skip to main content

Selling hostas at Farmer's Mkt -- bare root -- potted?

11 years ago

This is new to this very old person. I need some extra change and figured I should try to sell what I have. I have lots of hostas and daylilies with labels long gone.

Now, should I dig them up and plant them in gallon pots? Then I could wait for them to leaf up --- or should I dig them and sell them bare-root. Please know these are all un-named (although all had very nice names at one time.) Actually most of the best daylilies were my own hybrids so they didn't have names (but were nicer than anything I saw on websites.) I am assuming I should pot these up and sell them when they bloom.

Suggestions anyone?

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (8)

jan_on zone 5b
11 years ago
I would suggest digging and potting. When I started buying hostas I would have needed to see the leaves in order to be tempted. And newbies will probably be your main market. Most 'collectors' really need to know the name! And day lilies in bloom - what's not to love?
Jan
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
11 years ago
you should probably dig/divide them the season prior.. at root growing time.. late summer ... ... and figure out how to winter them over..

so you can present a nice vigorous well grown plant.. for immediate gratification ...

or line them out.. so that in spring.. you can dig in dormancy.. and pot them then ..

the problem.. with digging and potting in leaf.. is the flop/droop.. and how they will 'look' like they are dying ... and who will want to buy them ...

i would think.. that just having a bunch of roots laying around.. is not going to be the type of peeps.. who will come back every week or two.. and buy more .... it would be all about getting some new peeps enabled.. to make them keep coming back.. and feeding their addiction ...

please send 20% of first months profit for marketing advice.. lol ...

ken
Related Discussions
Potted versus Bare Root
Q
Comments (16)
Thanks HM Im in a unique situation where there arent many local nurseries to fill the void here. I do know they do breed trees, but as far as I know they are potted (to be honest ive never CHECKED). The trees ive gotten one was burlaped (so "bareroot"), one was potted (toka plum) and one was potted but looked as you described (roots cut up to fit the pot). There is only one place that I know of that would have plants available when i need them, and that is TT seeds in manitoba. Nothing wrong with them or against them at all, i just havnt ordered from them yet. I would assume their trees are bareroot, as they are sent as 3 foot plants. I do have to take a good look at the nurseries that are around here, but the local ones usually have a lack of good stock for my tastes. So i guess i lied when i said i cant get bareroot lol. I just have never seen the one/2 year old whips/feather trees available here. The other places (besides tt) are in places too warm (toronto is 3 zones warmer than me). Again i think it depends on your sitiation. IF you can get dormant bareroot trees before things really get growing, and the ground is unfrozen than bareroot is your way. If youre in a sitiation like me, you basically have to get what is available. I will say out of the 3 big trees I planted, the Toka plum (potted) established the fastest, grew lusher in its first year, and was overall less shocked than the Pear (burlaped) and apple (ill say summer planted bareroot in soil).
...See More
Does anyone buy those bare roots they sell now?
Q
Comments (7)
I wanted some gaudy (I do mean hot colors) cannas and didn't want to spend $10-20 each, so I picked up a box of mixed hot colors at Sam's Club -- 16 of them for the price of one at a nursery. I'm starting a "Hot Tropics" bed and have been digging it out below grade and filling it up with lots of composted manure and good soil. A vendor is sending me a shampoo ginger and a golden lotus banana as a trial for the quality of their products (a web co-op for a lot of small growers who can't justify the cost of having their own website and had been selling on ebay). They sent me an email about doing this and I decided to go ahead and help out these folks by writing an article after I receive the plants. I'm moving some of my own ginger and colocasia to the area and already have clumping bamboo and pineapple sage there. If I can squeeze it in, I'll add my brug to the space.
...See More
The Bare Roots are Coming!
Q
Comments (16)
LOL Gesila. The shipment this week was from Glenbrook. I have to say that I am WAY impressed with the shipment. The smallest was 1 eye, but had another one ready to break dormancy. The largest was 4 eyes with a huge root system. WAY impressed. Here's a list I posted from another thread: Here goes: In the Country Garden & Gifts: Peppermint Ice Glory Hallelujah Lakeside Prophcy Fullfilled Lots of Heuchera (and friends), plus a few other oddities Naylor Creek: Captain's Adventure Copa Cabana Foxfire Palm Sunday Gentle Giant Irish Luck Lime Smoothie LS Paisley Print Magic Fire Paradise Glory Regal Supreme Ripple Effect Secret Ambition War Paint Hallsons: Jaz Radiant Star Emerald Ruff Cut Roy Klehm Warwick Comet Bix Blues Katie Q Rascal Jim's: Regal Grand Tiara The Shining Spinning Wheel Christmas Candy LS Dividing Line (OS) Glenbrook: LS Cindy Cee Joshua's Banner Gay Search Emerald Scepter (coming later, per Viktoria) Venero: (these guys are local to me and I'll visit them in the next couple weeks to pick up my order) Regal Promenade Regal Providence Heuchera Electra I've limited myself to about 50 hostas this year. I've gotten about 5 here locally this year. These that I've picked up plus 1 from a another local vendor, that leaves me only 8 more I can add... unless spring planting shows me that I have room for more! In theory, I've already blown thru my gardening allowance, which I was able to stick to last year.... So, I guess I'll have to see if I can come up with any more money for plants?!?
...See More
Reselling Bare Root Strawberry Plants
Q
Comments (24)
i am very happy with the berry plants i have gotten from Nourse (MA), Indiana berry and Krohne's (MI). When reselling plants do know if they are patent protected it is illegal for you resell them. You need to get a license from the breeder/patent holder of that variety to sell them. Chances are you will not get caught but if you do the fines will be over $10K. So be sure to avoid buying plats that have pvp next to their name in the catalogs. And i have noticed that there are few heritage/heirloom varieties sold in the catalogues. I believe I will be selling bare rooted raspberry plants this spring as we need to dig up hundreds of them to keep them in check. We sell them in bundles of 5 for $5 a bundle, they sell fast.
...See More
in ny zone5
11 years ago
You have established hostas with a lot of roots, so you can pot them while they have no leaves yet, then let them leaf out, then sell them. That's what I do with my hostas destined for the hosta sale of my local hosta society at the end of May, no need to wait. Good luck!
Bernd
in ny zone5
11 years ago
duplicate

This post was edited by berndnyz5 on Thu, Mar 28, 13 at 9:28
calistoga_al ca 15 usda 9
11 years ago
People buy plants with their eyes, not with a promise. Don't expect to sell plants without them being as attractive as they get.Al
don_in_colorado
11 years ago
Agreed with Bernd and Al.

Don B.
growlove
11 years ago
Definitely dig and pot. I have a plant sale each Spring; dig just as they are showing and by sale time, they are fully leafed out. Try to dig about 60 and seldom have any left.
ryseryse_2004
Original Author
11 years ago
Just came across LOTS of free 6" square pots so that is what I will use. Now, how to price? Also how many eyes do I allow for each pot?

I plan to start digging and separating them just as soon as they poke out of the ground. Thanks for the good information.

Related Stories

SELLING YOUR HOUSE A Moving Diary: Lessons From Selling My Home

By Laura Gaskill

After 79 days of home cleaning, staging and — at last — selling, a mom comes away with a top must-do for her next abode

GARDENING GUIDES New Ways to Think About All That Mulch in the Garden

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

Before you go making a mountain out of a mulch hill, learn the facts about what your plants and soil really want

EDIBLE GARDENS How to Grow Your Own Sweet Summer Crops

By Marianne Lipanovich

This guide will help any gardener get started on growing the freshest warm-season veggies and berries for summer

GARDENING GUIDES Garden Myths to Debunk as You Dig This Fall and Rest Over Winter

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

Termites hate wood mulch, don’t amend soil for trees, avoid gravel in planters — and more nuggets of garden wisdom

GARDENING GUIDES 6 Unsung Bulbs for Fall Planting

By LuAnn Brandsen

Don't hang up your spade after summer — plant these unusual bulbs in fall for a spectacular spring show

GARDENING GUIDES 6 Plants That Beat Butterfly Bush for the Wildlife Draw

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

It's invasive, a nonnative and a poor insect magnet. Check out these better alternatives to butterfly bush in the garden

URBAN GARDENS Plant a Garden That Can Move With You

By Steve Taylor

Think mobile when planning your outdoor space and you can enjoy it wherever you move next

GARDENING GUIDES Common Myths That May Be Hurting Your Garden

By J. Peterson Garden Design

Discover the truth about fertilizer, soil, staking and more to keep your plants healthy and happy

GARDENING GUIDES How to Keep Your Citrus Trees Well Fed and Healthy

By Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting

Ripe for some citrus fertilizer know-how? This mini guide will help your lemon, orange and grapefruit trees flourish

FARMHOUSES World of Design: See How 9 Families Live and Farm on Their Land

Join us as we visit the homes and farms of passionate food producers and hear about rural life around the globe

Sponsored

More Discussions

What are you doing Monday 41524

34

Fieldstone Gardens in Maine?

1

What is wrong with Forest Shadows?

15

What are you doing Monday 42224

8

hosta june in sun

11