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The title of this section may seem somewhat sensationalized. But, I can assure you, my private label potting soil has truly been a gold mine for the past 45 years. And I expect to continue mining this bonanza for many years to come. My small retail plant store easily sells over $20,000 worth of potting soil every year. Since I manufacture my own brand of soil from very inexpensive ingredients, this means a clear profit of about $13,500.00 each year from selling this product. If this yearly profit is multiplied times the 50 years I expect to be in business, notice that the resulting lifetime profit is a truly significant sum of $675,000. This is enough money to make a real difference in how enjoyable your life is. Some of you may wish to point out that similar results could be obtained by selling any brand of potting soil.. This is true to some extent, but, as I hope to point out soon, both total sales and the profit percentage with private label potting soils usually far exceed the results of “any old brand.” Private label potting soil represents a small proportion of total merchandise sales for my business, but the profits it generates are 2-3 times what can be reasonably expected from other product lines of similar sales volume. This section will be somewhat more detailed than previous ones because the specialized information is not (to my knowledge) available from any other source, and there is a good amount of specific data you need in order to assure that your private label potting soil becomes a true goldmine. All the details are included because I consider them an integral part of the whole concept; please carefully consider any changes you make, and try to estimate how they may affect the total program. A wise person always evaluates whether or not some changes are appropriate under their unique business and production conditions, but only a fool pays for information and then fails to utilize it to the fullest extent possible. The information in this section will generate exceptional profits over the years, and it will allow you to realize these profits quickly, easily, and surely—but you must study the details carefully, and make sure each step is implemented in a responsible manner. I have spent the better part of my adult life learning how to make money from all types of activity involving ornamental plants, and some of the lessons I learned by trial and error were extremely expensive. In this section, I am offering you one of my very best money making programs—but only you can carry it to completion. A bit of explanation concerning the word “soil” is in order before we proceed further. Natural garden or field soil is seldom used nowadays as the major ingredient for growing ornamental container plants. The potting medias generally in use at present are made from a combination of ingredients (natural soil may be one of those chosen), which, when blended together, provide better plant growing conditions than could be obtained with most natural soils. The reasons for this switch to “modified” soils are rather involved—but most importantly they allow plants to grow more uniformly and vigorously in containers and restricted garden areas. The potting soils mentioned later are representative of the blended “modified” type. FGR_149: Private label potting soil is an excellent supplemental source of income. WHY IS PRIVATE LABEL POTTING SOIL BETTER? Selling potting soil in your plant related business can be very profitable. But it’s important for you to understand why personally manufactured potting soils can be much more profitable than selling ordinary brands available from commercial producers. First and foremost among the reasons is that you can generally make a much better product for customers at less than 1/2 the cost of commercial brands. This is the main reason I began manufacturing my own potting soil over 30 years ago. My customers are happier because their plants grow better, and I am pleased because I pocket all the savings realized in manufacturing and shipping. Transportation to your store from distant sources can often add 40% to the cost of bulky and heavy potting soils. If you use locally available ingredients, this shipping cost can be trimmed to the point of being negligible. Incidentally, after my customers became convinced that our private label soil was much better, I raised the price considerably over that of common commercial brands—thereby increasing my profit margin to the point where it’s almost ridiculous. And customers still happily purchase tons of it because it really is superior. This soil is such a good deal for me that, given a choice, I would rather make it than grow plants. In addition, manufacturing potting soil on-site gives you complete control over a product line which is important to your overall business success. When purchasing commercial brands, you will often find that certain ones are out of stock at times when you could be selling a lot— or they may be short of sizes needed—thereby reducing your sales volume. And worse yet, after convincing customers that a certain brand is good—it may become unavailable. When it comes to potting soil, it makes good business sense to assure yourself of a convenient and steady supply of high quality products. You can accomplish this goal with a minimum of expense and work. Over and above the goodwill private label potting soil can generate because it’s a superior plant growing medium, it will also enhance your professional image among customers. They naturally assume that all your plants and products are of equal caliber. This customer loyalty quickly translates into bigger profits for your entire business. And, if you prominently label all bags as being a product of your home county or town, many people will purchase simply because they prefer to support local industry. Finally, you can use potting soil containers to advertise your plant business. This is done directly by making sure the main drawing points of your business are prominently mentioned on the bags. A good product label with detailed and accurate directions about how to use the soil and how to grow good plants is an indirect advertising avenue; customers will appreciate the extra care which you have given towards solving their problems. Eventually, you may be so successful with potting soil that you start thinking about selling it to other plant stores and mass merchandisers. While this may or may not be an appropriate action in your particular circumstances, I caution you to think it over carefully before going this route. Most of the advantages listed here for private label potting soils are valid as they relate to individual plant businesses or small chains of stores which specialize in plant products. The large chain stores are primarily interested in a cheap product which can be shipped to all their stores. Even if the chain buyers knew what good potting soil was, they would probably worry more about price than quality. Long ago I experimented with selling my potting soil to large stores in a number of states. Without going into details, this project was not worth the headaches it created. I have since been content with reaping the good profits potting soil generates at my own retail business. Sometimes I take on additional wholesale business from florists and garden stores that come to purchase plants from my greenhouse, but only if they are interested in purchasing good soil at a price which is profitable to me. POSSIBLE POTTING SOIL HEADACHES Although private label potting soil is a good business project for almost anyone who already owns or who will be starting a plant related business, there are a few potential problems which should be brought to your attention. Most of the difficulties mentioned are quite minor and can be solved simply by being aware of them as you make plans; a few problems are more serious but still rather easily solved by several hours work and a small monetary outlay. Please carefully address each of the points mentioned below since even minor difficulties can eventually become major problems if they are not attended to properly. Some may even cause the failure of an otherwise sound program. Also understand that there may be potential problems or regulations which I have never encountered; you must be aware that unanticipated situations and circumstances arise from time to time. == FGR_153: Front Design Sample -- The actual bag is in four-color print. This is the smallest weight bag I make. == FGR_154: Label Sample Use this as a guide if you wish. Note: I make no mention of food or plant fertilizer. == Developing a private label potting soil program should be thought of as a long term project. It will probably become a good profit center for many years to come; therefore, you should be very conscientious with each detail of manufacturing and marketing, and you should devote adequate research to assure success. In many cases, the information you need may be presented here, but some of you will undoubtedly need to implement additional or alternative methods in order to develop the most successful program possible for specific circumstances. Develop strategy: The first thing you should do when developing a private label potting soil program is to think out a coherent and sensible strategy of operation. Basically, this means you must be sure of what you want to do and how you plan to accomplish it. Every operation is unique to some degree simply because circumstances vary slightly at different times and places. Use the information given here as a guide for developing your strategy, but always remember that you must fine tune each aspect of your personal circumstances. A poorly conceived basic strategy can nullify every future action. The customer is king: Although there are many reasons why you should consider implementing a private label potting soil program, no aspect is more important than making sure the product pleases your customers. You can never make a long term profit (much less big profits) unless the ultimate user is happy. Basically, this means your potting soil must grow better plants than any other product they have used. It must also look and feel good, and it must be available in sizes and formulations which meet their needs. You must provide adequate information which allows your customers to conveniently use the product in a proper manner. Government regulations: Everyone is aware that governmental regulations affect all aspects of our lives—even down to the level of plain old “dirt.” Yes, you must comply with various laws and rules when you manufacture and sell potting soil. Most of these regulations are promulgated by your own state government, but there may be occasions when federal laws are involved (the latter case is true generally only if your soil contains a federally regulated substance such as soil pesticides). I will point out the most likely regulatory areas which you should investigate but you must understand I am not a qualified expert in all 50 states. It’s ultimately your responsibility to make sure you are completely meeting all regulatory obligations. Generally, the state department of agriculture is responsible for administrating the laws governing potting soil and fertilizers. But, to be safe, you should be sure to ask that agency if there may be other departments to contact. Some states have separate departments of weights and measures which are responsible for assuring that all products are accurately represented in that respect. Be thorough in checking out possible regulations which may apply—the ones you know about ahead of time are generally easy to comply with or to avoid altogether by using alternate methods of manufacture or packaging. But the ones which surprise you could prove extremely troublesome once you have already begun a particular method of production. The state of Georgia is the only one I know of which has enacted a set of comprehensive laws governing potting soils and related products. Other states may soon follow. Most states have only a few basic rules which are sometimes haphazardly enforced—but don’t take a chance: learn the requirements and comply with them. Inmost cases it’s relatively easy and inexpensive to do so, and the laboratory information you must provide for documentation is often very helpful for your own information. The question of laboratory tests will be discussed in more detail later. One aspect of potting soils which is sometimes troublesome from a regulatory standpoint is that of the nutrient (fertilizer) content. Most states are very careful to regulate what they consider to be plant foods or fertilizers, and most also require that you have a license to legally transact business in these products. But the several states in which I have done business have only minimal laws concerning potting soil (mostly concerned with accurate measurement). Therefore, it makes sense to avoid any reference to fertilizer or plant food in your advertising or upon labels. By using slightly different wording, you may be able to avoid significant regulations and the expense of purchasing a license. The only way you can positively be certain in this respect is to obtain a copy of the pertinent regulations and read them carefully—this is simply a word game, but you must take it seriously to avoid trouble in the future. As regards weights and measures, I always weigh every bag of potting soil we produce—but in order to avoid purchasing an expensive state approved scale, workers are instructed to add 10% extra product over what the bag states. This assures that the customer gets more than bargained for and allows production employees to weigh more quickly. This strategy saves time, gives the customer extra soil, and satisfies the regulators. Everyone is happy. The ingredients are so inexpensive that I save money because it takes less time to weigh the sacks. If you wish to measure and represent your soil by volume, please be aware that potting soil can expand or contract significantly in shipment, storage, and display. Therefore, you may measure it carefully by volume but still be in violation of the laws when state personnel perform their measurement. I prefer to weigh because there is little chance of weight deviation once the soil is inside a plastic bag which prevents moisture loss. You should avoid the use of soil pesticides or fungicides in any potting soils. This is the “kiss of death” because you immediately become subject to regulation by the federal EPA (Environmental Protection Agency). Complying with their rules is generally very expensive so that only larger companies which specialize in pesticide production can afford the cost. There are valid reasons for incorporating pesticides and fungicides into soil under certain situations, but none of them make practical or economic sense as regards private label potting soils intended for general public use. One other subject which you should be aware of is that of trademark infringement. Don’t deliberately copy some other product’s name, especially if it relates in some way to plants or soil. If you simply must use a name you know has been used previously, check carefully to be sure it has not been trademarked or copyrighted. This is an involved process and can often be expensive. Unknowingly choosing a trademarked name is unlikely unless you consciously try to do so. If this happens by chance, it’s even more unlikely that it will be noticed if your soil is used only locally. In the extremely improbable event that someone objects to your accidental trademark infringement, you will have to agree to change the name on your labels. Making potting soil can be dusty and dirty work. Be sure to take at least rudimentary precautions for your own and your workers’ health. Don’t mix powder dry soil so that the dust becomes dangerous. And make sure that everyone wears safety glasses if there is any chance that dirt may enter the eye. Some ingredients like perlite must be handled more carefully to avoid the entry of airborne particles into the lungs. Use your common sense! If you mix soil in large amounts on a more or less daily basis, you should develop a detailed safety plan for all workers who are directly involved in the process. The problem of profit: Even if your potting soil is the best there is, it won’t be a success unless it’s manufactured, priced, and marketed in a manner which yields a good profit. I will touch upon some manufacturing costs and pricing details here, and then finish up the subject when marketing aspects are discussed at the end of the section. Totaling up the manufacturing costs is relatively straight forward. Simply get together all the costs for materials, bags, labor, facilities, and machines you use, and then determine how much these items cost per bag of soil produced. I find the easiest way to do this is to make up a reasonable size batch of about 100 bags of soil, then add up the total cost of producing that batch. This cost divided by the exact number of bags produced will equal your production cost per bag. Don’t forget to add a development cost into your totals. The price of this book, your time spent studying it, and any other preliminary expenses such as laboratory testing, licenses, and time spent complying with regulations should all be charged off as a development cost. Some guess work is involved in this process because, although you may be able to determine total development costs rather accurately, it’s difficult to say how much of this cost should be attributed to each batch or each bag. Usually, I just take the total development cost and divide it by a rough guess of how many bags will be produced in the first 2 years. This gives development cost per bag for the first 2 years of production, after which you may want to eliminate this category from your cost estimates, or just leave it in and pocket the extra money as one of the many benefits of your labors. It may also be a little difficult to arrive at accurate figures for the cost of facilities since you will probably use some existing building which you own or rent. After all, it only takes a few hours to make several hundred bags of soil—there is no need to have a special building for this job. In this case, just charge a daily or hourly facilities fee against each batch of soil you make. Labor will most likely be the largest cost so be sure you spend adequate time in finding out exactly how much per hour to charge for it. And always be sure you charge a fair hourly wage for any work you or your family contributes towards making soil. All through this section I have been assuming that readers either operate or will operate a plant or garden related business—in other words, I assume you have a means of selling the potting soil you produce. It doesn’t make much sense (on the retail level particularly) to set up an entire business specifically to sell potting soil. This activity is meant simply as a profitable addition to your main business of selling plants or plant related material. I mention this mainly in order to be certain every reader knows how this information should be interpreted (as a means of adding a profitable product line, not as a stand alone business) but also so that you become aware that normal marketing costs are associated with your potting soil program. If you are to realize a profit, you must “mark up” your soil at the wholesale level (production) and again at the retail level. If the cost of production is $1.00 per bag, then I charge $2.00 when selling wholesale and $4.00 when selling retail. In other words, I want to double my cost of production and double my cost of purchasing soil from myself. This “mark up” structure has proven profitable to me over the years, but you may want to use a different “mark up.” Your “mark ups” should provide adequate room for marketing costs plus a healthy profit. When you both produce and then sell the soil at retail, you are entitled to a profit at both the wholesale and retail levels. Only you can determine what “mark up” is sufficient for your particular operation, but, personally, I don’t like to work for peanuts, and I refuse to accept less “mark up” than was mentioned above. Realizing a decent profit on your potting soil should not be a problem if you diligently study the costs involved, apply the proper “mark ups,” and restrict your marketing to the retail situations I have mentioned. If you want to sell large volumes to other dealers at wholesale, then you may encounter difficulties obtaining a high enough price to make the project a money maker. Many wholesale buyers won’t pay the price you need. As mentioned previously, my advice is to restrict your wholesale activity to smaller stores that recognize the quality of your product and are willing to pay the price you ask. Miscellaneous considerations: Let’s quickly summarize some final points which should help your potting soil operation run more smoothly and profitably. When deciding which ingredients to use in soil, try to choose materials which are in your normal business inventory. For example, if you own a greenhouse and use peat moss regularly, then utilize it for potting soil in preference to some other organic matter source which is not readily available on a daily basis. Set up your soil operation to be as flexible as possible. In other words, don’t purchase expensive machines, millions of bags, or hire a full time crew of workers. These actions lock you into rigid operational methods and big overhead costs which reduce the ability to change things later as you learn more about the business. Your soil making process should be designed so that ordinary workers can easily step in and begin production. Eliminate complicated procedures which require specialized knowledge. You want the whole process to be as automatic as possible in the future so you don’t have to be around to supervise the making of every bag. Finally, pay attention to quality control aspects such as weeds, diseases, and moisture content. If you aren’t careful, weed seed and various diseases can easily be introduced via the ingredients or sloppy manufacturing methods. And the moisture content of soil can fluctuate wildly unless steps are taken to control it. This is important because moisture content affects the storage qualities and appearance of the product. It will also affect the weight of bags considerably. THE FIRST STEPS Before you begin making potting soil, there are several decisions and preliminary steps which should be carefully considered. Some of these have been mentioned previously, but it will be helpful to summarize them now. • Make sure you have a detailed marketing plan. Project how, when, where, and how much soil you will be selling. Some of this information will be reasonably well known, but some of it will be only an educated guess. However, a thoughtful estimate is better than no thought at all. • Decide all of the major functions which your potting soils and related products must perform for customers. In other words what will customers be using them for? Growing house plants? Growing garden plants? Seed germination? Cutting production? etc. • Based upon these major functions, what different types of soil and related products do you need to offer? And in what size packages do you need to offer them? What will be the price of each type and size? • Locate sources for and choose the sizes and types of soil bags you will need. Get them locally if possible. The better quality zip-lock bags and compactor bags may be suitable if you don’t plan large production runs. Most towns will have a distributor who can supply you with all sizes and strengths of plastic bags, and you will want to use these more specialized bags if you plan to sell a considerable amount of soil. Every large city has manufacturers and major wholesalers of every type bag you might need to Google. Generally, you will want to use standard bags unless you plan extremely large production runs of soil. I have contracted bag manufacturers to design and produce special bags for my line of soil—these bags make the product look much nicer. But this is an expensive process initially, and you won’t want to consider it until you know exactly what your needs will be. In order to get these special bags at a good price, I must often order a production run that may last br 5 years. This means I can’t change sizes or design for that period of time without discarding my previous hag inventory. The company listed below can supply you with various types of soil bags’ at reasonable prices—they aren’t the cheapest, but they do riot require large production runs either. I use them for special sizes for which I won’t need large numbers. FGR_165: Peat moss supply stack. There are several technical considerations about bags of which you should be aware. Of course you want the cheapest bag possible, but it must fulfill certain requirements. Is it strong enough? Will you be able to seal it easily and quickly? Does it resist degradation from sunlight (this is important if soil will be displayed outdoors for long periods)? Is it always available? Is it suitable for the labels you plan to use? Developing a good label for your soil is an important long term consideration. Your label not only provides the initial impulse for consumers to notice the soil, it’s the means by which you convey all the necessary information about how to use the product properly. This information will, in large part, determine how successful customers are in growing their plants—and how happy they are with your soil. A reduced size black and white representation of the label I use on one of my soil products was previously shown. This label is printed right on the bag, but, initially, you will probably want to order gummed labels which you can stick to the bag. This is a cheaper and more flexible way of getting started. Your instructions can be enclosed in a small plastic envelope which is tied to the bag or which is stuck to the bag. All these items are readily available locally from print shops and stationary stores.
MAKING POTTING SOIL SUCCESSFULLY The information given below provides the basic criteria to use when choosing potting soil ingredients, and it gives actual step-by-step instructions for manufacturing specific soils which might be utilized in your program. Some of this information is based upon common sense and can be modified to suit individual circumstances. Other aspects of the information, particularly as it relates to soil formulas, is based upon physical and chemical properties of soil ingredients and should not be modified without reference to the underlying technical principles. An easily understood summary of these technical principles is contained in Greenhouse Gardening (Time-Life Books) in sections dealing with soil, fertilizers, and water. I urge you to study this guide before initiating any potting soil project because it will give you a good general background to interpret how your soil can affect plant growth. If you plan to modify any of the following formulas, Greenhouse Gardening (Time-Life Books) should definitely be consulted for proper guidelines. Choosing ingredients: Many of the criteria which should be used to choose ingredients for your potting soil are sprinkled throughout this section. A brief summary here, however, will get them fixed firmly in mind before we consider actual ingredients and manufacturing. • Ingredients must have properties which lead to superior plant growth when used under the intended circumstances. • Must be safe to use individually or in combination with other ingredients and fulfill all laws, rules, and regulations. • Should be economical to purchase. • Constant availability of ingredients in uniform quality grades is an important consideration. • How the soil looks and feels to customers is important. Ingredients should be chosen to enhance the visual and tactile properties of the finished product. • Both the individual ingredients and the resulting soil must be physically and chemically stable (will not change or degrade appreciably) under prolonged storage (at least 6 months). • Should have properties which don’t impede or complicate the manufacturing process. Locating ingredients: All the necessary ingredients can be easily purchased from wholesale distributors of greenhouse and nursery supplies. If you cannot locate one of these firms in or near your town by using Google, then I would suggest that you purchase a copy of the Andmar Press Guide guide to Wholesale Sources. If you already operate a greenhouse or nursery, it’s likely you have most of the suggested ingredients (or a suitable substitute) in your inventory. This is one reason making potting soil to sell is so profitable for most people who grow plants commercially. Since prices can vary widely, always check out 2 or 3 sources of supply for ingredients. And don’t forget to find out how much freight costs will be—this can be very important in total manufacturing costs. Most potting soil formulas are based upon the major ingredient being sphagnum peat or composted bark. One or the other of these is almost always available in a suitable quality from local discount stores (especially when on sale). Unless you purchase peat or bark in truckload quantities for your basic greenhouse or nursery business, these local discount store sources may be the most economical place to purchase these particular supplies. Alternative ingredients: I have already made reference to the fact that modification and substitution of soil ingredients should be carefully planned. You must have adequate information in order to modify or substitute properly. One alternative to mixing your own soil formula is to purchase large quantities of pre-mixed commercial growing media. These mixes are supplied by numerous manufacturers. Sources can be found in The Guide guide to Wholesale Sources. These commercial growing mixes range from occasionally poor, to mostly adequate, up to occasionally excellent. Just because you purchase them from supposed experts does not mean you are relieved of all responsibility for determining if they are what your customers need and want. Commercial mixes are not cheap (usually at least double the cost of mixing your own soil), but they may be advantageous in certain circumstances. If your state requires extensive and continued testing of soil properties and an expensive annual license, it may be possible to simply purchase large quantities of soil from a licensed manufacturer and repackage it in smaller bags with your brand name or retail store name. The manufacturer may even allow you to continue using their brand name and ingredient list while simply affixing your store name to the bags with a label. In this case, you would almost certainly not have to separately meet state regulations. I’m sure you can easily see the downside of using commercial bulk soil for making your product. It costs a lot more and it’s not blended to meet your special needs. Also, you are relying for supply upon a manufacturer who may or may not be in business next year or who may change the formula at any time. BASIC SOIL FORMULAS Recipes for potting soils and other basic plant or seed mixes are given below. These have worked well for me over many years and have provided excellent results under most circumstances. But just because they work for me doesn’t mean they are perfect for you. Evaluate and test them much like you would any commercially available mix. You have the final responsibility for determining if these recipes meet all the criteria for plant growth, safety, and compliance with regulators. Here are a few important comments about these recipes which you should digest carefully. • They contain only a minimal amount of fertilizers (just enough to get plants off to a healthy start—then the grower must supply adequate mineral or organic fertilizers for continued growth). • They are on the lower end (somewhat acid) of the recommended pH scale this is because the ongoing fertilizers which I generally recommend are often at the high end of the pH scale and most water sources are at the high end also (thus the low original soil pH tends to be balanced eventually by additions of fertilizer and water which are higher in pH). • No micronutrients (chemical elements needed in very small quantities for plant growth) are added to these mixes because natural impurities present in the ingredients and in irrigation water generally provide enough for initial growth. Be sure the ongoing fertilizers you recommend to customers contain micronutrients (they will be listed on the label). • I have occasionally experimented with composted bark as a substitute for the peat moss in these formulas and found no harmful effect. But composted bark quality is notoriously variable from source to source, and I don’t recommend substitution of it in place of sphagnum peat moss unless there is a compelling reason—even then, the effects of the substitution upon plant growth and development should be carefully tested and analyzed. • No soil sterilizing chemicals or techniques are employed because if high grade and clean ingredients are used the resulting soil (although not truly sterile) is clean enough from weeds and diseases for all practical purposes. You must inspect ingredients carefully in this regard. Suggested mix for outdoor garden use: This soil mix is recommended as one which can be used in the pure form for growing plants in containers outdoors or as a mixture with natural garden soil for outdoor containers and restricted garden areas. This mix is the least expensive of those which will be listed and thus is often more appropriate when larger quantities of soil are used for outdoor purposes. It has also proven to be a good general purpose soil for commercial greenhouses and nurseries. This dual purpose capability is very useful in that retail potting soil can be produced almost daily as needed from the greenhouse or nursery stockpile. The pH of this formula is decidedly acid (low)—it is best if fertilizers used after potting with the pure mix are of a basic or alkaline nature (high pH). Limestone can be incorporated at mixing time to raise the pH. 2 compressed bales sphagnum peat (3.8 cubic feet each) 11 cubic feet washed sand (mortar sand) 18 ounces triple superphosphate 5 ounces potassium nitrate (dissolve in 5 gallons of water and distribute evenly) Suggested mix for general purpose indoor plant use This mix is good for almost every type of indoor foliage plant, as it’s the one which relates to the sample directions shown earlier. It can also be used as a good greenhouse, nursery, or outdoor potting soil, but it’s more expensive due to the perlite added. The perlite lets water drain through more readily and also cuts down on the soil weight. The lime is added in order to adjust the pH upward so that customers need not worry greatly if they use an acid reaction fertilizer after potting. Most types of seed that consumers generally handle can be germinated in it easily, but I will also give you a formula which is meant specifically for seed germination. 2 compressed bales sphagnum peat (3.8 cubic feet each) 5 cubic feet washed sand (mortar sand)
4 cubic feet perlite coarse grind (coarser than 6 mesh) 5 pounds calcium carbonate lime 15 ounces triple superphosphate 5 ounces potassium nitrate (dissolve in 5 gallons of water and distribute evenly) Suggested seed germination and cutting mix These formulas are special purpose ones which you likely won’t need to offer on a retail basis unless a real demand is perceived. I don’t sell a large enough retail volume of them to justify making special labels. But I will list the ingredients just in case you have a need. The first formula is for vegetative cuttings and coarser seed, while the second is for fine seed such as raw Petunia, Begonia, and Portulaca seed. 2 compressed bales sphagnum peat (3.8 cubic feet each) 8 cubic feet coarse grind perlite (coarser than 6 mesh) 4 pounds ground limestone (calcium carbonate) 5 ounces potassium nitrate 15 ounces triple superphosphate The second formula is the same except 6 cubic feet of fine mesh vermiculite is substituted for the perlite. Peat should be finely ground. Pure form ingredients sometimes requested by customers Each of the following pure ingredients can sometimes be sold in reasonable volume during the season when people are starting their own garden seeds. There is usually no need to label the bags because demand lasts for only a short while and because the customer generally knows what to look for or they ask for it specifically by name. • Perlite—Coarse grade • Vermiculite—Be sure it’s horticultural grade rather than construction grade. • Washed sand—This is ordinary mortar sand available at local sand and gravel companies. Be sure to use a strong bag if you offer sand for sale. • Sphagnum peat— You will likely offer big bales of this already, but some people want small packages, even if the price is high for the volume. Cautions about ingredients: In order to produce excellent potting soil which does the proper job for your customers, you must select high quality ingredients and utilize them properly. Listed below are some of the more important points concerning this step. • Be sure the peat moss you purchase is labeled as sphagnum moss. To be certain the brand you utilize is essentially free of weed seed, moisten a large sample well and let it sit in an open cakepan (approximately 12 inches by 12 inches square and 2 inches deep) for 3 weeks at approximately 70 F. If you get more than 1 or 2 weeds germinating in this square foot of surface area, try another brand. • The washed sand (mortar sand) you use should also be free of weeds—perform the same test as above. Sand should not contain appreciable quantities of silt, clay, or gravel. Make sure the sand company does not add any chemicals to the sand you purchase—there are some cases where special additives are used to make concrete and mortar cure better. Ask questions! • Perlite and vermiculite should he purchased from a reliable horticultural dealer who can assure you that it’s of a quality which can safely be used with plants. The same sources and assurances should be required for all fertilizers and amendments introduced into your soil. • Triple superphosphate is supplied to the suggested mixes in luxury amounts. The dosage could be cut in half if the soils were not to be grown in for long periods of time or if a fertilizer containing phosphorous was used after plants began good growth. Extra phosphorous is not harmful to plants unless especially large overdoses are supplied. If you cannot obtain triple superphosphate, single superphosphate will suffice but it must be added in double the amount required for triple superphosphate. The fertilizers and soil amendments suggested remain chemically stable for reasonably long periods in the mixes. Don’t substitute other ingredients unless you know they also will remain stable. Of course, they must also be appropriate in regard to other essential properties. If you are an ecology buff and wish to use organic fertilizer sources, be warned that organic fertilizers generally are extremely unstable chemically when mixed into moist soil and stored. Some of the possible chemical changes occurring can be harmful to plant growth. Be careful when measuring fertilizers—do not guess. Potassium nitrate is an especially concentrated fertilizer— strong overdoses can be extremely harmful to plants. In addition, it’s an oxidizer—this means it can help combustibles burn more violently, and, under certain rare circumstances, it can cause explosions. Read the cautions on the label carefully and provide proper storage. I have handled this fertilizer daily in large quantities for over 25 years and never had even a slight problem, so it isn’t anything like dealing with high explosives: you should simply handle it according to directions. If your state has regulations against the addition of any amount of fertilizer or plant food to potting soils (whether or not the addition is noted on the label), you might consider leaving all these types of ingredients out of your soil and recommend that customers use the proper amount of a readily available commercial fertilizer to feed their plants (they can either blend it in the soil immediately before use or water with it right after planting). Liquid formulations are generally best. Needless to say, you should carry a good stock of the particular brand you recommend, and it should be one which you know works well. This route is also a good method to employ if you strongly prefer to use only organic fertilizer formulations. The manufacturing process: Now we are ready to discuss the actual soil mixing and bagging process. Most of the steps here are common sense suggestions, but I will list them in the order which they most likely should be performed so that you have a handy checklist to work from. • Before starting, design a simple work process or flow chart for the area in which you will be working. Be sure to include any safety precautions you feel necessary. • Set up in a handy area where you can work quickly. It must be clean so that weeds, trash, and other contamination have no chance of getting in your soil. • It’s best to mix soil in a machine designed to blend soil, but old cement mixers are fine if you take precautions to assure mixing is done properly. Mixing by hand or shovel is okay too, although it’s lots of work. Mix all ingredients thoroughly but not to the point where the structure of certain ingredients is destroyed. Perlite and vermiculite are prone to break up into overly fine particles if mixed too long. • Blend in fertilizers as the mixing occurs, but do it with common sense: don’t dump everything in one spot. Spread it evenly—this is important. Check the fertilizer bags twice to make sure you have the right formulation. • List all ingredients and quantities for each hatch of soil as you mix it up, then double check the list before you finish to make sure everything is included in the proper amounts. • Add water to the mix until it feels slightly moist to the touch. It’s best for it to seem just a little drier at this point than you might like because as the soil sits for a few hours, it tends to feel slightly more moist. When you pick up a handful and squeeze it tightly in your fist, no water should drip out—that would be too wet. Moist soil is easier to use for planting, and customers like the feel of it better than totally dry soil. However, excessive moisture will make the bags sweat a great deal and can promote the growth of algae and fungi. Retail potting soil is best left as dry as possible, as long as it’s wet enough to appeal to customers and plants can be potted easily. When soil is selling quickly and will be in the bags no more than a week or two, it can be moistened more heavily. • Moist soil is heavy and bulky. If you are going to process larger amounts, a conveyor system is often a good investment. • When the soil is on your processing table, don’t let it lie there loose for more than a few hours. Long delays in bagging can cause inconsistencies in moisture content and, consequently, in the weight of bags. • As the bags are filled, each one is weighed quickly. My employees are instructed to overfill bags by approximately 10% to avoid the possibility that some bags may turn out slightly under the weight stated on bags. • Seal bags securely. Whether you use heat seals, zip-locks, or tie them in some manner, the sealing job should withstand all normal handling without allowing soil to leak out. Leaky bags can become a real nuisance when placed in your store. A few bags in every batch should be checked for proper sealing. • Once the bags are sealed, punch a couple of holes in the plastic bag with small diameter stiff wire, then squeeze the bag firmly to remove excess air. Too much air in the bags makes them hard to stack in displays. • As the bagging process is finished, take care to keep the outside of bags reasonably clean. Although people are buying “dirt,” they don’t like to start getting dirty until the proper time—when they begin gardening. • Store your soil in a cool, dark place until it’s time for display. All the formulas listed in this guide can be stored for up to 6 months without appreciable chemical change. Testing soil for quality: Your soil can be tested for quality by two means: 1) Biologically, and 2) In the laboratory. Each method has particular strengths, weaknesses, and applications. Biological testing means that you actually grow plants in the soil, observe the results, and make conclusions about how the soil affected growth and development. You can easily perform valid biological tests without specialized equipment. The most important things you must do are to carefully plan the experiments ahead of time, control the experimental conditions so that the information you desire is produced, and interpret the results only from the experimental data—not from what you would like to happen. These plant growth tests show exactly how well your soils perform. Laboratory soil tests are performed to determine the exact ingredient contents and physical and chemical properties. These tests are essential, at least in the beginning, so that you can use the results to fine tune or adjust soil properties to the approximate ranges you desire. They are also essential if your state requires an independent analysis of soil ingredients and properties. Laboratory tests don’t tell you how well plants will actually grow in the soil, but they do allow you to predict how well plants should grow in it. A biological growth test is necessary to confirm the expectations predicted from lab tests. Both biological and laboratory tests should be repeated at least once a year to make sure no significant changes have occurred in the soils you produce. The formulas which I have suggested in this section are tested biologically on a constant basis in our greenhouses and nursery, but the final responsibility for testing rests with you. I can only say that, under our conditions, they perform superbly. Selling potting soil successfully: The potting soil you produce will be worthless unless you can sell it profitably. We have already covered topics dealing with how you might sell soil and how to price it, but we need to further examine some merchandising methods in your own store. • Keep your soil displays neat and adequately stocked at all times. • Display a reasonable amount of soil even in the slow times of year—this will remind customers that you have what they want when they do need it. • Use the best high traffic display areas for your private label soil—remember, it’s a high profit item. You want to sell as much as possible! • The high profit nature of your soil justifies setting up multiple display areas in different parts of the store. Be sure there is one at the check out counter! • Don’t run out of soil during the busy gardening season. After all, this is one of the main reasons you are making private label soil—to assure a constant supply. You can lose 50% of yearly sales volume by being out of stock during the peak gardening months. • Keep your soil out of the direct sun as much as possible. Heat and light tends to degrade the bags and can cause algae and fungal growth in the soil. Chemical changes in the soil are also accelerated. • Bring attention to your soil. Use signs to communicate the benefits it supplies to customers. And instruct all employees to actively sell your soil whenever they make a related sale. You will be surprised at the increased volume if you have a definite program of tie-in selling. • Offer soil in appropriate sizes. People using soil outside for potting or gardening will want larger bags. They generally want less for indoor plants. The smallest size I offer is approximately equal to 1/2 gallon in volume, while the largest size is 5 gallons. Bags larger than this are too heavy for most people to handle easily, so I just offer 2 bags at a slight discount. 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