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Profitable business: growing greens for sale. How to grow greens in a greenhouse Timing for growing greens

Greenhouse businesses are considered quite in demand, as they provide entrepreneurs with the opportunity to earn a truly high income. The most common choice is to grow greens in a greenhouse as a business, since they are always in demand, and they also command a high price with minimal cultivation effort. The proposed business plan for growing greens describes the main stages of organizing your business.

General description of the project

The main goal of the business is to make a profit by growing and effectively selling greens. With optimal marketing, this business can be an excellent way to earn a high and stable income. Every year the number of people who want to eat proper and healthy food increases, so the demand for greens is growing.

Goals and objectives

To achieve the main goal, which is the creation of a large, developed and profitable business, it is necessary to correctly implement all the tasks:

correct choice of location of the site where it is planned to carry out activities;
selection of popular greens for growing;
creating optimal working conditions;
finding reliable, stable and profitable sales channels.

By performing these tasks, the main goal of creating a business is achieved.

Important! The sale of greens is considered a significant point, since they have a limited shelf life, so literally a few days after harvest they lose their fresh and beautiful appearance, so buyers are required to pick up the finished product immediately after cutting it.

What greens can you grow?

The entrepreneur independently determines what greens can be grown, and if there is a large area for planting, different greens can be grown quite effectively. The choice should be based on the supply in the region, since if competitors grow a lot of basil, then it is recommended to pay attention to other greens. The most frequently chosen are:

Type of greenery	Features of its cultivation
Dill	The most common and frequently eaten green, in demand among many Russians. The advantage of its cultivation is its unpretentiousness and ease of cultivation, and it grows even in cold regions. Before planting, the seeds must be soaked. The disadvantages of choosing this greenery include the fact that most competitors also choose it for growing.
Onion	Frequently purchased greens belonging to annual varieties. There are 4 types of onions: sweet and semi-sweet, as well as hot and semi-sharp. The latter species is chosen most often for cultivation because it ripens early and also gives a good harvest. It is in demand among numerous buyers.
Salad	It is used in the preparation of various dishes, so it is in good demand. The product is well absorbed and enriched with many useful microelements. The salad is resistant to changes in temperature and cold, and also ripens quickly. Growing it does not require too much time to work.
Parsley	It has excellent taste and is enriched with vitamins, so it is often bought by people. It is considered simple and unpretentious to grow.

If possible, it is allowed to grow all of the above types of greens.

Choosing a growing method

Depending on the planned scale of activity, one of the ways of conducting it is selected:

in the apartment. For this purpose, a balcony is usually allocated, which is a heated room. It contains boxes or pots used for growing herbs. Such activity will be most profitable in winter, when the demand for fresh herbs exceeds supply.
in the garden plot. If you have a dacha, the size of which is at least 5 acres, then you can do business on this territory. However, the work will generate income in the summer, and in the winter it will be necessary to stop activities.
in greenhouses or greenhouses. This business is already a full-fledged entrepreneurial activity. Workers are hired for the work, and distribution channels are established in advance. Greens are sold not only to end consumers, but also to shops and catering establishments.

If you plan to receive a good income from work, then the third method of cultivation is chosen.

Important! Running a greenhouse business will require quite a significant initial investment.

Industry Analysis

The analysis is carried out in-house or with the help of consulting firms. It allows you to find out the saturation of the market, the number of competitors and the risks of work.

Market analysis

Before you start investing in starting a business, it is recommended to analyze the market of a certain region to obtain information:

number of competitors in the market;
their suggestions;
demand for products at different times of the year;
pitfalls and risks.

Having this information, you can quite easily anticipate the feasibility of the work, as well as decide what features it should have.

Competitor analysis

Competitors include both large companies and private individuals who grow greens at home. It is important to study:

their number;
what greens do they sell;
whether they work seasonally or all year round;
what prices are set?

As a result, it is possible to obtain data about what products are in demand, as well as what methods can be used to attract buyers, taking into account the shortcomings of other sellers.

Risk analysis

Before starting an activity, it is important to study the risks arising during the work process:

high competition;
the inability to set low prices due to expensive heating of greenhouses;
decreased demand due to decreased purchasing power;
the occurrence of problems in the performance of equipment in the greenhouse.

Greens are classified as food products, so the demand for them rarely falls, so even with many risks, a business based on its cultivation is considered stable and profitable.

Marketing plan

Since products are grown for consumption, they must be sold immediately after cutting, otherwise they quickly lose their attractive appearance and taste.

Important! To achieve high demand for products, as well as to sell them quickly, it is recommended to use all possible distribution channels.

Production plan

Growing greens is carried out on suitable plots of land with fertile soil, so it is important to choose the territory wisely. Equipment for the work is selected, and high-quality planting material is purchased.

Required areas

Growing greens in a greenhouse is considered optimal, and for this it is important to find a suitable plot of land. It has certain requirements:

sufficient area to accommodate the required number of greenhouses;
high quality land;
remoteness from the city, railway, highway or factories;
Possibility of arranging security.

If you plan to rent land, it is important to enter into a long-term relationship.

Equipment and inventory

To carry out the activity you will need:

Important! Particular attention is paid to the acquisition of equipment for arranging greenhouses, since the harvest depends on it.

Purchase of seedlings, seeds and other materials

You can grow greens using bulbs or seedlings, and you can also use seeds planted in open ground.

It is necessary to buy all planting material exclusively from trusted sellers, since otherwise there is a high probability of a lack of seedlings. To increase productivity, various high-quality fertilizers are purchased. To protect greenery from pests or diseases, special preventative agents are purchased.

Technology of growing greens

This process is considered simple, so everyone can handle it. Important points of work are taken into account:

optimal conditions for greenery are prepared in greenhouses so that a good harvest is obtained in summer and winter;
seeds are pre-soaked before planting;
depressions are made in the ground for them;
the seeds are placed at the optimal distance from each other;
seedlings are usually planted in a checkerboard pattern;
It is important to water the plants correctly, provide them with optimal temperature and good lighting.

Important! A growing technology called hydroponics is considered quite popular, but for this it is important to organize non-standard conditions for plants.

Organizational plan

A large business requires employees, and it is also necessary to officially register the business. A planned opening schedule is being developed.

Required Personnel

In the first stages of work, you can perform all the actions yourself. As the business develops, assistants are hired, and you can also hire an agronomist on staff.

An accountant is hired to keep records for the company.

Business registration

It is permissible to conduct this business without official registration, but in this case sales can only be established to private individuals.

Opening schedule

You can open such a business in a couple of months:

1 month – registration of a company, purchase and installation of greenhouses, acquisition of equipment for growing greens;
Month 2 – search for workers, purchase of seedlings, planting them, search for distribution channels.

Thus, after two months you can get a profitable and stable business for growing and selling greens.

Financial plan

To open this business you will need 470 thousand rubles:

purchase of 5 greenhouses – 200,000;
their arrangement and equipping with the necessary equipment - 200,000;
purchase of equipment for earthworks – 50,000;
purchase of planting material and fertilizers – 20,000.

Monthly expenses are equal to 133 thousand rubles:

land rent – 20,000;
purchase of planting material – 15,000;
purchase of fertilizers and other substances for effective cultivation of greenery – 10,000;
staff salaries – 70,000;
utility bills – 10,000;
taxes – 8,000.

Monthly profit in summer can reach 70 thousand rubles, and in winter 200 thousand rubles. The investment pays off within six months of effective operation.

Thus, opening a business based on growing and selling greens is an effective and interesting activity. It can bring high profits to the entrepreneur if sales are organized correctly, as well as if high-quality, attractive and in-demand products are grown.

The agricultural business is now increasingly gaining momentum. The authorities strongly support initiatives in this area; moreover, often this area of earning money does not require such terrible investments as, for example, opening your own clothing factory, bakery or cosmetics company. There is also always a great demand for agricultural products, because good healthy food is something without which a person cannot exist. Growing greens in a greenhouse as a business is an excellent option for investing savings in order to get a good income. How profitable is it, how to start it and how not to go bankrupt in the pursuit of wealth?

By greens we mean several types of cultivated plants that are grown in any summer cottage and without which the creation of culinary masterpieces is rarely complete. These are parsley, onions, dill, lettuce, spinach and other crops. These plants, or rather their green part, have always been in demand in the food market and find their consumers all year round. Even in the summer, when the majority grows them in the country, there are people who do not like to delve into greenhouses and beds and purchase such products in the store. And in winter, greens are sold for quite a lot of money, and the demand for it does not subside.

Greens are a product rich in various nutrients and beneficial substances, the contents of which are known not only to you, but also to your customers. And they will strive to constantly acquire greens. Question - do you have it? Competition in this business niche is very high, and your competitors are not only grandmothers near the markets selling products from their gardens, but also real “bigwigs” of green business.

Profitable business - growing greens for sale

The greens growing business can go two ways.

Growing greens “for yourself” and selling the surplus. In this case, especially if you have a personal plot, starting a business is not difficult, since the investment will be minimal. But this option will not bring big profits - it is pointless to hope for an immediate good income.
Organization of a real farm where greens will be grown only for sale. This option will require immediate and quite large investments, since it implies year-round cultivation of the product.

On a note! Most greens are very unpretentious to growing conditions, are not afraid of cool weather, do not require super-expensive fertilizing, and grow quickly. But you need to have time to sell it before it loses its marketable appearance. For this, in addition to the greenhouse, special storage facilities may be needed.

Agricultural business involves obtaining permits for this area of activity. If you decide to start a business with the first option and move towards implementing the second, you can do without them. But in this case, selling goods through stores will not work - you can sell it either yourself on a spontaneous market or to resellers.

But if you open an individual entrepreneur, you will become an entrepreneur who will be able to independently manage his goods and enter into contracts for the supply of products.

On a note! Agricultural entrepreneurs will not have to pay taxes on general terms. There is a Unified Agricultural Tax for them. This is a single tax designed for those who carry out activities of this kind. His rate is only 6% of net profit.

Advantages and disadvantages

Let's summarize and determine the main advantages and disadvantages of growing greens in order to make money.

The advantages of this type of business:

Anyone can grow greens for sale, even those without special gardening knowledge;
the first profit comes quickly, as the greenery grows and develops at high speed;
there is an opportunity to use the Unified Agricultural Tax system;
small investments at first if you plan to grow greens at home or in the summer;
good demand for the product;
there is the possibility of gradually developing and expanding the business as funds accumulate, and you can start growing greens right away.

Disadvantages of a greens growing business:

high competition in the market;
to grow greens all year round on an industrial scale, you need;
it is impossible to sell this product through stores without obtaining permits;
short shelf life of greens.

Looking at people earning big money in the gardening industry, you involuntarily begin to think about creating your own business. - one of the most profitable ideas in the field of entrepreneurship related to gardening.

Profitability, sales

Sales of greens can be done in several ways:

to restaurants, cafes, canteens and other catering establishments;
through our own retail outlets;
through resellers;
to the shops.

At the same time, in order to sell in retail stores, you need to obtain various sanitary documents. But in the event of a sale on the market, you can get away with demonstrating documents about the presence of a household plot.

Advice! Greens must be sorted by size before selling. Then she looks pretty.

But selling greens in large volumes is always quite difficult due to high competition. Try to win the trust of the buyer not only by dumping prices, but also by the quality of the products - let your greens be beautifully packaged, fresh and green. This is exactly the case when it is better not to be greedy, but to sell only fresh products.

On a note! The profitability of “green” businesses is quite high. Sometimes it even reaches 500%. But don’t be mistaken about some of the numbers - from 1 m2 you will not collect the declared 4-5 kg of greens (they write about this on many sites). The actual volume of products from such a territory is about 2-3 kg.

What greens are best to grow?

It is impossible to give a definite answer to this question. But it is best to cultivate those species that are always in demand.

Table. Types of greens and features of their cultivation.

View	Features of growing for sale
	Many people believe that green onions are the best variety for growing herbs for sale. But this is far from true. Parsley and dill can also bring considerable profit. To grow onions, you need fairly large areas and good but moderate lighting. The crop must be harvested and sold quickly, as it quickly loses its marketable appearance. Therefore, you should not make onions the main crop grown.
	These crops can be grown in combination, since they are similar in terms of the required care conditions and feel great next to each other. This option is optimal for starting a business growing greens. These crops are not capricious, they are easily sold and last longer than onions. Yes, and they grow very quickly.
	Rare crops are on our table, and therefore it will be more difficult to sell them. You can also try making spices from them and selling them. They are not suitable for starting a business for a beginner in the world of gardening, as they are capricious and are not in great demand.
	Many people love the salad; it is suitable for decorating dishes. There is good demand for it and it bears fruit well. But caring for it is more labor-intensive than caring for onions or dill.
	The requirements for growing conditions are similar to lettuce. The first harvest can be obtained approximately 30 days after sowing. It sells significantly worse than other crops.

On a note! You can grow several types of greens at once in one greenhouse or room. The main thing is that the requirements of the cultures are similar to each other, and you find time to care for everyone.

Growing greens

There are three main ways to grow greens for sale:

in the apartment;
in a greenhouse;
in the garden plot.

Each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages. The best option is a heated, insulated greenhouse, which will make it possible to grow greens all year round. The main disadvantage of this method is the high initial costs. But this option will allow you to immediately get a large harvest of greenery.

Growing greens in your apartment is as easy as shelling pears, and you can do it throughout the year. The costs are low, but you won’t be able to expand widely (of course, if you don’t have a five-room apartment).

Growing greens in a garden plot also does not involve large expenses, and besides, there is plenty of room to expand. The downside is that the business is seasonal; you won’t be able to grow anything in the winter.

Let's consider the technology of growing onions and dill as the most popular crops.

Dill is sown in the beds in even rows with row spacing of 10 cm. You can also use continuous sowing technology. Seeds are sown in grooves made in the soil about 3 cm deep. The approximate sowing density is about 2 g of seeds per 1 m 2. In a greenhouse, the harvest can be obtained constantly, and on the plot - at least 2 times a year. The greens are cut when the plants reach 12-13 cm. Dill must receive enough light to grow well, and the air temperature in the room should not be lower than +15 degrees.

Onions can be planted in beds or in separate pots. Usually small onions weighing about 30 g are used. Onions are planted in rows with a distance between them of about 45 cm. They are buried in the ground to a depth of about 3-5 cm and, while caring for them, wait for shoots to appear. Feathers are cut when they grow to 20 cm.

On a note! Onions can be grown in individual pots and sold directly from them. This is one of the new and interesting business ideas.

Lettuce is also sown in rows. Usually the leaf variety of this crop is chosen, since it is in greatest demand. Lettuce is sown in beds with row spacing of 20 cm, and in the row the distance between seeds is maintained at about 3 cm. The sowing density is no more than 0.5 g per 1 m 2. The first harvest occurs approximately a month after planting. For lettuce to grow well, the soil needs to be loosened, weeded and abundantly watered.

Parsley is usually grown from seeds. Sowing density is about 2 g per 1 m2. The technology is exactly the same as in the case of growing dill. Parsley grows well; it is one of those crop varieties that can immediately produce a rich harvest.

Sample business plan

Let's try to calculate a rough business plan for growing greens. As an example, you can choose green onions, which we will plant in boxes standing 2-3 stories high. You can place the shelving in the house, saving on a greenhouse, but it is better to purchase it right away. Our calculation can also be projected onto a greenhouse. In total, we get about 30 m2 of landing area in a small room of 20 m2. Let's solve our problem.

Step 1. We count the expenses. Seed onions are sold in kilograms, for example, 15 rubles per 1 kg at a wholesale warehouse. We need about 10 kg to plant it tightly on 1 m2. In total, for 30 m2 we will purchase 300 kg of onions for 4,500 rubles.

Step 2. We purchase containers - boxes and boxes. They can be collected for free in stores. In greenhouses, you can make beds with your own hands.

Step 3. Approximately 2,000 rubles will be spent on fertilizers monthly.

Step 4. Onions need light, and the cost of lamps is about 10,000 rubles.

Step 5. Payment for electricity and water for irrigation is 2500-3500 rubles.

Step 6. Removal of products will cost approximately 5,000 rubles.

Food production is a huge market that will always be in demand. The main thing is proper organization of the business and established sales. Let's look at growing greens in a greenhouse as a business: profitability, business plan and reviews from experienced entrepreneurs about this area of agriculture.

Business Features

Greens are eaten everywhere - in public catering and home cooking. The most popular are onions, dill and parsley. The greatest profitability is achieved in the southern regions, where there is no need to waste energy resources on heating the greenhouse.

The business of growing greens in greenhouses has its advantages and disadvantages:

№	*pros*	*Minuses*
1	Availability of constant demand	Fresh greens are a perishable product
2	Low cost of seeds	It is necessary to organize sales in advance
3	Harvesting and receiving your first income in 1.5-2 months	High cost of maintaining a greenhouse all year round
4	Simple growing technology	To increase productivity, a lot of fertilizers are added to the soil
5	Increase in the cost of greenery in winter	Competition with private farms increases in summer
6	Simplified tax scheme	Permits required for retail sales

The “weaknesses” of a business must be taken into account when drawing up a business plan, which will allow you to avoid mistakes and additional costs when implementing the project.

Business plan

Planning a greenhouse business is impossible without drawing up step-by-step instructions:

Learning about how to grow greens.
Sales organization.
Selecting a site for placing a greenhouse.
Construction and equipment of a greenhouse.
Purchase of seeds.
Official registration.
Profitability calculation.

By adhering to this plan, it will be easier for a novice entrepreneur to avoid mistakes when organizing the cultivation of greens.

Technology of growing greens

The most commonly grown green crops are dill, parsley and onions. Then come basil, sorrel, lettuce, celery, spinach, cilantro, arugula.

To obtain strong, tasty green onion feathers, you need to equip large areas with good lighting. Parsley and dill can grow more compactly and have a longer shelf life than onions.

In practice, 3 main methods are used for growing greens in a greenhouse:

traditional, in the ground;
hydroponics;
mixed.

In the first case, the land must first be prepared - add additional and nutritious components (sand, peat, fertilizers). Then seeds are sown in the soil or seedlings are planted. Seeds are cheaper than seedlings and do not require lengthy preliminary preparation.

It is customary to sow dill and parsley in rows 3 cm deep with an interval of about 10 cm, or completely sow the area at the rate of 2 g of seeds per 1 square meter. m. The optimal temperature for growth is +15°C with good lighting in the room. The harvest is harvested when the plant height is 12-13 cm.

Green onions are grown from small bulbs, planting them to a depth of about 5 cm, at a distance of 40-45 cm from each other. The harvest is harvested when the feathers grow to 20 cm. Onions can also be grown in separate pots and sold in them.

Lettuce is grown in the leaf variety that is most in demand among customers. The distance between the seeds in the furrow is 3 cm, and between the rows - 20 cm. The lettuce is more demanding to care for than onions and dill; it needs to be well watered and weeded. A popular growing option is in pots. A month after sowing, you can harvest.

The hydroponics method consists of equipping a greenhouse with a system of trays filled with water, where seedlings are placed in such a way that only the roots of the plants are in the liquid. Nutrients are supplied to the roots through tubes. The system can be arranged very compactly, and the main disadvantage of this method is the low taste of the grown greens.

In addition to ordinary soil, other materials can be used for soil:

Expanded clay.
Gravel.
Sawdust.
Hydrogel.
Coconut fiber.

The mixed method allows you to take advantage of the benefits of hydroponics and growing greens in beds.

Harvesting using the soil method begins with abundant watering for several hours. After collecting the plants, they are cleaned of dirt and packaged in special containers in which the greens will be stored longer.

Sales of products

The main problem of green business is the sale of perishable goods. To keep plants fresh and juicy for as long as possible, the following methods are used:

grown and sold in pots;
During transportation, aspirin is added to the water.

Sales can be organized both wholesale and retail. To enter into contracts with shops and catering establishments, you must have officially issued tax and sanitary documentation. It is necessary to search for buyers in advance, since there is a lot of competition in this niche.

An option for wholesale trade is to sell greens to intermediaries. In this case, there is no need for permits, but prices will be significantly lower.

It is also possible to conduct retail trade without documents, but it is necessary to organize sales points and hire sellers. And these are additional costs that can significantly reduce the profitability of the enterprise.

Choosing a location for a greenhouse

When closely implementing a business plan for growing greens in a greenhouse, you need to take into account the regional peculiarities - in the south, investments will pay off faster than in the north.

To get the business off the ground right away, you will need a plot of land of 6 acres, leased or purchased as property. It will house a large greenhouse, utility rooms and outdoor garden beds.

It is quite possible to organize a small business without much scope on a personal plot of 2-3 acres. At the same time, it is unlikely that it will be possible to create wholesale quantities of products. The entrepreneur will have to spend all his time on growing greens and retail sales, or hire assistants.

Construction and equipment of a greenhouse

Greenhouses for growing greens come in several types:

With a metal or wooden frame and a polyethylene covering.
Glazed greenhouse made of wood.
Greenhouse made of polycarbonate.

It is best to grow greens in a greenhouse year-round in a structure made of a double layer of polycarbonate. This greenhouse design allows you to save on heating, since the temperature regime is maintained from +15°C to +28°C.

The most common is the arched form of the greenhouse. In cold regions with snowy winters, pitched greenhouses are also built, providing the space with maximum natural light and solving the problem of snow accumulation on the roof.

The area of a greenhouse for a small farm is about 100 square meters. m. The height depends on the chosen format for growing greens - on horizontal beds or in racks. To ensure a continuous agricultural cycle, you will need to build several greenhouses.

The greenhouse plan, in addition to arranging areas for growing greens, provides for the installation of heating, watering and lighting equipment.

Heating of premises can be carried out in different ways:

Infrared heaters. The system is installed at the top of the room and heats the air in the greenhouse. The temperature in the soil remains several degrees cooler.
Sunlight. Panels are installed on the roof of the greenhouse, which accumulate a charge during daylight hours, and heat enters the room through pipes.
Wood stove. Economical and reliable option.
Biological heating. A layer of manure fertilizer is placed under the layer of soil, which generates quite a lot of heat.

To protect the greenhouse from heating interruptions, farmers install several redundant systems.

The lighting system is mounted from fluorescent lamps or phytolamps in such a way that there is a separate lamp for each container with plants.

If greens are grown in beds in a greenhouse, then a drip irrigation system is required. The hydroponics method involves growing crops in a liquid nutrient solution and does not require additional watering.

For the tiered method, you need to equip the greenhouse with metal shelving and purchase containers for soil.

The list of necessary things for the operation of the greenhouse includes:

A variety of containers for storing soil, water, seedlings, and finished products.
Thermometers.
Gardening Tools.
Soil ingredients.
Package.

Seeds

When choosing green seeds for growing, you need to give preference to varieties that are best suited for growth in greenhouse conditions.

Dill requires intense lighting, at least 12 hours a day, otherwise it is unpretentious and not susceptible to disease. The best varieties are Frost, Carousel, Anker, Umbrella, Almaz, Kutuzovsky, Sevastopolsky.

Parsley produces its first harvest a month after planting and continues to produce greens throughout the year. It is necessary to water and fertilize the beds well, maintain lighting and temperature from +12°C to +20°C. From 1 sq.m. of land, you can harvest 2.5 kg of parsley per quarter.

Business registration

Growing greens in a greenhouse as a business focused on wholesale sales requires registration procedures, registration with the Federal Tax Service, and obtaining sanitary permits for products.

It is more profitable and easiest for a businessman to register an individual entrepreneurship with the payment of a single agricultural tax at a rate of 6% of profit. This approach frees you from maintaining complex accounting and reporting and minimizes budget payments.

From the Sanitation Office and Rospotrebnadzor you need to obtain permission to conduct activities, submit product samples for analysis and obtain sanitary certificates to carry out trade.

Business profitability

You can evaluate the economic efficiency of growing greens in a greenhouse by calculating the initial investment, fixed costs and future income. Specific figures are directly dependent on the region in which the activity is carried out, the scale of the enterprise and the chosen method of growing greens.

Approximate calculations were carried out for a rack greenhouse of 100 square meters. m., which is located in central Russia.

Investments in the project are:

Fixed monthly operating expenses:

In addition, there may be costs for paying assistants, repairing equipment, and purchasing additional seeds.

Income from growing greens depends on the season - prices are higher in winter than in summer. On average, the annual turnover will be 2,400,000 rubles. The initial investment will pay off in about 7 months, the profitability of the business is about 35%.

Video: business idea - growing greens.

The difficult financial situation in the country forced us to pay attention to agriculture. This is not only a way to feed your family, but also to earn money. Professional requires serious financial investments, as well as experience and relevant skills. Therefore, growing greens is considered an easy way to earn money.

This type of activity is attractive because it requires relatively small financial investments. Entrepreneurs who shared their personal experience in green business claim that already at the start you can achieve 65%. Organizing a greenhouse on a small plot of land allows you to generate income all year round.

A green business is more profitable than growing vegetables and fruits, since these crops require significant labor and time. The profitability of this type of activity is ensured by the low cost of planting materials. The first batch of goods is usually ready in 40 days, while, according to experts, up to 4 kg of product can be obtained from one square meter.

Its popularity also speaks in favor of this type of business. A fragrant bunch of greenery is appropriate in the kitchen all year round. The abundance of catering establishments and the prepared food sector in grocery stores only benefits entrepreneurs.

In summary, a business growing greens has a number of advantages, thanks to which it is the most preferred method for those who want to make money from cultivating the land. A green business requires little investment, works all year round, is fast and is always in demand.

Work plan

When planning a business in growing greens, it is important to decide on the scale of activity and purpose. Some grow for their own needs, and only the surplus is sent for sale.

If there is land, then all that remains is to invest in building a greenhouse, purchasing planting material and fertilizers. You won’t reach the level of your basic income, but the investment will pay off, and there will always be fresh, environmentally friendly greens on the table. If there is a lot of land, then more investments will be required. Depending on the climate zone, work may be seasonal.

Growing and forcing green onions

The popularity of growing green onions is due to the unpretentiousness of the crop. It will soon grow even on its own, and even more so with the use of all kinds of modern technologies. In the warm season there is no shortage of it, but in the cold season the demand remains just as high, which affects the cost.

Growing green onions is easier to turn into, but you will have to take into account all the subtleties and pitfalls. If you grow onions in large quantities, it is better to aim for year-round operation. In summer it can be planted in the field, but for the winter period it will be necessary to organize greenhouses. In some cases, it is more profitable not to build, but to rent sites from farms. For growing onions, it is better to choose a plot with an area of 20 acres or more. In the spring, when the frosts have passed, onions are planted with seeds.

It is important to note that onion seeds “for the head” and for greens are different. Among foreign suppliers, preference is often given to Japanese and Dutch crops. It is more profitable to purchase planting material from the manufacturer or purchase it in bulk. Thus, seeds can cost from 2 to 5 rubles per kg.

Bulbs are usually planted for the winter. This shortens the growing season, and the finished product has good taste.

Those who intend to build a greenhouse should pay attention to modern materials. Instead of traditional glass, it is better to use polycarbonate, as it is cheaper and retains heat better.

The climatic conditions of the region make significant adjustments to productivity. To minimize losses, you will have to use chemical protection products, fertilizers and chemicals. This helps increase yield and create a presentable appearance.

Own production of green onions requires the presence of storage for the goods. For 100 sq. m of soil will have to organize a storage area of up to 30 square meters. m. Large productions hire industrial premises. If you allocate an area of up to 600 square meters for cultivation in winter. m, then you will need the equipment of instantaneous water heaters for thermal irrigation, as well as lifts and furnaces for heating.

For greater efficiency, they often use purchased humus with fertilizers and fertilizing included. Lighting can be provided using fluorescent lamps as well as ultraviolet light lamps. Only if all these conditions are present can high quality green onions be grown all year round.

Usable area of 80 sq. m gives about 400 kg of feathers. can cost from 10 to 60 rubles. Onions take up to 21 days to grow. The process can be doubled if you use aeroponics technology. However, the cost will cost up to 4 thousand rubles per sq. m. m, and will pay off in several years. Aeroponic systems are recommended for use in large production areas.

Organizing a greenhouse business begins with deciding:

what to grow
where to sell
what type of building to do

This area of business is constantly changing, new technologies are appearing, equipment is becoming more expensive, so it is important to constantly monitor current processes and draw up a detailed business plan before starting work.

Having assessed the general situation in the region in the greenhouse business, it is important to determine for yourself whether this will be a seasonal or permanent type of business. For seasonal use, the use of ordinary farm equipment is suitable; for year-round use, you will need to equip industrial ones with heating and lighting.

Even before starting work, it is important to think through sales routes and establish relationships with wholesalers if you do not intend to sell the products yourself on the market.

If you are building a year-round greenhouse, you will have to obtain design documentation for it, including external networks. The document specifies the specifications for all equipment. This way you can know exactly how much the equipment will cost.

It is necessary to indicate where the greenhouse is located, what area it occupies and what exactly will grow there. You will also have to indicate the method of cultivation, whether hydroponics or aeroponics. You should also know approximately the amount of harvest obtained per square meter per year and the expected buyers.

When thinking through the purpose of a business project, it is important to take into account the demand in nearby settlements. The ability to sell products in nearby cities significantly reduces.

According to experts’ recommendations, you will also have to calculate the cost of starting a greenhouse business at the beginning. The overall result should include all expenses: from the purchase of equipment and seeds to production costs. They inevitably happen, since all the nuances cannot be foreseen, which means, as experts say, we must calculate possible expenses before the first income.

Entrepreneurs who have organized a greenhouse business recommend assessing the technical side of production before starting work. To do this, it is important to consider the degree of remoteness of communications from the intended construction site of the greenhouse. All pipes will have to be laid at your own expense, so it is better to include the cost in the estimate.

It is necessary to choose a place for the greenhouse where it will be easy to organize access roads. Experts recommend either buying, although in this case it may be more profitable to purchase prefabricated greenhouses, with which you can move to any place if necessary.

When organizing heating, you should pay attention to the latest technology, since it can be effective, but in this case you will have to get rid of the old one. Experts also recommend setting aside a certain amount for the introduction of new technologies that may appear after production is launched. This measure will allow competition until the greenhouse begins to pay for itself.

Types of crops and profitability

Since different types of greens are tasty and healthy seasonings, they are always in great demand. Greens are included in traditional dishes of almost all peoples of the country, so they are always in demand:

parsley
dill
spinach

These crops tolerate the low temperatures typical of most regions of the country, which requires sowing them in open ground. Most often, parsley is grown from seeds. The technology is quite simple; it involves keeping the planting material in a humid environment for five days, and after germination it is transferred to a colder room. They must spend another week there.

After planting, they germinate faster and tolerate temperature changes better. According to the sowing norm for 10 square meters. m requires up to 20 grams. They are laid at an obtuse angle to a shallow depth. The distance between the seeds is up to 5 cm. After planting, it is necessary to water abundantly and compact the soil.

With proper care, up to 6 kg can grow per square meter. In the cold season, a kilogram of parsley can be obtained from 180 rubles.

Dill is a little more difficult to grow. It is planted in beds in furrows laid in advance. The seeds are laid out to a depth of three centimeters. The sowing density is similar to parsley, but it tolerates temperature changes less well. It may not withstand temperatures below 15C. However, the harvest is rich. In winter, regardless of the sales region, you can earn from 200 rubles per kg.

Spinach can be planted in early spring. It is not recommended to place seeds deeper than one and a half centimeters. The first harvest appears in a month. Resistance to changes makes it possible to grow until autumn.

A business in growing greens involves selecting early-ripening and hardy varieties. If different crops are grown at the same time, the sowing order must be observed.

Underwater rocks

According to experts, based on personal experience, green business should be done in the southern regions of the country. Climatic conditions in other regions and territories require the creation of special conditions, which in turn entails significant material investments. The construction of permanent greenhouses involves the installation of heating and lighting, which will be required more in winter. In this case, regardless of the scale, the costs will not be recouped.

* The calculations use average data for Russia

50,000 ₽

Minimum investment

65%

Profitability

20 sq.m.

Required area

From 1 month

Payback period

Most people who choose the idea of starting their own “rural” business consider growing herbs for sale among the first options. Indeed, this idea seems, at first glance, simply ideal for a start. To implement it, according to the authors of numerous articles on the Internet, large start-up capital is not required. Planting material is quite inexpensive, the growing period for greenery is on average a month, and the yield is very high: up to four kilograms of greenery can be harvested from one square meter of area. The demand for such products is stable, and the profitability of such a business is over 65%. However, unfortunately, not all of these statements are confirmed in practice.

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First of all, you need to decide for what purpose you are going to do this. It’s one thing if you grow greens for your own needs and sell the surplus. If you have land, the costs of purchasing planting material and fertilizers will be minimal. But you shouldn’t count on big profits in this case either. In the best case scenario, you will recoup your investment and provide yourself with fresh and environmentally friendly greens from spring to autumn. Also, if you have a large enough area, you can grow greens exclusively for sale. But this option requires, firstly, large investments, and, secondly, such a business will also be seasonal. There is a third option for making money from greenery - year-round cultivation of green crops in greenhouses. However, in the period from late autumn to mid-spring, greenhouses will have to be heated and lit, which is associated with high costs. One of the biggest disappointments for beginners in this business is the idea that it is possible to collect 4-4.5 kg of greens per square meter. In fact, even under the most favorable conditions (good lighting, drip irrigation, fertilizers and top dressing), the harvest will average no more than three kilograms of greenery per 1 sq. meters. At the same time, its cost will be very high. It is extremely undesirable to increase the sowing density beyond the recommended one, as this will lead to a deterioration in the quality of the greens.

And finally, the key problem is the organization of sales of finished products. As the farmers themselves say, growing greens is not a problem. The main problem is to sell it and make a profit. Firstly, purchase prices can vary greatly even in the same region and in the same season. Small-scale wholesale prices for greens can range from 50 rubles to 150 rubles per kilogram, but on average no more than 70-80 rubles with retail prices of 200 rubles per kg. Competition for local greens producers comes from farmers from nearby regions.

Types and characteristics of green crops

Greens are healthy and tasty, contain a large amount of vitamins, improve the taste of first and second courses, and promote better absorption of food. Green crops are quite resistant to low temperatures, so they can be grown in open ground from early spring to late autumn using early or winter sowings. The most commonly grown plants are dill, green onions, lettuce, spinach, and parsley. These greens are used to prepare various dishes, and the technology for growing them is very simple.

Dill grown in greenhouses both as an independent crop and as a sealant. When grown for greens, it is sown in meter-long beds in rows (8-10 cm between rows) or continuous sowing, planting the seeds to a depth of 2-3 cm. The sowing density is 15-20 g of seeds per 10 square meters. meters. Dill is cut when it reaches a height of 10-12 cm. During the summer, depending on weather and climatic conditions, dill can be sown at least twice. It is noteworthy that of all green crops, dill is the most demanding in terms of lighting and temperature (it must be at least 15°C). In addition, it takes the longest to mature, but at the same time has the highest productivity.

For growing Luke For feathers, experts recommend using small onions with a diameter of up to 30 mm and weighing up to 30 g and large sets. The sowing scheme uses a row with row spacing of 45 cm or a strip of 20 plus 50 cm. When planting in the fall, the bulbs are planted to a depth of 4-5 cm, and in the spring - to a depth of 2-3 cm. The harvest can be harvested when the feathers reach a length of 20 -25 cm. There are technologies that allow you to grow green onions all year round. The best varieties for growing for sale are “Batun”, “Emerald Island”, “Parade”, “Karatalsky”, “Krasnodarsky G-35”, “Ispansky 313”, “Kaba”.

Salad sow in early spring and even before winter in an ordinary way. Different types of lettuce are suitable for greenhouse cultivation - head lettuce, asparagus lettuce, leaf lettuce and romaine. Greenhouse varieties of lettuce are most often grown because of their early maturity. However, cabbage also grows well, although it is more demanding in terms of lighting and seeding density. Leafy lettuce is sown at a distance of 15-20 cm between rows and 2-3 cm in a row, and cabbage lettuce is sown at a distance of 20-25 cm between rows and up to 10 cm in a row. Seeds are planted to a depth of 1-1.5 cm. The sowing density is 5 g of seeds per 10 square meters. meters of area. The harvest can be obtained 35-40 days after sowing. Lettuce requires regular care: it is necessary to regularly loosen the soil, destroy weeds and water the plants abundantly. In addition, it is necessary to thin out the plants in a timely manner, otherwise they will begin to bloom too early. Early deciduous varieties of lettuce include leafy varieties: “Maysky” and “Berlinsky Yellow”, and head varieties include “Large Green”, “Stubborn”, “Khrustalny”, “Stone Head”. For autumn sowing, varieties such as “Winter Yellow-Green” and “Romain” are used.

Spinach grown in the same way as lettuce. The only difference is in the sowing density: the distance between the rows should be 15-20 cm. The consumption is 40 g of seeds per 10 square meters. meters. The first harvest can be obtained in 30-35 days. Thus, in one area over the summer you can harvest two or more harvests. This crop tolerates the first frosts well, so it is often sown in the summer after lettuce, onions and other early crops. Then spinach can be grown until late autumn. The only disadvantage of this green crop (as well as lettuce) is the need for regular watering. When drought occurs, spinach loses its nutritional value and shoots out. The most common varieties of spinach include Summer Giant, Virofle and Victoria.

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Parsley grown both from seeds and by forcing them from root crops. Before sowing, parsley seeds are kept in damp gauze for five days at room temperature and another ten days after germination at a temperature of +1-2°C. This allows you to get the first shoots as soon as possible and increase productivity. The sowing rate for parsley is 20 g per 10 square meters. meter. It is much more difficult to grow parsley from root vegetables. To do this, the root crops are kept in sand at a temperature of +2°C, and then planted in moist soil at an angle of 45 degrees and to a depth of 15 cm (with a root crop weight of 60-70 g). First, furrows are cut in the soil at a distance of approximately 15 cm from each other, then they are filled with water. The distance between plantings should be 5-6 cm, and between rows - 10 cm. The main thing is not to cover the head and neck of the root crops with soil. The soil must be slightly compacted and watered intensively. The harvest can be obtained 30-45 days after planting the root crops, when the parsley leaves reach 20-25 cm in length. Moreover, with proper care (regular watering - preferably drip watering, ventilation, avoidance of sudden temperature changes, good lighting) you can collect up to 6 kg of greenery from 1 square meter. meters.

When growing greens for sale, experts advise giving preference to early-ripening and hardy varieties. If you plan to grow several types of green crops at once, then you must follow the sowing sequence. First of all, onion sets are sown, which are used for cutting. Before planting, the material must be prepared. It is recommended to soak the sets three days in advance, cutting off the upper part of the head. Then it is planted in soil that is well moistened with water (warm if the ground is not yet warmed up enough). Onions require the usual care: loosening the soil, fertilizing and regular watering. After the onions, dill and parsley are sown, the seeds of which are also pre-soaked. Two weeks after planting onions and dill, lettuce and spinach can be planted.

Growing greens in greenhouses

As experience shows, it is most profitable to engage in a greenhouse business in the southern regions of our country - in the Stavropol and Krasnodar territories, where the frosts are not so severe and the daylight hours are longer. Otherwise, high costs for gas and electricity in the northern regions will “eat up” all the profits from the sale of finished products. For a greenhouse with an area of 20 square meters. meters, heating costs in winter are about 75,000-80,000 rubles. In the middle zone, heating costs for such an area will average 250,000 rubles per year (if you meet the electricity quota). It often turns out to be more profitable to deliver finished goods from other regions than to grow greens yourself. The minimum profitability of a greenhouse business should be 20%. Ideally, you should strive for 30-35%, but they are difficult to achieve.

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It is more profitable to grow greens in a greenhouse at least four times than vegetables. However, keep in mind that ideally you need to organize stable sales of your products in the nearest locality in order to minimize transport costs.

The cheapest technology for greenhouse cultivation of green crops is hydroponics. In essence, it allows you to minimize physical labor, shorten the vegetative cycle of plants several times and, accordingly, increase productivity several times. When using hydroponic technology, plants are grown in artificial media without soil - not in boxes with soil, but in ordinary plastic cups or PVC pipes with holes made in them. They receive nutrients from a humid-air environment, which requires frequent or constant drip irrigation with a working solution of mineral salts. Thanks to the small volume of containers for growing plants, they can be placed not only in the lower part of the greenhouse, but also vertically, on the walls, and even under the ceiling, which allows you to increase productivity even in a small area. Everything would be fine if not for one “but”: crops grown hydroponically do not have a characteristic taste and smell. They are practically tasteless, although they have an attractive appearance. Even the low price does not compensate for the shortcomings in taste. But, nevertheless, although this technology is not suitable for the summer season (when there is an abundance of fresh greens straight from the garden on the market), it is widely used for growing greens in the winter months. In the absence of an alternative, consumers are willing to buy fresh greens, even if their taste leaves much to be desired.

There are also “intermediate” technologies for greenhouse cultivation of greens, which involve the simultaneous use of peat and ordinary soil and liquid fertilizers used in hydroponics. These technologies are three times more expensive than hydroponics, but the products grown with their help are not much different from those grown in open ground.

What material should greenhouses for growing greens be made from? Currently, glass and polyethylene are most widely used for this. A glazed greenhouse is more expensive both at the construction stage and during further operation, since glass does not retain heat well. In addition, on hot and sunny days, glass does not retain or diffuse light, which can cause burns to plants. As a last resort, tempered technical glass with a thickness of 6 mm or more can be used to build a greenhouse. This material can be purchased at a price of 1000 rubles per linear meter. However, polyethylene is not the best option, since, on the contrary, it transmits light very poorly. On cloudy days, there will be insufficient lighting in such a greenhouse, which adversely affects the plants. And the cost of heating a film greenhouse will be considerable. There are better options, which have recently become increasingly popular - metal structures with acrylic or polycarbonate coating. A greenhouse made from these materials is more expensive than a polyethylene one. But it will last much longer, and its efficiency will be higher.

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Construction of a greenhouse costs from 1,500 rubles per 1 sq. meter excluding additional equipment. At the same time, a greenhouse of 100 sq. meters (a relatively small greenhouse measuring, for example, 5 by 20 meters) gives about 80 square meters. meters of usable area. However, the area can be increased to 200 square meters. meters using a two-tier shelving system.

It is recommended to divide a large greenhouse into spans of 25 square meters. meters, which will make it easier to care for the plantings. Manufacturers, in an attempt to reduce the cost of greens as much as possible, do not pay much attention to either the quality of the soil or its fertilization. In extreme cases, if the greenery “fades”, then it is sprayed with urea, and if mold appears, it is treated with potassium permanganate.

Prospects and risks of green business

Although, in general, growing greens for sale is a promising and profitable direction, but only if several conditions are met. Production volumes come first - the larger they are, the better. And on the second (although this condition is no less important) is the availability of sales channels. You won’t earn much by selling greens on your own at the market or selling them to resellers for pennies. You can negotiate supplies with cafes and restaurants, but, firstly, their purchase volumes are not so large. Secondly, you need to provide all documents for your products. And thirdly, achieving such agreements will be very difficult.

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