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Old May 12, 2018   #556
Cole_Robbie
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I had a great morning, my best ever selling plants. Mother's Day weekend is the peak of the plant season. My marigolds did not move as I would have liked, but the market is flooded with $1.50 six-packs of small plants with blooms. I was the only one up there with zinnias and sunflowers, so I sold almost all that I took. The short stuff zinnia has been a real winner for me, and it was the perfect item to be selling this morning.
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Old May 12, 2018   #557
bower
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They look great Cole, and what a deal! You'd never get a potted flower that size for $4 here.. zero chance.
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Old May 12, 2018   #558
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Your zinnias look really good. Not surprised you had a great day. Congrats.
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Old May 12, 2018   #559
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Dude if you were at my market you'd put me outta business with all those gorgeous flowers! Gratz on the big day. My more flowers experiment is going great as well. Oddly I sold more petunia baskets last week, but still a lot today. I'm kicking myself about not doing more zinnias. Going to really go hard on the small nursery next year, our total profit numbers have been way higher this year and with a lot less labor too.
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Old May 13, 2018   #560
efisakov
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Cole, that is one gorgeous table. The price is very reasonable too. Here at Walmart they sell flowers like yours for $5.95 and theirs are not as good as yours.
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Old May 13, 2018   #561
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I am glad you have niche there and can do that. I grow those big tomatoes and sell them for..... 15.00 a piece which shocks me to no end but it really isn't any different than growing a hanging basket in time or materials. there is no point in doing a market unless you can make money. this is a lot of work!

what variety of zinnias and sunflowers are those and when do you start them to get them in bloom for mothers day?
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Old May 13, 2018   #562
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Got to add that my Market was hopping yesterday as well. This has been my 4th week with the Dwarf Sunflowers. Customers just can get enough of them. The Dwarf Zin's and M'golds.... they sold but not nearly as well. Thats ok though. I checked my spreadsheet, broke all my previous Sales records! Aint no complaing here.


And finally started moving those infernal hanging baskets. Only brought home 3. Took a dozen or so. Next year, probably wont worry about them, other then to decorate the house.
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Old May 13, 2018   #563
BigVanVader
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What issues have you had with baskets? Just curious b/c so far I've found them easy and all around a great addition. I'm only doing petunias and million bells.
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Old May 13, 2018   #564
clkeiper
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Quote:
Originally Posted by FourOaks View Post
Got to add that my Market was hopping yesterday as well. This has been my 4th week with the Dwarf Sunflowers. Customers just can get enough of them. The Dwarf Zin's and M'golds.... they sold but not nearly as well. Thats ok though. I checked my spreadsheet, broke all my previous Sales records! Aint no complaing here.


And finally started moving those infernal hanging baskets. Only brought home 3. Took a dozen or so. Next year, probably wont worry about them, other then to decorate the house.
once people know you have nice baskets at reasonable prices they will look for them. trust me. don't give up on them just yet unless transporting them is the issue. I try to sell mine mostly from home but I have one and only one market that I take oodles of them to and get rid of. I grow about 350 + baskets. I had one customer who came for 20 baskets all red and white .... before mothers day" because there aren't enough to choose from after mothers day" I just smiled.
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Old May 13, 2018   #565
Cole_Robbie
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Thanks for all the kind words, as usual.

Short Stuff is my best zinnia. I like it better than zinnita. My best sunflower varieties have been sunny smile, little smile, and tinies. As far as timing, I dont keep records. They grow when the sun shines and it doesnt get too cold at night. Otherwise the best they do is tread water.

I have not yet mastered hanging baskets either. I think I would need a bigger truck or a trailer. There are a lot of very pretty ones at market that go for $15 to $20, so I would want something different than what other vendors sell.
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Old May 13, 2018   #566
clkeiper
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thanks. that is such a sweet pot plant. I wish I would have thought of it sooner, I needed something for a kids project in 3 weeks. next year. ah well something else will do this year.
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Old May 14, 2018   #567
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Tinnies has been a great seller for me as well. Have you grown profusion Zinnias? I was going to do those because of self cleaning but short stuff looks like a bigger flower.
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Old May 14, 2018   #568
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BigVanVader View Post
What issues have you had with baskets? Just curious b/c so far I've found them easy and all around a great addition. I'm only doing petunias and million bells.

My issue is selling them. I hate to say its the "Customer Base", because that sounds like im trying to make up an excuse. But the evidence points to the customers. My potted flowers and veggie seedlings are going far far better then expected. They sale themselves. Customer look at the baskets, say how nice they are, and move on?


I have also noted that the 1 other vendor who is roughly diagonally from me, doesnt seem to sale them well either. There could be a couple more vendors that have baskets, but I havent really noticed.


Where my booth is located is 1 spot down from an exit point. Very rarely do I see folks carrying out baskets. Grant it, its a very busy Market, and I stay busy.... but I also watch the surroundings. Like a Hawk!

Quote:
Originally Posted by clkeiper View Post
once people know you have nice baskets at reasonable prices they will look for them. trust me. don't give up on them just yet unless transporting them is the issue. I try to sell mine mostly from home but I have one and only one market that I take oodles of them to and get rid of. I grow about 350 + baskets. I had one customer who came for 20 baskets all red and white .... before mothers day" because there aren't enough to choose from after mothers day" I just smiled.

I cant say I have given up, but maybe looking for another strategy.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Cole_Robbie View Post
Thanks for all the kind words, as usual.

Short Stuff is my best zinnia. I like it better than zinnita. My best sunflower varieties have been sunny smile, little smile, and tinies. As far as timing, I dont keep records. They grow when the sun shines and it doesnt get too cold at night. Otherwise the best they do is tread water.

I have not yet mastered hanging baskets either. I think I would need a bigger truck or a trailer. There are a lot of very pretty ones at market that go for $15 to $20, so I would want something different than what other vendors sell.
Sunny Smiles and Sunny Days is what I have growing. They are great little sellers. Next year or later this year might try the Zinnita, as Im not super impressed with Thumbelina.


I have a cargo trailer that I am considering using. Would need to put shelving and such in it.
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Old May 14, 2018   #569
oakley
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Is tinies a zinnia or a sunflower? Never heard of it.

Looks great Cole. !! gorgeous table.

I did the Kids garden charity again this year with SunnySmile. I hit the target by starting
a tray once a week and had a couple trays starting to bloom so they could plant them.
This was for Easter. I also tested muscari bulbs, and tulips forced. Bought end of season sale
in late October and stuck them in the fridge until test planting in January-Feb.
Muscari was a great bloom with the sunflowers. Tulips took a while.

I still have a house full of sunflowers and muscari from a late sowing. It was sweet during all
those snow storms. A bit tired of them now with all the attention to tomatoes and veg.

I balled on Mother'sDay not having anything ready or blooming. I've been testing forced bulbs
and peas and beans...a mixed bunch of fast growers with micro tomatoes. Sort of a compact
window/patio box for next year.

*timing depends on temperatures. Starting indoors I could easily gauge days to bloom. Once I put
my trays outside they did slow down in cooler weather but I needed indoors for peppers and
tomatoes.
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Old May 19, 2018   #570
Cole_Robbie
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Thanks. Tinies is a dwarf sunflower I got from sunflowerselections.com.

It finally happened this morning, I saw another vendor selling dwarf sunflowers. But she had them in what looked like 3 or 4 inch pots...and flowering, of course.

Here's a pic that came out well, my marigold table this morning:
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