[Christine]

So those of you who are involved with allotment trading huts - what do you stock. Oh and what sells and what doesn't ? Looking for ideas.

[Yorkie]

We sell:
compost (only peat-free now)
fertilisers (we buy 25kg bags and split them down) including FBB, Growmore, sulphate of ammonia / potash / nitrogen
lime, compost activator
rose food (doesn't sell that well)
pelleted chicken poo and concentrated groworganic
seaweed balanced and tomato liquid fertiliser
canes / stakes
fleece, bird netting, debris netting (scaffold netting) which has much smaller holes and sells very well
ground cover
various loose pea and bean seeds
various seeds in 50p envelopes (bought from Kings seeds in larger bags, and weighed out using very precise scales)
other pre-packed seeds from Mr Fothergill's at 30% discount
seed potatoes, onion / shallot sets / garlic [at appropriate times of year]

[snowdrops]

I’m now our store manager & we sell composts & growbags, peat free & peat based at the moment, fertilisers as per Yorkies post, we buy in 20/ 25kg & split into 2.5kgs as of last week (used to be 3kg but we ended up with 1& 2kg leftover, so changed).bamboo canes in 8/6/4/3ft lengths. Various liquid fertilisers & pest & weed controls. Plant pots, new since I took over plant halos, plant grow through supports. Vermiculite & perlite again split up but into 4ltrs, or sold per big bag to our show growers ( they also buy full bags of fertilisers) . We sell kings seeds to order via their catalogue in the autumn. Seed potatoes from our supplier again ordered in the autumn. Bulbs in the autumn. Grit, sand. On the roll- capillary matting,butterfly netting, weed suppressant membrane, enviro mesh, greenhouse shading. Various miscellaneous bits & bobs.

[GraciesGran]

As the previous replies.  Everything is peat free and environmentally friendly. We also sell plants grown by society members, on a 20% to the society, 80% to the grower.   We have a selection of second hand tools as well.  We're open from 9 till 12 on Friday, Saturday and Sunday staffed by volunteers, pay is tea and biscuits and 25% discount on  any purchases.  The site managers will also do specials offers each month, this month is 15% off slug control. 

[Christine]

Thank you all for your good ideas, suggestions, input. Some of these ideas are already in discussion with our suppliers for our next order as new lines of stock. GraciesGran, the idea of a selection of second hand tools is also grabbing interest. Suppose you have to refuse the ones that arrive buckled and bent beyond use. 

[GraciesGran]

We have a tame Handyman who does repairs, anything beyond hope goes to the tip.  The tools are a mixture of donations and things left when plots are repossessed.  We also have someone who will build/repair sheds, greenhouses and polytunnels but you talk money directly with him.

[Christine]

Another good idea GraciesGran. The committtee is going to be busy over the coming months getting up to speed.