The Gold Coin Nursery

---

The sign Jeff has in the main street of Bolder

​While experimenting with Ivy Geraniums, Kalgoorlie/Bolder based, Jeff Jones experimented with a different method of propagating Pelargoniums.

The conventional method with cuttings which he and others use is a little 50mm pot in a 24-cell tray watered from that tray by capillary action (propagating mix 50% perlite 50% creek sand), taken early Autumn before it gets too cold or early Spring before it’s too hot.
In about 8 weeks you have a rooted cutting, which you then pot on.

​ The theory, as he says, is that the mix is without nutrients, as a cutting cannot take up nutrients until it has roots. 
​
People say Geraniums are easy to grow – break a piece off, put it in the garden and it strikes and grows – Jeff considered this and thought perhaps there is another way, short of tissue culture. He also thought if he could strike cuttings in a larger pot that he could then sell, without having to pot on and this. would have 2 advantages: 

1. No set back when moving from say a 50mm pot to a 125mm.
2. If he propagated into a pot that didn’t need that second stage of potting on, he could produce a product that could be sold earlier and cheaper. 

The basis of the experiment was - can the cuttings take up nutrients?

---

The experiment consisted of 6 areas:

• Propagating mix
• Size of cutting
• Size of pot
• Marketing
• Results
• Sales 

Jeff Jones in his small nursery at his house in Boulder

A plant six pack

• The down side to this was buyers mixed colours and cultivars – some are left unsold and as they are growing quickly, he found that the remnants, for want of a better word, need to be potted on and sold separately – some buyers prefer a more established plant and he charged $8 for these in a 130mm pot.
  The conclusion was, 6 Packs work well.
  However, that was then, now Jeff grows just for the pleasure of gardening.
  He has started the “Gold Coin Nursery”. He grows using much the same methods with a slightly different potting mix and sells them by appointment for a gold coin a pot with a rooted cutting. A hobby where he just sort of covers costs.
  
• Soil Mix: The propagating Mix Jeff used at that time was – (Really Potting Mix) 1/3 Perlite, 1/3 Osmocote Seed Raising Mix, 1/3 Red Loam & Slow-Release Fertiliser (Osmocote) 
• Cuttings: he increased the size of his cuttings by 1 or 2 nodes and left additional leaves to provide the cutting (young plant) with Glucose. 
• Pot Size: he decided to trial the 75 x 105 mm pot of approx. 1/3L capacity, four times bigger than the little 50 x 70mm thumb pot.
  The 75mm is a good sized pot to sell if it has an established plant and root system. 
• Marketing: The 75mm pot fits into the 6 pack (see photo) that is easily picked up in a market situation and carried by a cable tie handle. These 6 packs have an added advantage as the pots are individuals. Buyers are able to swap plants around to give a colour mix. Not one colour as propagated. 
• Results: In 2 ½ -3 months, a well-established plant. After 12 months they grew well and were very successful.  I believe that Geraniums can and do take up nutrients at an early stage. 
• Sales: At that time Jeff sold 6 packs for $20. People buy – everyone was happy. 

---

​The down side to this was buyers mixed colours and cultivars – some are left unsold and as they are growing quickly, he found that the remnants, for want of a better word, need to be potted on and sold separately – some buyers prefer a more established plant and he charged $8 for these in a 130mm pot.

The conclusion was, 6 Packs work well.
However, that was then, now Jeff grows just for the pleasure of gardening.

Rooted plants in six packs

Jeff at the roundabout - northern end of Burt Street Bolder

Jeff has now started the “The Gold Coin Nursery”. He grows using much the same methods with a slightly different potting mix and sells them by appointment for a gold coin for a rooted cutting in a pot .
​A hobby where he just sort of covers costs.

At the start of the project Jeff Jones said "What is behind the new micro nursery in Boulder?
The Gold Coin Nursery is a project to spread geraniums around the homes in Boulder.
The City Council have planted the sensational geraniums in the roundabout and the centre of Burt Street.
There is an opportunity to spread these plants around Boulder. I envisage every home could have 4 or 5 at the front door, the front gate or on the patio. Imagine what it would do for the town.
The Council have given me cuttings that are being propagated now.
Things do not happen overnight but they are happening.
Some are available now but I have had many enquiries from elsewhere because of the price.
However - they are for Boulder people in limited numbers as production is slow."

---