There are many fruits, vegetables, and herbs out there that can easily flourish in a smaller setting. You do not need acres to create a wonderful garden area. In no time, you could have a full garden where you need to pick produce daily. While it can be quite laborious initially, you will soon only be maintaining your garden by pruning, watering, and picking produce.
Gardening profitability depends on where you live. With some upfront cost and quite a bit of labor, you can still make a profit when gardening. The average person would rather buy locally and know where the produce came from than buy from a grocery store.
When you look into starting your garden, the information can seem overwhelming. You may wonder how you could grow enough plants to make money. After all, you can find some produce in different stores at a low cost. Keep reading to find out how gardening can actually turn a profit.
Is Hydroponic Gardening Profitable?
Hydroponic gardening may seem like it is something the average person can’t handle. You may wonder:
- Where you start
- What you need
- If you can even make money from a hydroponic garden
It is quite different than traditional gardening. Is it profitable the way a typical garden is?
What Is Hydroponic Gardening?
Simply put, a hydroponic garden does not need any soil. It allows the roots to absorb all the nutrients that you put in the water.
This process eliminates diseases found in soil and means there will be no more pesky weeds growing around your plants. The stress of getting the proper PH balance in the soil is also gone. You simply have water and nutrients in the water. It is much easier to control this way.
What Do I Need To Have A Hydroponic Garden?
Before you get too excited, thinking of all the money you will save by not needing to buy soil, you need to know that hydroponic gardening has a remarkably high startup cost compared to your typical garden. Having a proper hydroponic gardening system requires quite a bit at first. You will need:
- Pumps
- Tanks
- Controls
There is also higher upkeep than traditional gardening. It can cost hundreds more than a conventional garden. While the upfront cost may be shocking, you can fit more plants into the smaller square footage.
- More plants mean more produce.
- More produce means more profit.
If you can afford the startup cost, it can be more profitable to have a hydroponic garden versus a traditional garden.
Can You Make Money From Gardening?
When looking at just how profitable gardening, as a discipline, can be, you need to consider taking advantage of it. Seeds and young plants can be found almost anywhere for next to nothing. Then you add in:
- Fertilizer/Plant food
- Soil and a lot of it
- Garden Beds, whether premade or custom
- Tags (To mark the exact type of plant. Customers want to know the type of produce they are getting, and you don’t want to mix species of plants.)
- Tools to till the ground, rake, and shovel the area. You can go extremely basic or spend a bit more on better tools and make the labor a little easier
- Water – Some people have a fixed water price while some this could add up
While those are most of the materials you need, you can not forget to consider your labor. Gardening is not the most challenging job in the world; it can be fun and feel like a hobby. That said, taking care of a garden is a lot of manual labor. You will be worn out some days, exhausted the next. Although after your garden takes off, it becomes much easier.
After all of these costs, if you have the right setup, you can easily make a profit. In the right environment, you will be able to cover the upfront and upkeep expenses. After you have made your money back, every tomato, pepper, or squash is money in your pocket.
Read also: What is Hydroponic Farming? Everything You Need to Know
Is A Gardening Business Profitable?
Having a gardening business is a great idea for extra income. If your garden is large enough, you could turn such a profit that it could end up being your full-time job. Every region is different, so you will need to look into what can grow in the environment and at what times. A late spring frost can kill off your young plants that are not strong enough to survive the frozen leaves. At the same time, a dry summer in other states could burn your plants.
All you need is an area that is safe from animals who may eat your produce and time. It doesn’t matter if you are using a traditional garden or hydroponic garden animals can quite literally eat away at your profits. If your garden is safe from animals and you live in an ideal location, you have the potential to grow your business into a profitable one.
When you have a garden, there are more ways to make money than just planting the most popular produce for your area. Read on to see what sells the best and how to make the most profit.
What Should You Plant?
Your first thought is probably the most common fruits, vegetables, and herbs found in your area. These will sell well and make a profit. A better trick to try is growing products in a greenhouse, safe from any weather that you have full control over.
Can you imagine seeing fresh strawberries in the dead of winter? There are so many fruits and vegetables that don’t grow in certain areas naturally. Even when that produce can grow there, it doesn’t mean it can grow there year-round.
Do a little research and find out:
- What the people in your area like
- What they would eat year-round
- What type(s) of produce they think is unique
People expect to pay more for produce during certain months. If you grow year-round and keep the same prices you offer during the traditional season, your local customers will not only appreciate it but will likely spread the word.
Are There Laws Regarding Selling Produce?
Every state is different, but for the most part, you may need a permit, a business license, or in some cases, even no permit at all. It will depend on the county/city you live in and the amount you will be selling. You can simply call your county building/City Hall, and they can point you in the right direction for accurate information.
Chances are, there will be some catch, a fee, or something you must sign. Anytime you sell a product, especially food, to a customer states want to know. There could be taxes that you would need to pay or other annual fees. The larger your business grows, the more the state will want to know what your business is doing.
If you want to sell your produce to local restaurants, you will also need specific permits. When feeding people, there is always a risk of accidentally harming someone between allergies or spoiled produce. When selling edible products to the public, it’s also a good idea to have some form of liability insurance as you want to be protected against financial harm. If you want to take the plunge and start a licensed business, you will still make all the money and be much better protected while looking more professional.
Read also: Rules in Successful Gardening
Making Money Gardening
It clear that there is money to be made when selling produce. It does not matter if you sell weekly at a farmer’s market, sell to restaurants, or have people shop at your garden.
People will never stop eating produce, and when they see that it is grown close to home, it makes it seem better. They will know where it’s been and will pay more money. It may be hard to start, but you could have a great gardening business in no time.
Source:
