Going into business

Hi
Ive been looking on many different websites for any information i need about setting up a nursey. I have some information i just want to make sure im getting all the legal side and wondered if anyone had any advice?
Thanks
Jo

 

I can only tell you some of the stuff I learnt when I was thinking about it.

Have a look at the Wildlife and Countryside act, schedule 8 if I remember right. It lists plants that are protected. Some of which you can't even sell without a license.

Look at DEFRA's site about the 'plant passport' system. Certain species of plants have to be certified disease free before you can buy or sell them.

There's an act of parliament call the 'Seeds act', which states that you can't sell seeds of any species intended for germination without a license and a regular inspection (which you have to pay for) where they test the seeds for viability and to make sure they are the species you say they are.

Look up the 'Weeds act', which lists more plants that you cant sell (I think), but you probably wouldn't want to anyway as they are weeds that have been given ASBOs.

You might also want to look up the 'Pests act' which describes your rights and obligations for controlling the population of animals on your land that are considered pests (for example, did you know you have a legal duty to prevent wild rabbits from leaving your land and invading your neighbour's land?).

All that said, I would bet a fiver that most small independent nurseries don't tick all the legal boxes.

 

I'm a cnc grinder/miller/turner by trade, never been in any company that ever ticked "all" the legal boxes, and thats with the health n safety looking in, so yes, I wont be taking you bet lol

Plant Potty.

 

I'm sending you a PM, Jo

 

here is a good uk site that has all / most of your answers and that has a very good forum with people who are in the same business as you intent opening

Landscape Juice

 

I never realised there was so much red tape to do with plants. Just another way for the government to make money out of us I guess.

 

After clicking on the link put up by Dim I had a Google for the same site but put forum at the end and it came up with this which might be the same place but it might help you in what you are looking for....
Discussion Forum - Landscape Juice Network

 

Jo, what type of nursery do you want to set up? Retail or
Wholesale? Do you want to make money or struggle?

 

In this country you couldn't set up a business selling red tape...without red tape.This is why my brothers confectionery business can't sell Peanut Brittle without it also being labelled...'May contain nuts'...

 

To be honest, quite a lot of the red tape I came across when I was looking into it actually made a lot of sense.

The 'plant passport' thing for example, is an attempt to ensure that disease is not spread all over the place. Imagine planting a single diseased apple tree in an established commercial orchard, and then a few weeks later the whole lot is dust.

The seeds act helps to make sure we get what we think we're buying, although it apparently dates back to when farmers would lace sacks of corn with all sorts of things to make them heavier, and therefore worth more, as a way of ripping off the buyers.

 

Best way to start small is to do the carboots. When I used to go to the local ones every Sunday, there were many folk selling plants from tomatoes and rhubarbs to acers and monkey puzzles. You can bet they don't need to adhere to red tape. Ok, takings may be smaller, but it gives you chance to get a bit of an idea into whether you really want to do it, without shelling out for the red tape to find out you just don't want the hassle.