Greenhouse orchid grower supplying florists and retailers

Florists, independent nurseries, garden centres, gift retailers and wholesale plant buyers, plus some direct retail customers.

Wholesale price per plant on regular orders, with a higher retail price for direct sales. Steady repeat orders from a few trade customers matter more than one-off sales.

• Greenhouse climate and watering management
• Pest and disease control
• Planning crop timing around seasonal demand
• Dealing with trade customers

• Check with your local council about planning permits and zoning for a greenhouse or nursery
• Check your state's biosecurity and plant health rules, including any nursery accreditation schemes buyers may expect
• Public liability and product insurance, plus workers compensation once you hire staff
• Greenhouse running costs such as power, water and heating or cooling can be high
• Losing a crop to disease, heat or cold is a real risk, so plan for it
• Register for an ABN and check when GST registration applies

Startup costs are typically around $15,000 to $75,000, depending on the number of greenhouses, your land and equipment. These are estimates, and running costs such as power, water and heating or cooling can be high.

Monthly revenue is typically around $2,000 to $10,000, depending on batch size, crop timing and your mix of trade and retail customers. Losing a crop to disease, heat or cold is a real risk, so plan for it.

Check with your local council about planning permits and zoning for a greenhouse or nursery. Also check your state's biosecurity and plant health rules, including any nursery accreditation schemes buyers may expect, and your insurance needs.