A growing business surrounded by growers
A nursery propagates plants and grows them to a desired size, mostly for gardening, forestry or conservation, rather than for farm production. In Fresno, the nursery sits next to an economy that is predominantly tied to large-scale agriculture, which brings advantages: a skilled labor pool, suppliers for irrigation and soil, and neighbors who understand weather risk.
It also means competing for the same seasonal workers and the same water infrastructure as the farms in the area.
The carrying-cost table
| Cost | When it hits | Why it hurts |
|---|---|---|
| Starter plants, seed, soil, pots | Before the season | Cash spent long before a sale |
| Irrigation and electricity | Every month, rising in heat | Cannot be skipped; plants die |
| Shade, film and structure repairs | After storms and wear | Unplanned, often urgent |
| Seasonal labor | Spring peak | Paid weekly |
| Delivery vehicle and fuel | During wholesale season | Paid before the customer |
How a wholesale order stretches the cycle
When a landscape contractor or garden center orders $15,000 of plants, the nursery has probably spent most of that on stock and labor weeks earlier. Delivery happens, an invoice goes out, and payment may follow 30 days or more later. Selling more makes the gap larger, not smaller, so a nursery that wins a big account must fund its growth first.
For illustration only: if a nursery wins three such accounts in April, it can have $45,000 owed to it in May while paying June's irrigation and labor from a bank balance that has already been drained. These figures are an example and not our terms.
Using funding for the biggest levers
- Add propagation capacity before the rush, so there is more to sell in spring.
- Replace a failing irrigation pump or greenhouse heater, which relates to equipment financing.
- Cover seasonal payroll until wholesale invoices clear, which is covered by working capital.
- Add a delivery vehicle for contractor accounts.
The Fresno farm page covers growers who sell food crops, and the trucking page covers freight.
What the bank statements reveal about a nursery
A nursery's account tells its own story. Deposits cluster in spring and early summer. Outflows for soil, pots and stock begin in the winter, long before the first sale, and a steady drumbeat of utility payments runs underneath. A reviewer who sees that pattern understands why February looks thin and why May looks fat.
It helps if retail receipts, wholesale checks and card settlements all go to the same business account. If some sales go through a personal account or an app that sweeps to a household account, the picture gets harder to read, and it may understate what the business actually earns. Cleaning that up before you apply takes an afternoon and tends to pay off in a clearer review.
Owners with irregular weather exposure, such as outdoor stock after a hard freeze or a heat wave, should also write one or two lines about it in the application. The note explains a dip without making an excuse.
The application in brief
We fund from $25,000 to $5,000,000, with funding in as little as 24 hours after the file is complete. A FICO score of 500 or higher is considered. No tax returns are required, we read about three months of business bank statements, and the five-minute application uses a soft credit pull. Sole proprietors can apply, which suits small family-run nurseries. Start here.