Growing Plants for Fun and Profit
Turn
your love of plants into an enjoyable and profitable home business. Learn how to
grow and market plants on a small scale without major capital investment. In an
area as small as 1000 sq. ft., you can generate thousands of dollars worth of
plant material in a single growing season. This course is your practical guide
to licensing, site preparation, equipment, how and where to find supplies, how
to select and produce plants appropriate to your climate zone, how to produce
quality material and, most importantly, how to market your product.
To enroll in this course, click the Enroll Now button below:
Requirements:
Internet access, E-mail, and the Microsoft Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox Web browser.
Syllabus:
All courses run for six weeks, with a two-week grace period at the end. Two
lessons are released each week for the six-week duration of the course. You do
not have to be present when the lesson is released, but you must complete each
lesson within two weeks of its release.
A new section of each course starts on the second or third Wednesday of each
month. If enrolling in a series of two or more courses, please be sure to space
the start date for each course at least two months apart.
| Week One |
| Wednesday - Lesson 01 |
| In our first lesson, you'll meet other gardeners
who've successfully made the transition to nurserymen. You may be
surprised to discover that, within the small space of a backyard, you
can produce significant income by growing plants. You'll also learn what
permits and licenses you may need as you get started. |
| Friday - Lesson 02 |
| Today, we'll take a close look at climate zone maps
to help you figure out what plants will grow best in your region. Then
we'll teach you easy ways to prepare your growing grounds. Finally,
we'll show you ways to create inexpensive microclimates that will help
you start your plants and expand the varieties you can grow. |
| Week Two |
| Wednesday - Lesson 03 |
| In this lesson, you'll learn what production supplies
you'll need and how to find wholesale sources for them. We'll discuss
cover containers, soil, fertilizer, and labels. Then we'll talk about
why it's important to keep track of your expenses for tax purposes.
|
| Friday - Lesson 04 |
| Starting new plants is one of the most exciting and
rewarding experiences for gardeners and nurseryman alike. The process of
starting new plants is called propagation. In this lesson, we'll focus
on the three major methods used in nursery production: propagation by
seed, cuttings, and division. |
| Week Three |
| Wednesday - Lesson 05 |
| In this lesson, we'll teach you the most valuable
lesson we've learned in this business: How to reduce the waiting time
involved in growing plant material. You'll learn what types of starter
plants are available and how to find wholesale sources. We'll also offer
some valuable guidelines to help you decide what to grow. Then we'll
talk about how to find additional sources of information and business
networking opportunities through nurserymen associations and trade
shows. |
| Friday - Lesson 06 |
| In this lesson, we'll focus on growing annual flowers
and bulbs, paying special attention to market timing. You'll learn how
to create high-value items such as color bowls and hanging baskets. Then
we'll discuss vegetable starter plants and herbs. Specializing in
organic growing will help you tap into a lucrative area of the nursery
trade, so we'll fill you in on all you need to know about organic
growing and certification. |
| Week Four |
| Wednesday - Lesson 07 |
| In this lesson, we'll focus on one of the hottest
topics in gardening: The particular group of non-woody plants that
nurseries call “perennials.” You'll become familiar not only with the
favorites, but with the wide variety of perennials available. Then we'll
go over some detailed information about specific perennials, including
how to grow them and how to time them for market. |
| Friday - Lesson 08 |
| Today we'll talk about woody plants--such as shrubs
and vines--that form the more permanent plantings in a landscape. We'll
pay particular attention to roses because they're among the most
beautiful and profitable shrubs. In addition, you'll learn how to grow
small fruiting shrubs and vines for specialty markets. |
| Week Five |
| Wednesday - Lesson 09 |
| Trees may be the largest members of the plant
kingdom, but they're also among the easiest and most profitable to grow.
In this lesson, you'll not only learn how to propagate landscape trees,
but how to greatly shorten their growing time by buying bare-root
seedlings and finished bare-roots. We'll complete the lesson with a
discussion on fruiting and flowering trees. |
| Friday - Lesson 10 |
| Whether you're growing plants for fun or profit,
you'll want to produce quality plant material. In this lesson, we'll
provide guidelines for quality standards. You'll learn about pruning,
staking, and training plants into special shapes and forms. We'll also
talk about methods you can use to ward off diseases and pests. |
| Week Six |
| Wednesday - Lesson 11 |
| If you're like most gardeners, growing plants is the
easy part—marketing is the real challenge! In this lesson, we'll begin
with a discussion on wholesale marketing. You'll learn all you need to
know to do business with discount chain stores, local retailers, and
landscapers. Then we'll explore consignment selling, contract growing,
and business-to-business Internet options. |
| Friday - Lesson 12 |
| In our final lesson, we'll discuss retail marketing, or taking your product directly to the public. You'll learn how to advertise inexpensively and effectively so you're not just growing plants, you're growing your business! We'll explain what you'll need to know to sell your plants from your home or garage sales, certified farmers markets, and flea markets. Then we'll discuss selling your plants to government or public agencies. |
To enroll in this course, click the Enroll Now button below:
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