- Seeding cells
- Seeding trays
- Growing medium/potting soil mix
- Heating mats (ideally)
- Light (ideally)
- Seeds
- Labels
- Permanent marker
- Notebook for keeping notes and consulting crop plan
Fertility equipment (my soil is very coarse sand)
- Compost
- Horse Manure (lowest quality manure, but available for free)
- Soil
- Peat moss
- Pelletized chicken manure or blood meal (ideally)
- Truck (rent or borrow)
Season Extension equipment
- Floating rowcovers
- low tunnel/unheated greenhouse
- Transplants
Irrigation equipment
- 150 feet of hose
- Sprinkler
- Timer for watering
- Drip irrigation for greenhouse crops
Harvest equipment
- Pulp berry baskets of varying sizes
- Stackable perforated harvest bins for picking and delivery to market
- Unperforated bins for washing root vegetables
- Elastic bands for Asparagus and other bunching vegetables
- Harvest cart
- Hose nozzle for cleaning
- Cold room (ideally)
Market supplies
- Signs
- Labels
- Tent shelter
- Folding table
- Table cloths
- Cashbox
- Cash & change
As I hinted to a few posts ago, I am starting my own market gardening business. My orchard will begin producing small quantities of fruit this year and I will grow annual vegetables. I have started selling houseplants in a local store already and preparing for a busy season as a market gardener. This is all made possible by maintaining a part time job 20 hours per week. Income from the first year can be disappointing as mistakes are made but these are how we learn.
The above is my shopping list for what I need to start my business. This list continues to grow as I remember other indispensable items (feel free to comment anything I have forgotten). I have already purchased many of these items, and am still looking/shopping around for others. Those with "ideally" in brackets are items which I might not get around to purchasing this year.
Risk is inevitable in business. Nothing comes for free, and making a living self-employed requires investment. The returns will hopefully exceed what you can expect as an employee but putting in a few years of hard work is as inevitable as spending some money.
