Help/Idea's needed.

Basically I have a little horticulture experience/knowledge but not very much. I am wanting to start up my own business, And instead of going down the standard route of basic garden maintenance I wanted to grow fruit and veg and offer the opportunity to other people.

I want to do this by offering the service of going and creating a little allotment in their garden, So any info on standard sizes and best things to use such as railway sleeps, compost, fertilizers would be useful also the best things to grow.

And for those who don't have space for an allotment I want to create little hanging baskets growing fruit/veg in them. I have heard that you can grow tomatoes and strawberry's in hanging baskets but what else can you grow?
And I've seen little pots were people grow things such as lettuce, what sort of lettuce is it they grow? and is their any other small fruit/veg that can be grown in small-medium large pots?

Also I am only a horticulture apprentice so on penny's for a wage. :(
So any info on where to buy things cheap or even make things such as the hanging baskets would be a massive help!

Thank You for taking your time to read this.
Chris.

 

Think 'low maintenance'.

Some of the herbs are a winner, Rosemary, Sage, Thyme, all examples of bulletproof.

For the first time last year I grew leaf beet. It is about the easiest veg I've found (apart from potatoes), its pretty enough to be decorative, and if you catch the leaves young, they are exactly 57.378 times more delicious than any lettuce I've ever tasted. Look for 'Chard - Bright Lights' or 'Rainbow chard'.

And I can't miss an opportunity to mention nasturtium, my all time favourite plant in the 'useful' category, because it ticks so many boxes, including the 'edible' one.

 

Hello!

Thanks, I'll do a bit of research into the plants you recommended, leaf beet sounds tempting at a very precise 57.378x better than lettuce! :P

I am currently waiting on a few gardening books to come through the post that I ordered so I can have a read on growing fruit/veg. So specific idea's like that are very useful at the moment! Can I start growing things at this time of year? or do I need to wait until March? And would it be worthwhile buying a little greenhouse to help things grow?

 

Is one of the books you ordered this one?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Vegetable-Herb-Expert-best-selling-vegetables/dp/0903505460

If not, it probably should be. Its an excellent book. Very clear and concise and in laymans terms.

Defo worthwhile getting a greenhouse. I just bought a cheap blowaway (6'x6'x4'). Its not much good but its better than none at all until I can afford a better one.

For starting stuff early, some stuff you can, some you can't really. The leaf beet could be started now if you have a relatively sunny window for them. I think it was mid february when I started mine off last year.

Best cheap investment I made for starting seeds off was to buy a cheap heated propagator. Since then I've scaled up slightly and am seeing good success rates. Heating is the way to go

Anything that grows big and fast should wait til the right time, because if needs to be outside before it is warm enough to go out, its doomed.

 

Wasn't one of the books but now had been added to the list!

What i'm wanting to do is grow plants small, maybe just until they are the shoots and then plant them in the hanging basket and then let the people grow them themselves so they feel the benefit of growing the things themselves (without most of the hassle.) so I will have to include a leaflet on how to look after them properly.

As for the allotment idea will I be able to plant/sow the seeds into the ground, or will I have to grow them first and then plant them once they are a bit bigger/big enough to survive?

And please be honest do you think this is a good idea? I am not wanting to do it for massive profits, more to get people back into gardening. But I will have to make some profit in order to fund it all, Do you think the idea of starting mini allotments and hanging baskets/pots with fruit & veg will be the sort of thing to attract people or do you think i'll be wasting my time?

 

If you are on a low income, I would recommend using your local library instead of purchasing books (at this stage, anyway)

Not quite sure how you will make money on it to be honest; garden centres, Sainsbury's, B&Q and their like already sell a range of plants in pots in their grow your own range and to make your business viable you would need to be competitive in your pricing.

Having said that, people may prefer your "personal" touch and having baskets/pots made up to their specifications.

 

i picked up a couple of useful books yesterday whilst having a blood test at the hospital, "The bulb expert" one of the Hessayon books, and an RHS Practical on annuals and biennials, 50p each.
I always browse the book stalls, and charity shops have some as well, plants never change, only varieties ,so i personally think it doesn`t matter if book 10 years old.

 

I think shiney has hit the nail on the head with his advice. I can tell you its great working for yourself but making a living is very hard. I am lucky in that I live with parents so dont have the usual expences to pay out. I can say an accountant is a must and gives piece of mind that you are legal. I pay £300 a year for mine, paid over 6 months and he takes care of everything including tax returns.

If you are thinking of selling at car boots you might be disappointed. Our local ones are mostly visited by city dwellers and usually of a foreign nationality. They neither have the space or willing to pay someone else for something they can do cheaper.

 

Hey guys, Hope your all ok and thanks for the replies!

Using libraries or buying second hand books are very good ideas actually! Wish i'd think of such things! :( I get excited over ideas too quickly and waste money on things which I shouldn't.

The general maintenance in gardens I have done during the past year of my apprenticeship I haven't really enjoyed. Due to many factors ranging from very sore feet (as my employers only payed £5 for my boots and refused to pay more!) to the long wet cold days of just cutting the same plots of grass day after day.

I enjoy doing different things, any planting/growing I have done though minimal has been very enjoyable. I loved knowing that I have grown these things! I don't enjoy doing the same gardens over and over. :( I like to create new ideas and see them in action, I think I would enjoy landscape gardening more but my hopes have faded away as the course has continued and I have realized that basically they have used me for cheap labour and nothing more. I am under the understanding that you need to have a decent knowledge of plants and things to go into landscaping, and this apprenticeship has provided nothing.

My uncle has had an allotment for as long as i remember so going to speak to him this weekend about it and maybe be like business partners if it happens.

Thank you very much for the realistic approach, I think maybe I have thought that people would be more interested in the products than they actually will. I will still try and follow through with this idea but may have to try a different approach.

And as for an accountant I would have no idea of how to contact one without it costing a fortune! :( I will do some more research into this as this isn't something I have really thought about!

A big thanks for the help guys!
Chris.

 

Hey guys, advertised my idea on a local selling page around my area! getting a lot of positive feedback and even got offered a landscaping job!!! Unfortunately I cannot drive yet so he cannot take me on but very, very good news!

 

Leaf beet spinach? I used to grow that when I shared an allotment (before my shoulder, knee and back got too bad) and well worth the effort! I could make a Lasagne with a carrier bagful of spinach in just one layer and it was sublime!

 

THAT sounds nice

 

The aches and pains or the Lasagne!!!!