SLC26-W6 | Street Business Diaries: Exceptional and unknown businesses

_{Selfie at the nursery: the stall is literally a cactus jungle built on old pots and a porch}

Hello steemians,

On a bright afternoon in Manouba, Tunisia, I stopped at a tiny roadside nursery that operates completely in the open air with reused tables, buckets and a vintage hand cart, and although it is inter season here with few showy blooms available, the seller keeps the business alive by propagating hardy succulents, cacti and drought proof foliage plants that tolerate heat and neglect, which makes this stall an exceptional and little known business that quietly greens homes, cafes and stairwells without the costs of a formal shop.

Location pins

Google Maps Adress: https://maps.app.goo.gl/ZAxXhPVjwNcaibUg8
SteemAtlas Adress: [//]:# (!steematlas 36.815297 lat 10.099868 long d3scr)

What is the most in demand exceptional product in your area

During the inter season the strongest demand centers on compact rosette succulents and on clustering cacti. People want something green that looks complete in a small pot and that forgives irregular watering. The trays below empty first on quiet days because the price is friendly and survival is easy.

Rows of compact rosettes loved for desks and balconies.	Golden clustering cacti that form tiny forests.

A third constant mover is Portulacaria afra known locally as elephant bush. Beginners buy it for mini bonsai and hanging planters because it roots quickly and stays compact even in strong light.

_{Portulacaria afra trimmed weekly to make new cuttings}

Walk by customers are attracted by a mobile show placed on an old cart. Opuntia pads rise like paddles while mixed succulents fill the gaps. The cart is rolled toward the road at busy hours and becomes a living billboard that pushes impulse purchases.

_{Opuntia and mixed succulents on a hand cart that works as a moving display.}

Have you ever bought anything from these stores Show pictures plus videos and show their prices

I bought two plants after filming. The first was a mini rosette succulent in a nine centimeter pot for 6 DT which equals 15.84 Steem. It came from the front row of the rosette trays.

_{The tray where I chose my rosette a nine centimeter pot for 6 DT which equals 15.84 Steem}

The second was a Portulacaria afra cutting with a thicker stem for 10 DT which equals 26.40 Steem. Both will do well with bright light and a small drink every seven to ten days during this season.

While paying I checked prices on other lines. Mammillaria clusters were 9 to 15 DT which equals 23.76 to 39.60 Steem depending on pot and number of heads. Tall columnar cuttings were 18 to 35 DT which equals 47.52 to 92.40 Steem with price increasing step by step with height since a single mother plant can provide many cuttings over a year.

_{Columnar cacti grown from cuttings and priced by height}

How do you think these products impact people’s lives

These plants improve daily life while respecting tight budgets in Tunis. Families brighten balconies and window sills without constant watering. Small enterprises such as barbershops bakeries and corner kiosks refresh their entrances with snake plant aloe yucca and crown of thorns that keep their form through hot weekends and holiday closures. Children learn responsibility by caring for a forgiving living thing and many watch roots appear on a cutting as their first science lesson.

The nursery itself models resourcefulness. Grow bags recycled wood and a home mixed substrate turn cuttings into inventory that almost anyone can afford. The soil for succulents is roughly half coarse sand one third sifted compost and the rest perlite or crushed brick when perlite is unavailable. Feeding is light once a month in warm weather and skipped in the coolest weeks.

_{Tiered shelves of succulents raised in inexpensive grow bags that prove low capital can create value}

A mixed table of shapes and textures invites customers to begin small collections. Opuntia pads add character Haworthia rosettes give geometry and the stringy Senecio provides movement. The variety encourages repeat visits since people enjoy adding one or two affordable plants each month.

_{A living palette with opuntias haworthias and senecios that inspires new collectors}

Do you think these exceptional businesses are making a special contribution to society

Yes without doubt. Roadside nurseries like this one are micro engines of urban greening and micro classrooms for plant knowledge. A single mother plant becomes many saleable cuttings which stretches limited capital into real income. Old containers and bottles are reused which reduces waste. Conversations at the table pass tips about light and watering to people who might never visit a formal garden center. In a city with long hot summers this resilience keeps greenery visible all year and softens the look of concrete streets.

Euphorbia columns in recycled pots rugged and architectural for patios or shop doors.	Propagation at work rows of columnar cacti from last year’s cuttings.

The forest of columnar cacti also shows how a street business can match larger competitors with patience rather than heavy spending. Clean cuttings are allowed to callus for a week then set in a sandy mix and left for ten to fourteen weeks to root. Pricing by height offers an entry level choice for beginners and a statement piece for café owners and offices.

Price table with Steem conversion

All Steem amounts above use the fixed contest rate 1 DT equals 2.64 Steem.

I left with a rosette for my desk and an elephant bush for the balcony and with greater respect for this quiet craft. Every tray of cuttings represents weeks of careful watering and waiting and every reused pot means one less piece of plastic in the bin. This kind of street business proves that a little knowledge and a lot of patience can green a city one balcony at a time.

Final snapshot table at the end