Small Holding

Davesnave

Mojisola wrote: »

I don't think there are many who start a nursery business with a very low level of horticultural knowledge. I know people who started as very keen gardeners and were very proficient with a wide range of skills who, like you, gradually built up a viable business.

You are telling gggareth that he will need to have a very good understanding of plants and plant care, not just a good business plan, and I agree 100%.

Look at the big DIY sheds, which buy- in reasonable-looking plants, but within a month they are half dead and worth next to nothing. They don't care because they make their money elsewhere.

Davesnave

To address a couple of other points, the nursery under consideration has an AOC, so in theory at least, one person living there ought to be spending the bulk of their working week on the horticultural or other land-based business.

In reality, the amount of scrutiny local authorities give to agriculturally-tied properties varies considerably. While all councils are pretty cash-strapped now, it's not safe to assume their zeal in monitoring AOCs has entirely diminished. Local knowledge on this is vital.

In the country, everyone will know what you do or don't do, so be aware that if the business should fail, keeping a few hens will not meet the requirements of an ag-tie.

As for greater self-sufficiency, it's a great theory, but running a nursery business will leave little time for keeping livestock and doing all the other things Seymour had in mind, like making preserves, cutting firewood and so on.

Mojisola

Davesnave wrote: »

You are telling gggareth that he will need to have a very good understanding of plants and plant care, not just a good business plan, and I agree 100%.

Look at the big DIY sheds, which buy- in reasonable-looking plants, but within a month they are half dead and worth next to nothing. They don't care because they make their money elsewhere.

In addition to knowing the basics about plant care, many customers expect all the staff in a small nursery to be knowledgable about plants and gardening. They seem happy to accept that salespeople in the big garden centres are just that - salespeople - and that there may be one or two more informed staff member who can be summoned if you have a question.

Knowledgable staff is vital if you're using home-grown or specialist plant ranges as one of your USPs.

martinsurrey

gggareth wrote: »

I'm not sure you need to know that much about horticulture to develop a business plan.

...

And how would you know the costs or timescales involved in growing, if you have no idea of how to grow?

How would you know about yields from your land if you didn’t know about plant growing densities?

How would you know about crop rotation turn around (which effects product mix and time scales and costs) if you don’t know about what plants need to be rotated?

Sorry, but unless you have a firm understanding of the business, any plan is pie in the sky, and will lead to a money pit...

(By the way, these are issues I came up with in 2 mines as a forced gardener, I'm sure there are bigger problems that only arise from proper knowledge of the business)

I love how you want to follow a dream and make things happen, but please don’t but the wellbeing of your family on the line.

gggareth

Davesnave wrote: »

You are telling gggareth that he will need to have a very good understanding of plants and plant care, not just a good business plan, and I agree 100%.

Look at the big DIY sheds, which buy- in reasonable-looking plants, but within a month they are half dead and worth next to nothing. They don't care because they make their money elsewhere.

Dave i totally agree with you here and this is some of my reasoning behind what i want to do.I think i can do a much better Job than the large chains in looking after them.

Also i'm not after making buckloads of money either but would like to make a living.

gggareth

martinsurrey wrote: »

...

And how would you know the costs or timescales involved in growing, if you have no idea of how to grow?

Well i worked out the costs of various Plants and Shrubs to be brought in for the first 2 years and did a snap shot of costs for over 200 of them ranging in age from 1 to 5 years old. So that gave me a base line of costs. i also went out to get some sale prices of the shurbs /plants to give me some sort of margin analysis




How would you know about yields from your land if you didn’t know about plant growing densities?
Agree i dont know that much but we are talking less than 6 acres in total. ?

How would you know about crop rotation turn around (which effects product mix and time scales and costs) if you don’t know about what plants need to be rotated?

I added some costs in for not using 15% of land each year..?



Sorry, but unless you have a firm understanding of the business, any plan is pie in the sky, and will lead to a money pit...

(By the way, these are issues I came up with in 2 mines as a forced gardener, I'm sure there are bigger problems that only arise from proper knowledge of the business)

I love how you want to follow a dream and make things happen, but please don’t but the wellbeing of your family on the line.[/QUOTE]

And this is the important thing for me to consider. The + are that i would buy outright so no Mortgage etc. I also have enough savings to last 2 years.

Thanks for your Input.

gggareth

Mojisola wrote: »

In addition to knowing the basics about plant care, many customers expect all the staff in a small nursery to be knowledgable about plants and gardening. They seem happy to accept that salespeople in the big garden centres are just that - salespeople - and that there may be one or two more informed staff member who can be summoned if you have a question.

Knowledgable staff is vital if you're using home-grown or specialist plant ranges as one of your USPs.

Excellent advice ..... I didnt consider this angle at all.

Thank you...:j

Mojisola

If you are going to be looking at this as a long term project, another USP worth looking at is becoming a Plant Heritage National Plant Collection.
https://www.nccpg.com/Conservation-resources/NCH-Handbook-2008.aspx

This will take time to build up and you will need a love of whatever plant you chose to focus on but will give extra publicity and lead people to your door who wouldn't visit just an ordinary small nursery.

gggareth

Davesnave wrote: »

To address a couple of other points, the nursery under consideration has an AOC, so in theory at least, one person living there ought to be spending the bulk of their working week on the horticultural or other land-based business. Yes i had read this and wondered how or who could prove this was not happening or was happening seems hit and miss to me..


In reality, the amount of scrutiny local authorities give to agriculturally-tied properties varies considerably. While all councils are pretty cash-strapped now, it's not safe to assume their zeal in monitoring AOCs has entirely diminished. Local knowledge on this is vital. So by asking other Agricultural tied buisnesses i would know if it was strictly enforced or no one really cares.
In the country, everyone will know what you do or don't do, so be aware that if the business should fail, keeping a few hens will not meet the requirements of an ag-tie. Interesting but being a retired Agricultural worker does meet with the requirements>? I need to look in to this again & see if there is something more definitive on how long you have to work the land etc.. Small villages where everyone knows everyone eles buisness..

As for greater self-sufficiency, it's a great theory, but running a nursery business will leave little time for keeping livestock and doing all the other things Seymour had in mind, like making preserves, cutting firewood and so on.

Noted : i think self sufficiency is a great mind set but if it takes me 50 hours a week then not feasable when trying to run a buisness.

Great information thanks.

gggareth

Guy's Just want to say thanks to :

Davesnave
Martinsurrey
Mojisola

THe info you have provided has beena great help.
Looks like i can do acouple of LD learning courses to start me off & go from there.

Cheers