You should start preparing your ports where you will host your plantations.
Therefore, since we are delayed, it is only fair that you should be alerted before hand on what you will require:
1)Immigrants
You will not be able to bring such yet. This option will open with the plantations feature.
2)Food
Food will be the most important resource. You will need to ensure that your workers will never run out of food. Average Food consumption is 0.0025 crates per worker and you will be able to adjust this through offered meals.
3)Gold Bars
You will require Gold Bars to improve any building. Not any other kind of material: only gold bars
4)Tools
You will be able to increase your workers efficiency by improving Utility Buildings. These however, have an upkeep of Tools which is relative to the amount of workers you have and the building quality.
5)Iron
Similarly with Utility Buildings, Housing has an iron upkeep.
6)Wood
Kitchens need wood to burn, therefore they have a wood upkeep.
7)Cloth
Baths need cloth.
8)Recreational
Recreational buildings require rum to operate.
9)Guard Houses
Guard Houses without tobacco will never operate. Who wants to sit at a spot all day long, persecuting others, without a smoke? Well, your guards require a smoke.
Remember, all buildings are optional. Therefore, if you want to prepare, you need to at least get some gold bars and food at the port where you are going to build your plantation.
Upkeep is calculated per hour but is constantly paid throughout the day (in multiple payments per hour) as long as the upkeep to be paid is at least 1 crate. If it is less than 1 crate, then it moves for the next hour till at least 1 crate can be charged.