KC said:

On Sep 9, 9:36 am, "Chris F." wrote:
I'm considering starting a greenhouse - just a small one for now - as a
way to perhaps earn a living. Here where I live - in Eastern Canada, we have
a very limited season for outdoor plants. But I'm wondering if
there's any way to make a profit year-round, not just in the springtime. Are
there any houseplants or other exotic things that can be sold year-round? Or
is gardening strictly a season thing, requiring us to find some other source
of income for the winter?
Any advice would be appreciated.

1. The cost of utilities to heat a greenhouse in the winter can
eat up any anticipated profit.

That depends on the size of the structure and it's materials, what is used
to heat it, and the plants themselves. I kept tropicals in my 8x12 GH,
keeping it 60F at night and 80F in the daytime, and it cost me about $20 a
month. Were I to be selling out of the GH, that would hardly be eating up
my profits.

Do you actually have a GH, or are you just making things up (or guessing)
as you go along?

2. Plants naturally go dormant in the winter.

As a generalization, that's bullshit. Some don't even "know" winter. They
just die. There are also *plenty* of plants that survive just fine as long
as the temps don't go below freezing for any length of time. It's quite
easy (and cheap) to keep a GH above freezing.

It takes both heat & light to fool them. Do you know how??

They apparently have a basic understanding of plants, I'd say they most
likely do. Your generalization of plants would lead one to believe that you
do not.

3. The market for live plants in the off season is very low.

Source? I buy plants year round, as do a lot of people I know.

4. Better think twice about that idea.

Nah. I'd say decide exactly what kind of plants they'd like to grow, then
figure out if they can afford to build/maintain a structure that will
support those plants. "Giving in" so early in the planning stages would
only be succumbing to bad advice (such as yours).

Typical googlegroper...

--

Eggs

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