how long does it take until a palm nursery is profitable? is it a good businness in Australia?

[Brandon39.5]

Hey, I'm just wondering if a palm and other plants nursery would be a good business. Because I would like to study horticulture and maybe have a nursery near Brisbane and Sunshine coast, but I don't know, Anyone knows how's the demand on exotic palms and plants on that area of Australia? How long would it take until you start making money? Would you need a lot of money when you start off? How do you even open up a nursery? If anyone has any kind of information about this matter, it would help me a lot. Thanks

 

[Daryl]

There was a general backlash about growing palms in this region a few years ago. Now that we have regular rainfall again, they are more in vogue again. The general public do still buy nicer species, surprisingly. Not too many commercial palm nurseries here now. Most rare stuff is grown and sold by backyard nurseries or not open to the public style nurseries.  A retail palm only nursery would be difficult to keep alive. If you want to have a more diverse range of plants, then possibly. There are still a few nurseries left in this area but slowly they have all closed down. The trouble is the big box stores provide all of the common cheap plants, and small nurseries can't compete on price and still keep profitable. There used to be lots around...now just a handful. Also most retail nurseries here bring their stock down from Far North Queensland as growth is much faster. And the quicker you can grow and sell a plant the more profit you make on it....that is business after all.

[happypalms]

Good question your basically looking at at least 5 years before you start to recover some of your cost but with prices in Australia you’re up against a lot of things as it’s more expensive now for basically everything you need to start up soil pots seeds or seedlings that doesn’t include infrastructure and running costs electricity labour some growers make more out of just germinating seeds or seedlings than a nursery but you need to find buyers of your seedlings no big running cost or growing exspense as Darryl said the drought affected plant sales with the public and gardening shows pushing for dry tolerant plants that are absolutely generic boring plants let’s see those budget makeover gardens in 5 years time there is a collectors market you will need to do all your  own sales marketing using any media format available right down to word of mouth and basically selling your palms yourself you will need to be a salesman it depends what palm varieties you are growing as well and to what target market your after then there is the competition for sales among other growers you don’t do it for a business you do for the love of palms only and you need to stick at it iam currently setting up my second palm nursery after 20 years from my last nursery (life got in the way) also with import restrictions on seeds years ago it was just bring a suitcase full of seeds now you have to find a seller of seeds who has the correct paperwork palms are not what you know but who you know with local seed production of common varieties your limited on what is available there are not to many Johannesteijsmannia palms setting seeds  in Australia and if there was they are soon traded or sold among other established growers or friends like  I said not what you know but who you know my advice forget about a retail business just go hobby growing and build it from there if you stick with it in 10 years time you will have a business to be proud of do it because you love palms not money and it will all fall into place good luck 🌱

[Harry’s Palms]

There was a huge commercial palm nursery here in my area (I know nothing about Australia) . They focused on Howea Foresteriana and shipped hundreds or thousands of these palms out every day , the largest Kentia farm in the US I believe. They were very nice folks , brother and sister , second generation and well established with field grown specimens for sale as well. The greenhouses were huge and seemed to go for miles! They decided to start a retail outlet in one of the buildings and started bringing in other palms and tropical looking plants that would grow in our area. I used to love going there , looking and buying stuff. Garden related statuary, etc. The prices were near wholesale as they had such a huge purchasing power. It didn’t last more than a year. The brother and sister are gone now and no one wanted to continue the wholesale business so it sold to a corporation that has no interest in palms. The field grown Kentia are still there getting larger , some are not looking so good. It is sad when I drive by as they were one of a few folks who I would visit from time to time , selling seeds and buying small palms with the money. I knew where a few mature palms were that produced copious amounts of seed. It was a great introduction to palms , for me. Harry

[Tyrone]

Just reading what others have said, I think it’s best to start small. This will require another income stream to pay for your cost of living (search Australia’s cost of living online so your eyes are wide open first), and provide an income to acquire suitable land with access to cheap water. Water is what you need in a nursery. Without it you are finished before you start. You also will need to create some infrastructure, poly tunnels, irrigation etc. As with most of us palm lovers who go down this path, we are motivated by passion for plants, more than a passion for making money. If we were driven to make squillions we would be doing something else. But the reality is, money always is part of the equation. As Richard has said, be prepared to plow money into it for around 5 years before you start being able to sell things. If you go down this path it’s because you love palms and plants so if you can follow your passion and still turn a profit that’s great. Australia needs more specialist nurseries because they are dying out. Once you get going, please be prepared to sell to Western Australia. Almost no eastern states nurseries do any more. 

[peachy]

10 hours ago, Tyrone said:

Just reading what others have said, I think it’s best to start small. This will require another income stream to pay for your cost of living (search Australia’s cost of living online so your eyes are wide open first), and provide an income to acquire suitable land with access to cheap water. Water is what you need in a nursery. Without it you are finished before you start. You also will need to create some infrastructure, poly tunnels, irrigation etc. As with most of us palm lovers who go down this path, we are motivated by passion for plants, more than a passion for making money. If we were driven to make squillions we would be doing something else. But the reality is, money always is part of the equation. As Richard has said, be prepared to plow money into it for around 5 years before you start being able to sell things. If you go down this path it’s because you love palms and plants so if you can follow your passion and still turn a profit that’s great. Australia needs more specialist nurseries because they are dying out. Once you get going, please be prepared to sell to Western Australia. Almost no eastern states nurseries do any more. 

Lucky you're so rich Tyrone.

Peachy

[happypalms]

58 minutes ago, peachy said:

Lucky you're so rich Tyrone.

Peachy

 

58 minutes ago, peachy said:

Lucky you're so rich Tyrone.

Peachy

Is Tyron rich peachy hey Tyron how many joeys you want I will send to WA as many as  you want 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[SeanK]

Stateside it's a tough go. The big-bix stores demand that growers eat losses for plants dying at the stores or with customers. Warranties last a whole year.

As palms don't grow from cuttings, it's a slow process with a minimum 2-years just for a 6 to 8 inch plant.  Five years before planting in the ground.

[Tyrone]

10 hours ago, peachy said:

Lucky you're so rich Tyrone.

Peachy

???? I wish. 

[Tyrone]

6 hours ago, SeanK said:

Stateside it's a tough go. The big-bix stores demand that growers eat losses for plants dying at the stores or with customers. Warranties last a whole year.

As palms don't grow from cuttings, it's a slow process with a minimum 2-years just for a 6 to 8 inch plant.  Five years before planting in the ground.

That’s the same here. Big box stores do not lose but they make the customer think they are looking after them when in fact it’s the grower who’s looking after the big box stores customer. 

[Tyrone]

9 hours ago, happypalms said:

 

Is Tyron rich peachy hey Tyron how many joeys you want I will send to WA as many as  you want 🤣🤣🤣🤣

No point. They will be shot at the border. 

[peachy]

10 hours ago, happypalms said:

 

Is Tyron rich peachy hey Tyron how many joeys you want I will send to WA as many as  you want 🤣🤣🤣🤣

You aren't allowed to post plants to WA but he can afford send a limo to pick them up from your place.

 

[peachy]

14 minutes ago, Tyrone said:

No point. They will be shot at the border. 

I might have to borrow Colin's yacht and start a smuggling service to Tassie and WA

Peachy

[happypalms]

6 hours ago, peachy said:

You aren't allowed to post plants to WA but he can afford send a limo to pick them up from your place.

 

J

 

6 hours ago, peachy said:

You aren't allowed to post plants to WA but he can afford send a limo to pick them up from your place.

 

forget the limo go express get the Ferrari out of the shed Tyron pick up only 🤣

[happypalms]

6 hours ago, Tyrone said:

No point. They will be shot at the border. 

We will fly them in in peachys helicopter 🚁