Spring is coming: Gardening for money

Now that winter is slowly fading away we are coming upon my favorite time of year for making money. In spring, people start getting out into their yards and make plans for improvements and upgrades in visual appeal. Don't believe me? Go sit in a home center's parking lot on Saturday morning. These places sell more plants in the first few weeks of the planting season than at any other time during the year.

It's not too late to take advantage of this flurry of revenue opportunity. All you need is a few simple items, a little bit of knowledge, and a drive to make money. If you're still reading then I assume you're interested, so let's jump right in.

You'll need either seed starting trays or some small plastic pots. The trays come with small dried pucks of dirt and work well, but an options that cuts out the step of moving the plants into pots later is to just plant them in their individual pots now. It all depends on how much room you have. If you have access to a garage where you can hang a heat lamp then go with the pots (1/2 to 1 quart works fine) or if you will be keeping them in your house go with the trays. Seeds require a certain ground temperature, based on species, to germinate into plants.

Potting soil comes in multiple size bags - grab enough to fill your containers most of the way full. Use a brand that comes premixed with fertilizer/plant food, and don't worry about buying the most expensive brand available.

When choosing which seeds to buy you will want to look at 2 key factors. How bright and colorful the plant is, and how long it takes to grow. Each packet should have the growth period information on either the front or back. Choose multiple species, and try to keep the growing time to under 90 days. That will ensure your plants are ready by early June or sooner. Some popular species are Marigolds, Beardtongue, and Dahlias. They survive well in the summer months when most of the early spring bloomers are fading away.

If you're feeling froggy you can plant some bulbs as well in separate pots. Most won't grow this year, but next year in the spring you will be rewarded with impressive spring flowers that can be sold at a premium because of their long growth time.

Each seed type will have a listing on how deep to plant, so follow that carefully, and then water. Congratulations, you have officially started cultivating flowers for sale. Make sure to keep them somewhere that won't freeze and once the nights get up to around 50+ degrees you can leave them outside full time. The seeds will sprout plants, which will want access to sunlight. If it is still too cold once they sprout then add a cheap grow light.

Most home stores try to take care of thousands of plants, and often fail at keeping them all healthy. With fewer plants you can give each one care and attention. So get out there and spend some time with your flowers. Trust me, gardening can grow into a real passion and is an excellent way to earn money for sitting back and watching the plants grow.