flowers to start from seed

[journey11]

How about herbs in little terra cotta pots? Ready to put in the windowsill and cook with.

 

[ninnymary]

Ohh, what about pansies in old pots. We have an annual garden tour with a few craft vendors and those cute pots sell like crazy.

Mary

 

[so lucky]

Lots of times I am looking for cell packs of solid colors of flowers, rather than mixed. Such as all pink snaps or portulaca. Also, zinnias. If you can find a seed source for different solid colors of flowers, I think they would sell. And some of the old fashioned flowers that we remember from Grandma's garden, like hollyhock, bachelor buttons, cockscomb. People even buy cleome in pots! E-gad!

 

[curly_kate]

More good ideas! There is already an "herb lady" so I probably won't focus on those, and I want to stay on the plant side vs. Crafts. Crafts don't sell very well at all. But you guys have definitely given me a lot to think about.

 

[hannahsmith]

I really like ninny's idea, you can go for it.

Flowers Delivery

 

[catjac1975]

What ever you decide they should be in bloom when you are ready to sell or people will not buy them.

 

[curly_kate]

I actually started a couple of flats this week and last week. The calendula is about 2-3" high now, and I just started the Mexican sunflowers yesterday. They might not be ready come April when the market starts, but I'm thinking they might be by May. The nice thing about this experiment is, although it does take some time, it's not like I'll lose a whole lot of money if it doesn't work out.

 

[April Manier]

My thought would be to do some easy ones like
Black eyed susan
larkspur
alyssum
cosmos
lobelia
even thymes and such

With the purpose of offering folks a 3 for deal mix/match.
Offer one price for a 3 for run of the mill and then a better price for a 3 for plus an exotic.

Poppies
celosia
rare zinnias (if you can get the crazy colors)
dianthus
Japanese asters
and cut ornamentals

You can have different "packages" Cut flower, container, hanging basket. One price for the run of the mill and another for the "special -upper-cool-exotic-only-here" package. Make a color photo of what the plants look like, laminate (get laminating paper from an educational store) and have it in front of the bins. Make the run of the mill plant photos small and the exotics big. Run of the mill on one side and exotic over there... Make people feel special. Remember open air markets are always about the story that goes with the purchase. You could put a little folklore and a quick info below the pics to real them in. Don't be afraid to charge. I have friends charging by the tomato! $26 a 1/2 flat of organic raspberries!

Check out Johnny's online catalog and baker creek for seed ideas. Some of the exotics you have missed as they should have been started in Nov, but try it out this year.

You will find germination and seed price are an issue. Keep a few of each of your expensive starts to grow out for your own seed.

 

[SmithNoh]

Even if the goal of your garden is to nurture your hold food, you want flowers to attract pollinators and other useful insects to your garden.

 

[ducks4you]

I don't think many are really hard to start from seed. The trick is to use a plastic "greenhouse" or cover with plastic film and KEEP THE STARTER SOIL MOIST. When it dries out you lose your seeds.
In fact, the ONLY seeds I'm not gonna waste much time on are rosemary. Coleus is pretty easy, and I think petunias are. I grew nasturtiam's from seed when I was 12yo, so they CAN'T be hard! Marigolds are really worth growing. You get thousands of seeds from the flowers of just a few plants, to save and grow next year.