If you have an entrepreneurial spirit and love to garden, it isn’t difficult to combine those passions. By starting your own plant nursery business, you’ll be able to make a sizeable profit from doing something you enjoy. You don’t even need acres of land to make it happen—retail garden centers buy from part-timers growing from their own backyard. Here’s a look at how you can get started.

How to Start Your Own Plant Nursery

Deal With the Details

Like with any new business, there are a few legal factors you’ll need to take care of before you begin. Acquire a business license and look into your state’s laws on obtaining a nursery license. You may need additional permits or licenses depending on the state you’re in. For example, the state of Ohio requires a dealer’s license for buying plants from a nursery to resell.

Specialize in What’s Profitable

When planning what you want to garden, consider what’s popular. Retail garden centers will jump to buy plants that are high in demand. Bamboo, landscaping trees and shrubs, mushrooms, ground covers, and ornamental grass are big sellers. Many of these plants are uncommon for most gardeners, so you’ll get to grow something new and unique while making a much bigger profit. Pay attention to garden center, nursery, and landscaping retailers in your area to see what’s in the highest demand.

Assemble Your Supplies

Once you have an idea of what you want to plant, it’s time to do some shopping. Decide whether you want to start from seedlings and roots, or if you’d like to purchase from wholesale nurseries. Growing in containers tends to make the sale, care, replanting, and transport easier, but you may prefer working with beds. Some local growers decide to keep a greenhouse, while others leave plants outside. You can buy your potting soil, or mix it yourself using peat moss, sand, and topsoil or compost. Invest in good fertilizer, as well as plant labels to keep everything in order. With all of your licenses, plants, and supplies, you’re ready to start your gardening business!

Looking to start your own plant nursery? Northgate Greenhouses in Cincinnati, OH, will help. These award-winning garden professionals provide a broad range of fresh, healthy plants, from tropical species to bedding to vegetables. They carry the best fertilizers, containers, and soils for the aspiring gardener. No matter what the occasion or time of year, this greenhouse will fulfill any of your gardening and design needs. To speak with a staff member, call (513) 729-1134 today. Visit their website to see what’s in stock.