+ I ended up selling the ol’ trailer. At first I thought about making it a plant shop on wheels (too logistically troublesome), then I thought about turning it into a greenhouse (too mildewy), and I thought about turning into an office (too… unnecessary). Then it dawned on me: the space that the trailer is taking up is space that isn’t making money for the nursery. By selling it and putting bamboo in its place, I effectively had more room for plants that would turn a profit. Plus, the trailer was pretty trashy to begin with.

+ I’ve moved more into tropical plants. Succulents have been hot for a while, as have air plants. I’ve expanded my selection to include not only bamboo, but also interesting and rare aroids — the group of plants that includes exotic large-leaved species like philodendrons and monsteras.

+ I’ve gotten out of the pop-up game. For a couple years, I would set up a table in front of friends’ coffee shops or galleries, and sell a few dozen plants while talking up customers. It was more of a PR initiative than anything else — a way to make a few small sales, but more importantly, to pass out business cards and generate buzz for my monthly plant sales at the nursery. As of this spring, I backed off entirely on pop-ups due to how busy the nursery has become. Word-of-mouth has been phenomenal for business, as has the fact that Ninth Ward Nursery is now the top hit in Google searches for “bamboo” and “New Orleans.”