Whether you’re planting in the ground or in pots, good weed control is essential to a healthy garden. Good vegetable gardeners know the importance of weeding at least weekly to hoe out any undesirables while they’re small and you are able to easily pull them out of the ground. Otherwise, a small task becomes a huge job. When you’re growing perennial crops, regular weeding is even more important because you can’t give up on the plot and just mow it or till it under at the start of the following year because doing so will kill the nursery crops.

Be sure you obtain the proper permits to sell nursery stock in your area. In Maine, growers must obtain a nursery permit from the Department of Agriculture every year. An inspector comes around annually to check the quality of your plants and to offer advice to improve the quality and sustainability of your bootstrap nursery business. d

Jean English edits the newspaper of The Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (www.mofga.org). She also raises cut-your-own, certified-organic Christmas trees and nursery stock on her small farm in Maine.

Resources

Books and Periodicals

American Nurseryman
Published twice each month by American Nurseryman Publishing Co., this is the major trade magazine for the nursery industry. It features excellent articles, and you can look for local suppliers in its extensive advertising section. Its Web site, www.amerinursery.com, also links to advertisers.

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