Master Gardener Plant Sale Guidelines

Wendy Wilber State Master Gardener Coordinator

wilbewl@ufl.edu

For Plant Sales or any Fundraising

• Your first question should always be why are we fundraising?

• What project will this money go to?• What projects are appropriate? • We do not raise money just for the sake of

raising money• Doing so really throws the balance of a whole

Master Gardener program out of whack

Always check in with the Vision and Mission

• Vision: To be the most trusted resource for horticulture education in Florida

• Mission: to assist extension agents in providing research based horticulture education to Florida residents.

Master Gardener Plant Sales

• Motivations/benefits– Raise funds for specific horticultural projects– Raise funds for specific horticultural programming– Teach plant propagation, plant identification– Enhance volunteer programs organizational

structure– Instill the group comradery that comes from

working on a large project– Not just for the sake of making money without an

earmarked cause

How many plant sales do Florida MG programs have a year?

• 64 % of counties have (1) one plant sale a year• 36% of counties have (2) two plants sales a year

This is a fund raiser not a businessWe don’t want to compete with local business

Plant sales take a large amount ofvolunteer hoursMost programs cannot handle more than one a year and maintain good volunteer coverage of our MissionTo assist your Extension Agents in providing researched based horticultural information

Do you need to have a plant sale Every year? No.

What time of year do they have the plant sales?

• 75% in the spring• 52% in the fall• 5 % in the winter

• 58% 1-5 hours• 30% 6-10 hours• 11% more than 10 hours (over two days)

How long are the plant sales?

Where do they get the plants to sell ?

• 61% The Master Gardeners grow the plants and bring them to the sale

• 50 % get liners or seeds and grow them up at the Extension office

• 33 % purchase plants and resell them• 44 % get plants donated and sell them• 28 % Other…. hmmm

Where do MG’s get the plants to sell?

• We lease space for growers to sell their products.• We have a nursery (housed at city of Lakeland nursery) we

grow plants there, some we start from the nursery's plants, some from purchased plants, some from our own stock

• We charge plant vendors• Plant cuttings are donated and then they get propagated on

site and grown in our nursery• MG take cuttings and plant seeds and grow them at the

Extension office.

Do you have venders at the plant sale?

• 36 % No Vendors• 44 % Yes Plant Vendors• 44 % Yes Food Vendors• 55 % yes Information booths from Non Extension

• 40 % Yes• 40% No• 20% It depends

Do venders pay a fee at the plant sale?

How many vendors they have?

• 65% Between 1-10 • 17% Between 11-30• 17% Between 31-50• 4% over 50%

How do they price their plants?

• 79% Below retail• 30% at Retail• 0% above retail

Really give thought to your pricing structure

How many plants do they usually sell?

• 20% 0-500• 29% 500-1,000• 47% 1,000-4,000• 3% 4,000-7,000• 0% more than 7,000

What kinds of plants are sold?

• 65% Annuals• 85% Perennials• 68% Shrubs• 57% Trees• 48% Fruit trees• 68% Vegetables• 82% Natives• 65% Groundcovers• 80% Pollinators plants• 8% Seeds • 28% Other

Other =• Bulbs• Cactus• Caladiums• Herbs • Rare plants• Orchids/bromeliads• Aquatic plants

How often do they take inventory?

• 23% We don’t • 14% Weekly• 17% Monthly• 47% Once just before the sale

• For those with 182 accounts you must do at least 2 inventories, minimum before and after

• More often is recommended to make sure you have enough of certain plants and to keep tabs on theft

How many people come to the sale?• 52% 1-500 people• 32% 500-1,000 people• 14% 1,000-5,000 people• 0% More than 5,000

• 40% Yes• 35% No (You are missing a golden opportunity)• 25% Sometimes

Do you collect names and emails of those attending for future communication?

People who do not come to regular Extension programming will come to plant sales. Make an impression on them so they will come back.

Where do they hold the sale(s)?

• 75% Extension Office grounds• 11% Fairgrounds• 11% Other county/government property• 14% Other

Are there other Extension events at the sale that day besides the sale?

• 17% No• 54% Classes/Demonstrations• 14% Open house• 23% 4-H activities• 71% Plant Clinic/MG help desk• 25% Soil sampling• 8% Other (garden tours, workshops)

Golden Opportunity toMarket Extension and To partner with other Areas in your Extensionoffice

Do they have raffle and/or door prizes? • 47% Yes • 31% No • 22% Sometimes

Do they charge for parking?• 0% Yes • 94%No • 5% Sometimes • Use a double ticket method for

your receipting method

Raffles are considered gambling and are not permitted

Do they charge an entrance fee? • 85% No• 8% sometimes • 3% Yes• Again use the double ticket method to

account for the money

What is the policy for allowing MGs who volunteer at the sale to purchase plants?

• 28% Volunteers can purchase/set aside plants before the sale

• 7% Volunteers can purchase plants as soon as the sale opens

• 25% Volunteers can purchase plants at a set time• 20% We don’t have a policy for this

Good suggestions to follow……

Do they purchase event insurance?

• 3% Yes• 8% Sometimes• 88% No

Do they get a FDACS/DPI plant inspection and permit? • 64% Yes• Sometimes• 35% No

Citrus

YOU NEED TO GET YOUR PLANTS INSPECTED AND GET A TEMPORARY NURSERY LICENSE FROM FDACS/DPI

Insurance information• If you are off Extension Office grounds you must purchase

insurance• American Income Life covers Extension Programs• http://www.americanincomelife.com/who-we-serve/4-h-

insurance

Inspection information • If you are selling plants you must be inspected by DPI • Small permit fee• Great educational opportunity for the MG’s • http://www.freshfromflorida.com/Divisions-Offices/Plant-

Industry/Bureaus-and-Services/Bureau-of-Plant-and-Apiary-Inspection/Plant-Inspection

Tax information

• IF YOU HAVE a UF 182 account sales tax will be collected.

• IFAS Fiscal is still working with UF to be able to do it efficiently and in a streamlined fashion

• Contact Carree Musgrove colshansky@ufl.edufor the most current information

Square Readers

• We cannot use square readers because they are not considered secure by the PCI requirements (payment card industry) https://www.pcisecuritystandards.org/pci_security/If a customer’s information was compromised UF would be responsible for the breach

• What about a credit card machine? You must take UF training (TRM 150)for using the machine

• Currently the only option is to purchase a machine. The machine itself cost a little over $700 and there is a monthly data plan that has to accompany it that is $19.00.

• Annually, there is a user fee charged by UF to help us comply with the Payment Card Industry standards. You may also be aware that the vendor incurs an approximate 3% fee for each swipe, so that cost would have to be built in to the cost of a plant.

Contact Carree Musgrove colshansky@ufl.edu

How do they advertise?

• 88% Word of mouth • 85% Brochures/Flyers• 68% Newsletters• 82% Free Newspaper ad• 22% Paid Newspaper ad• 48% Free Radio ad• 0% Paid Radio ad

• 17% Free TV ad• 3% Paid TV ad• 82% Website• 94% Social Media• 25% Other ( Signs, Road signs,

magazines, Marquee, direct emails, over the street banner, electronic billboards)

Remember to Brand your event with the correct LOGO’s

How many other organizations have plants sales at the same time frame?

• 42 % 0-1• 24% 2-3• 18% 3-5• 15% more than 5

What other stuff do they sell? • 5% Gift baskets• 20% Terrariums• 26% Tools • 3% Note cards• 32% Rare or special plants• 11% Seeds• 44% Garden themed items

• 8% Fertilizer• 8% Compost• 3% Mulch• 23% We only sell plants• (44%) Rain barrels, bee

boxes, tomato cages, gloves, planters, garden art, mushrooms, honey, frost cloth, books, self watering containers

How much do they make on other items?

• 31% More than $500• 13% Around $250• 38% Less than $100• 14% None

Who donates to their sales?

• 96% Master Gardener volunteers• 13% Hardware stores• 36% Local nurseries• 3% Gift shops• 20% Other (home gardeners in the community)

On average how many Master Gardeners work the day of the sale?

• 56% 0-30• 31% 30-60• 12% 60 or more• Over 1000 volunteer hours often go into 1 sale

How much money do they make on their plant sale?

• 19% $100-$1,000• 51% $1,000-$5,000• 16% $5,000-$9,000• 9% $9,000-$15,000• 1% more $15,000

Planning is everythingMonths in advance planning is need for a successful sale

Master Gardener Chairperson and Coordinators’ 2017 Plant Sale Timeline

December Have meeting set up date for January Mtg with Plant Sale Committee headsCheck for Label updates / label holder – order blinds & water proof labels

January Meeting with MG Coordinators – go over agenda for upcomingOrder Plant liners? Order ground clothClean pot corral / decide how many pots neededLook for Potting Soil to order

February 2/15 Order fruit trees and blueberries (how many?)2/20 Check irrigation / make sure working, flags for pop-ups2/21 check Plant sales for 2/282/28 Lay ground cloth & signs in nursery…Perennials/annuals/trees, etc. during Demo Cleanup DayOrder soil and potsOrder Fertilizer

March 3/2 First potting up day. 8:30 - 123/15 schedule the inspector, IFAS Book StoreGrooming Crew3/14 2nd potting up day 8:30 - 123/17 Recap @ Mo. Mtg3/30 3rd potting up day 8:30 - 12

April Grooming Crew4/3 Set up 4H for loading, carts & returns for Plant Sale4/14 4th Potting up day 8:30 - 124/21 recap Plant Sale @ Monthly meeting4/25 5th Potting up day 8:30 – 12

May 5/8 – 5/12, 9am-12pm plant drop off / Label everything5/15 Nursery Inspector5/15 – Pricing5/18 – Fruit trees & blueberries 5/19 Plant Sale Prep 9am to finish5/20 Plant Sale 7am to finish (6-6:30 for coordinators)5/23 Plant Sale Clean UP

Organize committees

Plant Sale Chair• Plant Growing • Inventory• Procurement• Labeling • Plant Grooming • Sales Team

– Annuals– Perennials– Shrubs– Edibles– etc

Plant sale Co Chairs • Cashiers• Parking • Check out people• Greeter and sign in • Refreshments for volunteers• Loading (4-H ers)• Holding area• MG information table• Handicapped parking • Special Assistance• Signage • Vendor check in

Sourcing

• Plant material • Potting soil• Pots• Labeling materials• Boxes, bags, wagons for the day of the sale• Donations or purchase?

Plant material

• No invasive plants (check the IFAS assessment of non native plants)

• Highest quality possible- you are representing IFAS

• Colorful and edible plants sell well• Think about size of plants• How will you organize? Natives, Perennials ,

Pollinators • Use signs to help with the organization

Labeling

• This is where the education comes in • Be 100% accurate look up correct

common names and botanical names• Include growing conditions if possible• Recycled blinds (other)• Invest in label machine? • If plants are not in bloom try to put a

photo of the flower in the pot

Signage

• Gets shoppers there• Shows shoppers which plants are where do you

need a map of the sale?• Informs on classes and demonstration• They can tell prices if you color code• Lets shoppers know where there money goes

– What MG projects are supported by their $$

• Don’t miss the opportunity to BRAND the event

Label the volunteers too

• Matching shirts or hats• Special shirt just for the day• Reflective vests• Name tags

Have a rain plan, think about other risks.

Risk Management Plan

• Have a safety meeting before the sale• Make your sale accessible for walkers, wheel

chairs, the visually impaired• Make the sale as safe as possible • Look for hazards and eliminate them• Have a plan and make sure all the volunteers

that day know the ‘in case of emergency’ plan

Dogs?

Sales Team• Your sales team is really an education team• Select leaders for sales that know a good deal

about plants• If their favorite plants are herbs they should

be selling herbs, perennials people should sell perennials

• This is where they educate the public• Sales leaders create enthusiasm

Clean up

• Schedule an clean up day directly following the sale to put things in order

• Have a debriefing meeting to make notes on what worked and what didn’t so you can make adjustments

• Thank your donors

Wrap up

• Pick leaders for the next sale• Share the success with the MG group so

everyone knows how the team did• Thank everyone for their hard work• Develop a plan for next time• Execute the plans to use the money in the

time allotted with the same intensity given to the plant sale