Beginning a Gardening Business in Mongolia

Winter Palace, Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia. aPICT0136 by VicWild
Winter Palace, Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia. aPICT0136 by VicWild

TheGardenLady received this question from Odmaa all the way from Mongolia.

I am writing this from Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar. My country is in Asia, between China and Russia. Winter is harsh and lasts more than 4 months.  I am intersted in planting room plants and help people to have them in their homes. I have more than 15 different room plants in my rooms. I am not a specialist in this area. Could you give me an advice to begin my business? During winter in my contry it reaches minus 30-35 degree centigrade. We who live in houses and apartments during this time do not face cold because we have central heating system. So room temperature is usually between 17 to 30 centigrade degrees.

How exciting to know that TheGardenLady.org column is read around the world in Mongolia. Though I have never been to your beautiful country, a good friend spent her summer vacation visiting Ulaanbaatar and other parts of Mongolia. I enjoyed viewing her photographs. Much of her vacation was spent on horseback.

and then winter came (II) by Arriving at the horizon
and then winter came (II) by Arriving at the horizon

I have read that Ulaanbaatar is the coldest capital city in the world. But your indoor temperature is perfect for certain plants.

TheGardenLady also has been interested in Genghis Khan and recommends a book called “Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World” by Jack Weatherford. He was a fascinating person.

TheGardenLady does not really know that much about starting a business venture and is not quite clear on the type of advice you are seeking.

My suggestion would be to study as much horticulture as you can. See what plant books are available in your libraries or book stores. Or go on line to read as many gardening sites about the plants that you are interested in growing.

In Eastern Ulaanbaatar there is a botanic garden, The Botanic Garden of Mongolia. See here.

Read any of the books that they have published. See if they have lectures that you can attend. Or see if you can get a job, even a volunteer job, at the botanic garden. In the US many people, TheGardenLady included, are volunteers for Horticultural places including botanic gardens. It is because of these volunteers that many gardens in the United States can keep their gardens as well maintained as they are. People even volunteer to help at nurseries. I have helped pot up plants for one of my favorite nurseries. They need the help and you have an opportunity of learning.

There are many colleges and universities in Mongolia. See here.   See if you can take classes at these schools or if they allow people to audit classes in horticulture. There are agricultural colleges in the United States and Canada that have classes and give lectures to those interested in learning about plants on a non-degree basis. TheGardenLady frequently attends these lectures – for example she recently attended a Perennial Plant Conference that was given at Swarthmore College.

Learn something about propagation so that you can make more plants to sell or can teach how to take one plant and make many plants.

If you know how to photograph plants, take photos of your plants. And after you have learned as much as you can about each plant, create a slide presentation lecture and offer to lecture about plants at your library or community center.

In other words, I am encouraging you to do as TheGardenLady does.  Learn as much as you can then teach others. If you want to expand this interest into selling plants, people will know about you and try to reach you to buy your plants. But learning, TheGardenLady believes, is the key to any good business. Those nurseries that are recommended on TheGardenLady site are recommended because of the excellent knowledge those nursery people have and their willingness to share that knowledge with the customer.

Good luck and send us photos and let us know how you fare.

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