Prices on hanging baskets were near retail and in some instances above retail. A large number of buyers came in buying for self and or neighbors and friends. This creates a problem for retailers trying to buy wholesale, but made a good selling market for those in the wholesale business.
About a dozen boxes of early tomatoes were available and they went for around 2.50 a lb. These were excellent tomatoes and probably did not end up on a retail shelf.
In addition, tomato plants sold singly in 4 in pots at $1.50. It seems that all bedding plants repotted into 4,6 or 8 in pots increased their value sometimes 10 fold. The average cost would be the nickle that it cost to raise each bedding plant plus about 10 to 20 cents for the pot and extra dirt(which could be our own compost as that is the way I repot mine. A mixture of potting medium and home made compost will cut cost on mums also and my Amish neighbor had some of the best looking mums around using this method).
We should definitely have our own early tomatoes by around this date and maybe a little earlier as KC is in a warmer zone than No MO.
Another Amish auction is opening just across the IA line, definitely within driving distance from KC and while establishing their customer base, will probably have some good prices. Supply may be a concern so we will not be able to depend on them, but may be able to pick up some bargains in time.
By this time next year we should have hanging baskets, the larger the better, pots with arrangements of live flowers, bedding plants both by the 4 or 6 pak(8 paks are popular this year with out individual compartments), bedding plants in 4, 6, and 8 in pots including flowers and flower arrangements. Assortment is very important. We should investigate the cost of cow pots to make our product both green and to give a better result to our customers. Being able to plant the pot will help on transplant shock and give the customer a quicker result.
Aside from the auction, we should have already had tulips and other bulb spring flowers selling. Calidiums also sell very well in all sizes, from barely up to large pots with 2 or 3 bulbs in them. We can also have bullbs, strawberry plants and even roses and trees available for sale.
pete
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