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Veg selling

rlewrlew Posts: 73
in Problem solving
I had an idea to start producing and selling my own veg, specifically lettuces to start with of sorts but as I have no business acumen I don't know how I'd go about dipping my toes into it. I see Morrisons are selling 60g bags of peashoots for a £1. It's all about making it viable I guess... Any help / advice would be nice. 
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  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    Where would you be growing your vegetables? How much space have you got?
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • philippasmith2philippasmith2 Posts: 3,742
    One way to dip your toes in would be to take your veg to a car boot sale or your local market.  The latter would obviously entail a bit of outlay ( hire of stall ) so the car boot would be best if you have one near enough.
    Are you growing your veg in a private garden ?  If so, you could always put a sign out "Veg for Sale" but you would need to make sure that you will be acting within any local laws/regulations.
    If you think you may then like to go further, don't forget the Tax issues which could be involved.
    Good luck  :)  
  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    The National Trust ask between £1.00 and £1.50p and give helpful suggestions on how much too.
    I have bought veg from their walled garden at Clumber Park. In the past they asked for a donation but this year have introduced this new scheme.
    What I couldn't understand was very few people would take it up in the past but this year it has been more popular, I guess due to the price of food.
    I had some celery and sweetcorn the other day, straight from the ground, who needs a visit to a restaurant when food is that good.

    I have regularly sold plants in the past sometimes at car boots but also charity and gardening events. The interest can vary enormously from sold out to hardly selling anything. It is hard work but with the fear of food going to waste and making some money worth a go.
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • philippasmith2philippasmith2 Posts: 3,742
    Interesting about the NT @GardenerSuze I used to be a volunteer steward at my local NT property.  They had a shop selling the usual souvenir products and plants too but no option for people to sell their own produce. That was some 20 years ago tho so nice to know they have introduced this scheme.
     
  • rlewrlew Posts: 73
    B3 said:
    Where would you be growing your vegetables? How much space have you got?

    philippasmith2 said:
    One way to dip your toes in would be to take your veg to a car boot sale or your local market.  The latter would obviously entail a bit of outlay ( hire of stall ) so the car boot would be best if you have one near enough.
    Are you growing your veg in a private garden ?  If so, you could always put a sign out "Veg for Sale" but you would need to make sure that you will be acting within any local laws/regulations.
    If you think you may then like to go further, don't forget the Tax issues which could be involved.
    Good luck  :)  

    B3 said:
    Where would you be growing your vegetables? How much space have you got?



    [B]I've been at work, sorry for late reply. I've a decent size garden and have quite a few raised veg planters I can use which can each hold about 8 to 12 iceberg lettuce[/B]
  • rlewrlew Posts: 73
    I've been at work, sorry for late reply. I've a decent size garden and have quite a few raised veg planters I can use which can each hold about 8 to 12 iceberg lettuce
  • scrogginscroggin Posts: 437
    When I've visited local markets etc, where independent grower's are selling fruit n veg, they tend to concentrate on higher value produce where there is a better profit margin. Things such as soft fruit and veg where homegrown has a significant improvement in freshness and flavour than supermarket products. 
  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    @phillippasmith2 Sorry if I didn't explain it well. All the produce was grown in the walled garden it's self. I think they thought they needed to introduce a pricing scheme.
    I would love to volunteer there just too far away but always worth a visit.
    Don't know if it is true but I was told the longest greenhouse in the country.

    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • rlewrlew Posts: 73
    pansyface said:
    The thing that I always thank myself for planting is blueberries.

    They need acid soil, so I grow them in really big plastic pots, but apart from that they are almost maintenance free.

    From the three established bushes (three or four years old) I get many kilos of fruit. The new bushes (bought from the Co-op’s sale corner as tiddlers last year) are already producing a few handsful each.

    Go to the big supermarket websites and look at the price. Anything from £11 a kilo to £20 a kilo. 
    I had some pink lemonade variety Blueberry bushes a while ago, perhaps I should start again with them. Was just a wild thought about the selling my own veg. Don't think I've properly thought it through. 
  • EmptyheadtimeEmptyheadtime Posts: 366
    pansyface said:
    The thing that I always thank myself for planting is blueberries.

    They need acid soil, so I grow them in really big plastic pots, but apart from that they are almost maintenance free.

    From the three established bushes (three or four years old) I get many kilos of fruit. The new bushes (bought from the Co-op’s sale corner as tiddlers last year) are already producing a few handsful each.

    Go to the big supermarket websites and look at the price. Anything from £11 a kilo to £20 a kilo. 
    How do you stop the birds? I have had 2 plants for a number of years and I don’t think I have eaten any yet. They produce well but the birds strip them so I just accept I am growing them for the birds now.
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