Money doesn’t grow on trees…or does it? Selling trees can be profitable, but it’s not a get-rich-quick scheme. Trees can take several years to mature. But you don’t have to wait for a tree to be fully grown to sell it. To start, you can sell pine tree seedlings and other tree saplings.
Many homesteaders and urban farmers use Airmart to sell a variety of crops, plants, and flowers. Join them by opening your own tree shop.
Sourcing pine tree seedlings
You can buy pine tree seedlings, oak saplings, and maple tree saplings wholesale from a local nursery. Tree seedlings can range in price from a few dollars to upwards of $20 per seedling, depending on the type of pine tree and how long it has been growing. Most nurseries offer bulk discounts.
You can also grow seedlings yourself from seeds. Seedlings can thrive in a greenhouse or on your land. If you are short on space, it is possible to grow and sell potted trees as well.
Pricing seedlings
A tree’s worth increases as it gets older. So naturally, seedlings won’t be worth much on their own, especially if they are less than a year old. However, some types of trees are more valuable than others. Offering black walnut trees for sale can be highly profitable because the trees are prized for their nuts and lumber.
Other valuable trees include:
- Black cherry
- White oak
- Red oak
- Yellow birch
- Sugar maple
Compare prices at local nurseries to determine how different tree types are valued in your area. Remember, the longer you let the seedlings and saplings grow, the higher you can price them.
Where to sell pine tree seedlings
When it comes to selling seedlings, you have a variety of customers you can target. Stores and nurseries will buy seedlings in bulk, while other customers might just buy a few at a time. To make transactions easy and organized, set up a free online shop with Airmart. It’s simple to get started. All you need are photos, prices, and a shop name.
Wholesale
Sell seedlings wholesale to landscaping businesses, nurseries, and greenhouses. If you have pine seedlings, your customers might be local Christmas tree farms, grocery stores, hardware stores, and anywhere else that sells Christmas trees for the holiday season. Once you set up a shop on Airmart, you can also find new wholesale customers in the Airmart Reseller Network.
Direct-to-consumer (D2C)
Of course, many of your seedlings might find homes in private backyards. You can set up an Airmart shop to sell seedlings directly to customers looking to plant their own trees. Pine seedlings are also great to sell as wedding favors when you package and label them artfully.
Shipping seedlings
It’s best to ship your seedlings with bare roots rather than in pots. Here’s how to ship your seedlings:
- Lightly moisten a paper towel and wrap it around the roots
- Wrap the paper towel-covered roots in plastic wrap to secure them in place
- Use rubber bands or newspaper wrapping to keep the seedling from breaking
- Place the wrapped plant in a corrugated cardboard box
- Fill in any empty space with newspaper, packing peanuts, or other package filler
- Tape the box shut
- Affix a shipping label to the box before dropping it off at USPS, FedEx, or UPS
Grow your income with seedlings and saplings.