How to Start a Plant Nursery Business

Co-authored by Melinda Meservy and Eric McClure

Last Updated: March 22, 2023 References Approved

Setting up a plant nursery business can be an overwhelming venture, but it can be extremely rewarding if you have a passion for greenery and a firm knowledge of how to grow and cultivate plants. There are three distinct types of nurseries. Backyard growers sell plants that they cultivate in their home, and usually sell plants in their front yard like a garage sale several times a month. Retail growers rent or buy brick-and-mortar shops where they sell to the public. Wholesale growers focus on cultivating a lot of plants at once and sell to other vendors and shops. Choose which kind of nursery you want to open based on your knowledge, time availability, and whether you want to work full-time or part-time on your plants.

Things You Should Know

Create a mission statement and business plan for your nursery. Then, estimate expenses and startup costs so you can prepare financially.
Pick a location for your nursery and obtain the necessary business license and/or permit to operate legally in your area.
Purchase the materials and supplies you need to get your nursery off the ground. Once you have inventory and feel ready to open, start advertising locally.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Planning Your Business

1
Create a mission statement and some preliminary marketing materials. A business mission statement is a short paragraph that explains what your business’s goals, means, and specialties are. Come up with a name and hire a graphic designer to create a logo. You can also create your own logo in Photoshop or Illustrator if you have a little design experience.^{[1]
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- Order some business cards with your name and company logo. Print a few mission statements with the logo and include your mission statement. These will be incredibly helpful when you’re starting out as you try to network and appeal to customers.
- Most nurseries work with a few different varieties of plants. If you’re absolutely certain that you want to focus on a specific species or style of plant, emphasize it in your statement and logo.
- For example, a business statement might start, “Peach Orchard Nursery is a local Nebraskan plant nursery that focuses on succulents and cactus plants. Our goal at Peach Orchard is to bring the absolutely highest-quality plants to the public using eco-friendly growing practices.”
2
Estimate how much money you’ll need to start by adding initial expenses. Add up the prices for your seeds, soil, and potters. Add another $250-1,000 for your business license based on where you live. If you know that you’re going to be hiring employees, calculate the cost of hiring employees for at least 3 months to give yourself some space to breathe at the start. Use this estimate to inform how much of your savings you’ll need to use or whether or not you need an investor or loan.^{[2]
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- If you’re trying to appeal to investors or a bank for a loan, they’ll want to see an estimate of your costs.
- Retail stores need to pay rent or a mortgage. Calculate this cost based on averages for available commercial properties in your area.
- Every business needs general liability insurance. If you plan on hiring employees, you’ll need to buy insurance for your workers as well.
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3
Apply for the necessary business licenses and permits. The process for obtaining a business license and permit is different based on where you live. Start by contacting your local government’s business department—they’ll be able to tell you everything that you need to know about setting up a business in your area. Once you find out what forms you need to fill out, complete them.^{[3]
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U.S. Small Business Administration
U.S. government agency focused on supporting small businesses
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- Business licenses always have a fee attached to them. This can range from $25-1,000 based on where you are.
- Make sure that you’re getting a home-business license if you’re going to operate a backyard nursery.
Warning: If you’re in the United States, you need to apply for a federal agricultural license if you want to import or export plants to/from other states.^{[4]
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U.S. Small Business Administration
U.S. government agency focused on supporting small businesses
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4
Master your craft by studying and enrolling in classes. Purchase some advanced nursery books, and subscribe to some nursery journals, like Garden Center and Nursery Management. If you have a university or college near you, sign up for some horticultural or botany classes. If you’re really dedicated, consider enrolling full-time for an undergraduate or graduate degree in horticulture, botany, farming, or plant studies.
- Botany tends to be a more scientific field, while horticulture focuses more on practical growing methods. Horticulture may be more helpful, but they’ll both be useful fields to learn more about.
- If you’re enrolling at a college or university, consider double-majoring in business. The business degree will provide you with a ton of useful information on how to run a business.

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Running a Backyard Nursery

1
Acquire the proper materials to begin planting. While you may already have a lot of the necessary gardening tools if you have experience growing plants, purchase whatever tools you don’t have yet. Get a wheelbarrow if you’re going to be planting large quantities so that you can easily move soil based on the specific needs of the plants that you’re growing.^{[5]
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- A high-end sprinkler system can cost quite a bit of money, but it can save you quite a bit of time and effort when it comes to watering your plants.
- You’ll probably need shears, sprayers, punnets, and pots. Most backyard nurseries don’t sell ceramic pots, so only purchase the materials that you need to grow the plants.
- Purchase your seeds from a reputable dealer and keep the receipts. Some states and countries regulate nurseries, and they may want to know where you got your seeds.
2
Focus on 2-3 popular plants to start and grow your nursery. The plants you choose to grow in your backyard are dependent upon where you live and what the climate is like. Choose 2-3 species of plants that you’re passionate about to start off with. Pick plants that you have experience growing and you think will be popular based on your local market. Buy your seeds and plant them. Check in everyday to provide each plant the necessary water, sun, and care as you’re growing.^{[6]
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- Succulents are an excellent focus if you’re in an area with a lot of younger people or college students. They’re easy to take care of and they’re relatively cheap, so they’re a good choice for a younger market.
- Flowers, like roses and orchids, are always a safe bet. Just check to make sure that there aren’t already a bunch of flower shops in your area.
- Track your growing cycles so that it’s easy to figure out when your plants are going to be ready. This will make it easier to figure out when you need to host some sales.
3
Advertise when you’re hosting sales in the neighborhood and online. Write a simple ad that includes the time and location of upcoming sales. Include a few photos and your nursery’s name. Post to local Facebook groups, Facebook Marketplace, and your other social media accounts at least 1 week in advance of sales. Print some flyers with the same information and post them around your area to let people know when you’re hosting a sale.^{[7]
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- A sample ad might say, “Next Saturday, from 10 am to 4 pm, there will be a flower sale at Happy Hyacinth Plant Nursery!” Include your address in the posts so that people know where to go.
- Include photos of your plants in your adverts and posts! Showcase a few beautiful flowers or plants to show people what you’re selling.
- If you think your area has a lot of potential buyers, consider taking out some ads in the local newspaper or on your local radio stations.
4
Price your plants based on demand and what your growing costs are. While the prices for plants can vary wildly based on the species, focus your prices on the demand in your area while taking the growing costs into account. Visit local flower and plant shops and look at their prices. If you can undercut them while still turning a profit on your growing costs, do it to create a big splash as you enter the market. If the demand is high in your area, consider raising your prices to test the waters and see what you can make.^{[8]
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- Host your sales as often as you have enough inventory to sell. For some nursery owners, this is once a month. For other owners, this may be once a week. It all depends on how often you have plants for sale.
- Succulents usually cost somewhere between $10-20.
- Flower prices can vary wildly from species to species. Usually they fetch $5-20.
- Snake plants, spider plants, money trees, and jades range from $10-100 based on their size. The bigger the plant, the more expensive it usually is.
5
Host your sales by setting your plants up in your yard and talking to customers. Before your sale starts, move 30-40 plants to your front yard. Arrange them on the ground in rows, or on top of benches and folding tables to signal to people passing by that you’re open for business. Be visible and walk around your yard so that customers can easily find you. Introduce yourself to people and explain how to care for your plants.^{[9]
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- A lot of nurseries save some time and energy by giving each species of plant the same price. For example, if you’re selling a smaller succulent and a larger succulent, it may be easier to simply list all small succulents as $5 and all larger succulents as $8.
- Keep some change on you. You’ll need to give out change if people show up with bigger bills.
6
Revise your strategy based on conversations with customers and your sales. When you’re selling, interact with your customers. Ask them what they’d be interested in seeing in the future, and hand out your business card or flyers with your contact information. When you’re done selling your plants, add up your profits and determine what you want to do next based on the feedback you received and the money you made.^{[10]
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Tip: If you sold out and you’re happy with the money that you made, keep your prices the same to ensure people keep coming back. Otherwise, raise them to make more money or lower them to sell more inventory. If you’re underselling and you can’t lower your prices any further, use more marketing to get the word out.

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Operating a Retail Store

1
Rent or buy a store with adequate outdoor space and light. Start by looking for commercial properties for rent or purchase in your area. In your search, consider your budget, and ask realtors and agents to see spaces that get good light and have adequate ventilation. Sign a lease and get to work setting up your space and ordering inventory.^{[11]
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- Look for shops with big windows, and good natural ventilation.
- If you can, try to get a shop that will let you use the roof. A roof can provide you with space to grow plants on location!
- Most retail shops rent their spaces. Unless it’s a large corporation, it’s rare for a business to own their building.
Warning: Do not rent a shop with carpet under any condition. You’re going to be watering your plants to keep them healthy while they’re available, and it’s impossible to keep carpeting from growing mold and developing a nasty and unhealthy aroma if it’s always getting wet.
2
Set up a grow site in a separate location and plant your seeds. Get your seeds from a reputable dealer. When your plants mature, use a digging tool or knife to remove each plant from the ground by digging around it. Bring plants you want to sell to your shop and plant them in decorative pots on-site before setting them out for sale.^{[12]
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- You’ll need soil, shears, wheelbarrows, and spades to run your off-site nursery. Set it up in a nutrient-rich yard or lot near your home to make it easy to monitor and transport them.
3
Purchase additional plants and inventory for your shop. You’ll need a lot plants to showcase once your store opens up. Purchase plants in the categories that you can’t, or aren’t growing. For example, if you’ve grown a few flowering and leafy plants, purchase some succulents so that you have something to offer everyone. Retail shops usually sell pots, soil, and gardening tools as well, so purchase some of those from wholesalers in case your customers need them.^{[13]
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- Retail shops rarely specialize in certain types of plants unless they’re in major cities, and there’s a lot of competition.
- A majority of retail nurseries grow most of their plants. Some of them grow all of them, but it can be hard to grow the variety of plants necessary to appeal to everyone. A lot of nurseries make up for this by buying the plants they’re missing and marking the prices up.
- You can purchase from backyard nurseries and then mark the price up to make a profit.
4
Set your store up and arrange your plants. Put together any furniture that you’ve purchased for the store. Clean out the closets and show floor, and set your plants up. Arrange your store in a way that makes it easy to navigate. Place larger plants at the front of the store to make the entryway feel impressive. Store the general gardening tools and materials at the back of the store and put your plants up front. This way, when people walk past your store, they’ll see the plants first, which are more likely to drive customers inside.^{[14]
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- Buy reclaimed and upcycled furniture if you can. Some plant-buying customers care deeply about sustainability, and it’s good to be environmentally-conscious.
- Many nurseries grow in a different location and bring the plants they want to sell to the store every week or so.
5
Hire employees as needed to operate your store. Consider trying to rely on the help of family members and friends to save money as you’re setting up. Once you open, you’ll have an idea of what your cash flow is like. Once you know what you can afford and what your needs are, you can hire a manager, cashier, or clerk.^{[15]
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- It’s perfectly reasonable to run a nursery on your own—especially if you’ve got a smaller space that can only accommodate 5-15 customers at a time.
6
Adjust prices and shift your focus to react to the market. If succulents are selling quickly, shift your growing patterns to accommodate more succulents. If you can’t sell any snake plants, stop growing them. Adjust your prices and inventory based on your sales.^{[16]
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- If business is slowing down after the opening rush, start doing some local marketing. Post ads in the local paper, and put out signs on the sidewalk in front of your store.
- Retail nurseries in temperate climates often shut down in the winter. Some owners sublease their space to rent it out in the off-months as a concert hall or reception space.

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Starting a Wholesale Nursery

1
Contact local flower shops, stores, and vendors to see what their needs are. Reach out to the businesses in your area and explain that you’re starting a nursery. If you know that you’re going to focus on a specific species or style of plant, inquire to see if they’d be interested in doing some business. If you aren’t sure what you’re going to grow, ask what these stores and vendors have trouble getting their hands on.^{[17]
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2
Sign contracts with local businesses to begin growing plants for them. Create a contract by writing it yourself or hiring a lawyer to write a template for you. Include your pricing for each individual sale, your responsibilities, and any delivery instructions. Wholesale contracts are typically worth a lot of money, so protect yourself by having a buyer sign it after they’ve agreed to buy from you.^{[18]
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- If you can, sign some contracts to sell to a store or vendor before you begin planting. This will take a lot of the pressure off early and will lock in the type of plant that you’re growing.
3
Set up a nursery site and start a growing schedule your plants. Depending on what you’re growing, the first round of plants may take anywhere from 1 week to 6 months to grow. Schedule 2-3 different nursery sites to grow in intervals in a way where you’ll be able to ship your plants right before your customers need a new shipment.^{[19]
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- The type of soil that you use is dependent upon the plant, flower, or tree that you’re growing. Monitor the soil closely by getting it tested regularly by an environmental engineer. Consider hiring aerial seeding contractors once every 6 month to coat your field with growing nutrients and seed preservatives.
- For example, if you’re growing snake plants and a store expects a shipment of 20 plants once every month, plant 3 different sites of 30-35 seeds in intervals where you’ll have a new set of mature plants once every 30 days or so.
- Depending on what you’re growing, you’ll probably need a massive water supply. Contact your local utility company to see what the rules are regarding large water usage in your area.
- Cover crops and plants with awnings during dry spells if your plants are getting too much sun.
Tip: Always overplant. You’re going to lose some of your plants, whether it’s due to the weather, predators, or insects. Have a few extra plants available to compensate. Some seeds may simply fail to sprout regardless of how much care you take to treat your plants right.
4
Fulfill your growing obligations and deliver your plants on time. Grow your plants and continue to meet your contractual obligations in order to keep growing your business. Wholesale nurseries almost always deliver their goods, so buy a truck once you have the capital to make bigger deliveries. As you expand, consider hiring workers or drivers based on your specific needs.^{[20]
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5
Attend local garden and plant shows to network with other growers and market your plants. Whenever there’s a plant show or convention in your area, attend it to meet other growers and potential buyers. Hand out your business card and do your best to develop as many relationships as possible. This is an easy way to ensure that you’re marketing your services to the highest number of customers possible.^{[21]
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- Wholesale nurseries rarely sell plants directly to the public, but you can certainly take your excess inventory to a street fair, farmer’s market, or garden show to sell it off.

Community Q&A

Question

What items do you need to start a nursery?

wikiHow Staff Editor
Staff Answer
This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

At minimum, you’ll need basic gardening supplies, such as shears and scissors, plant pots, growing media, rooting hormones, hoses and sprayers, a wheelbarrow, and gardening gloves. You’ll also need a proper workspace, such as a bench or table where you can work with your plants. As your business grows, you may need to get more complex equipment (like a greenhouse or large-scale watering system) or more space for your plants.
Question

Is running a nursery profitable?

wikiHow Staff Editor
Staff Answer
This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

It can be! Do some research on your local market to find out if there’s a demand for plants or garden supplies in your area. You’ll need to offer competitive prices and sell items that are in demand but not widely available where you live.
Question

How can I make money with my plants?

wikiHow Staff Editor
Staff Answer
This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

There are all kinds of options, since plants have so many uses! For example, you could sell whole plants in pots, or you could sell cuttings or seeds. If you’re artistic, try making and selling cut flower arrangements, dried flowers, or resin jewelry made with flowers or leaves. Or, if you’re more of a foodie, try selling dried or fresh herbs, fruit, or preserves.