FarmHER’s Retirement Project Blooms into Booming Business

Kentucky FarmHER Janet Dennison started Mammoth Cave Transplants as a retirement project with her husband, David, in 1994, growing tobacco transplants for local farmers. Since then, it’s bloomed into a booming business, including everything from vegetables and herbs to flowers and plants that they sell both wholesale and direct-to-consumer.

Janet offers sage gardening tips that are perfect for gardeners of all levels, and she shows Kirbe her greenhouses, which house a variety of plants.

Janet and her team take a hands-on approach, offering personalized care to each plant. She loves to spread her green thumb and sharing sage gardening wisdom with customers of all skill levels. It eventually became her signature, and through this approach, Janet built a legacy that empowers her staff and keeps customers coming back.

Mammoth Cave Transplants

Over time, her passion for gardening turned into something much bigger. What started as a simple passion project for Janet has evolved into the full-time thriving business known as Mammoth Cave Transplants.

Janet’s dedication to her work is truly inspiring. Despite the potential for a more relaxed retirement, she finds so much joy in the process that her weeks are far from leisurely. In the spring, she puts in an impressive 60 hours a week, and even in the colder winter months, it’s a ‘mere’ 40 hours. Her commitment to her business is a testament to her passion for plants and her desire to provide top-quality plants to her customers.

Despite the long hours, she doesn’t mind. As she says, “I’ve told myself this year, I’m gonna take off at least half a day every week. So far, I haven’t!”

From Blooming to Booming

The secret to Janet’s success lies in her meticulous care and hands-on approach, from transplanting plants to ensuring the soil is perfect.

Rachel, a key team member of the Mammoth Cave team, walks us through the transplanting process—why the plants are moved to larger trays, how closely packed they get, and the importance of giving them enough room to grow. As the weather heats up, their daily care increases, ensuring each plant receives the attention it needs to thrive. This level of care is a testament to the team’s dedication and the quality of the products at Mammoth Cave Transplants.

“When they get to this size, as hot as it is now, they’re watered every day,” Rachel points out. (does Rachel or Janet say this? I remember watching a clip in which Janet points this out)

Janet’s greenhouses can get quite hot, and transplanting is a physically demanding job, but the excitement and happiness it brings to both the customers and the workers make it all worthwhile.

The Greenhouse Experience

Janet emphasizes the importance of watching the soil and choosing the right plants for the right locations.

“People see plants that they think are beautiful, and they are, but they might not work at their house,” she explained.

If you’re new to gardening, Janet has some recommendations: She suggests day lilies or catmint for sunny spots—a perennial that blooms multiple times a year and is low maintenance. She recommends easy-to-grow herbs like basil, oregano, and sage for those who love Italian cuisine.

“You can just keep using them, and they keep growing,” she said.

Beginner Gardening Tips from a FarmHER

Janet emphasizes the importance of watching the soil and choosing the right plants for the right locations.

“People see plants that they think are beautiful, and they are, but they might not work at their house,” she explained.

If you’re new to gardening, Janet has some recommendations: She suggests day lilies or catmint for sunny spots—a perennial that blooms multiple times a year and is low maintenance. For those who love Italian cuisine, she recommends easy-to-grow herbs like basil, oregano, and sage

“You can just keep using them, and they keep growing,” she said.

Ways to Watch

Catch this episode FarmHER featuring Janet Dennison when it premieres next Tuesday, September 17, 2024, at 9:00 PM ET with encores on Fridays at 9:30 PM and Sundays at 10:00 PM ET only on RFD-TV!

Binge all episodes and past seasons of FarmHER and RanchHER on-demand at any time with an annual RFD-TV Now subscription. Click here to start your subscription today: https://www.watchrfdtv.com/Account/SignUp.