Do you like local garden products for your kitchen. Yes, then this discussion is for you. Up to now every one of us spent $100 or more in some case per month for our garden. What would be your response if I say you can balance this expenditure by earning an extra 100 buck or more from your garden. Do you know you can grow garden Crops for the Local Market? It can yield you enough to more than your monthly gardening expenditure.
I know as a gardener we all love every bit of our garden. The effort to the final yield is simply awesome. Now with a little effort and care you can earn from your garden. Don’t worry if you live in an apartment. If you are interested then you can start gardening anywhere and sell your products to earn.
Check out my previous post: Tomatoes Not Ripening- What To Do?
Is it profitable to sell Graden Crops in the Local Market?
It is profitable to sell garden crops in the local market. All you need is to know the market needs and prepare to grow the crop. A thorough understanding of the crop is also very essential. you can’t start growing rice or corn for selling in your garden. They are cash crops and require huge commercial-scale farmland. Instead, you should start with the easy to grow and more compatible crop according to the available space and resources.
You have to start with a little research for the market need. There would a lot of options although you should choose what is best for your expertise and resources. Choose sometime with less space requirement and high market demand. Then learn more about the basic requirements of this crop. Prepare the garden either indoor or outdoor as per the requirements.
Once everything is ready then grow the crop and care for them. Harvest them in time and sell in the local market. You have to deal with the local grocery competitions. Try to make a favorable bond with other sellers for support in the market.
Buy easy-to-grow vegetable seeds on Amazon.
Earn From Your Gardening Skills
If you are still wondering about the possibilities then I must say it’s completely possible. Even small indoor gardeners or container gardens can earn with proper gardening skills. All you need is some knowledge about the market needs with the plants you choose to grow. If you are willing to earn from your garden then nothing is difficult.
First of all, you have to understand your local market. Local vegetable markets are mostly driven by community farmers and small-scale vegetable growers. they also deal with products made from their yields like jams, ketchup, fries, chips, and many more. Therefore, this is the time to decide what will be your final product. Is it a raw garden yield or something made out of it? If you are a beginner then I would suggest going for the raw products instead of anything prepared. Prepared food or products require more time, effort, and especially a lot more money with proper skills.
The next step is to learn the crops in demand. Usually, local markets are flooded with seasonal crops. They sell farm-fresh products and this is the key to success. Once you know the market needs, it’s time to evaluate your resources for farming. If you have an open garden with sufficient space then you are a lucky one. Otherwise, you have to prepare a gardening space indoors probably in containers.
Finally, chose the plant for your small-scale farm and keep in mind the available space. Grow the crop of your desire and sell it for extra earning.
Profitable Crops for The Local Market
Market need is the first and most important criterion to decide which crop to grow and sell. Different crops have different gardening needs. The entire growth of these plants will depend on the local climatic conditions.
Summer plants prefer warm bright daylight while cool weather crops prefer something different. The local weather condition, soil type, moisture, average sunlight, ambient temperature, humidity all affect the growth pattern of crops. So different crops can be profitable in different circumstances.
I have listed a few profitable home garden crops in my locality. You may try these and decide whether they are profitable or not.
Garlic
Garlic is profitable during the fall or cold spring season. It is easy to grow in soft moist soil. There is no need for hot bright sunlight so you can grow them in part shade. You can easily earn $8-$10 per pound of garlic depending on the variety.
Garlic can easily grow in any container. although it matures in 90-100 days for harvesting.
Onion Chives
Green onions and chives are always in high demand. The best thing about them is you can grow them indoors without direct sunlight all year long. They will stay green and fresh for a long in cool zones. Just sow the seeds in a 6-inch deep container and it will be ready to harvest in 60 days. Harvest the chives and leave the roots in the soil. They will grow aging giving you another harvest within 60-70 days. They can continue producing thrive although harvesting twice from each plant is more than enough. Once it’s done the plant will start producing seeds. so remove them and sow fresh seeds for the next batch.
Lavender
If you are fond of fragrant lavender flowers then you can also earn from them. Grow them in a bunch obviously in outdoor gardens. These flowers can’t bloom properly indoors. Each bundle can get you $10-$15 so take care of these plants.
Learn: Is lavender a herb, shrub, or flower?
Lemon Grass
Lemongrass is aging its popularity among the health-conscious new generation. You can use it for brewing tea with a lemony fragrance and a lot of nutrients. Growing lemongrass is very easy and once grown it can keep producing new leaves for decades. It is not so costly although the quantity of the yield will balance the effort in earning. It is worthy as there is nothing much to do for the plant care once it is properly established in an area. Lemongrass also deters mosquitoes and other garden pests.
Chilli and Pepper
If you live in warmer zones then Chilli and peppers can be your best choice. All types of Chilli and peppers are easy to grow if they get proper sunlight with slightly acidic healthy soil. It is better to choose varieties in demand as you have to sell them in the local market.
Only 10-15 plants are sufficient to yield a couple of pounds of chilies per week in the season. They can easily grow in containers although these plants need proper sunlight. You can earn anywhere between $5-$25 per pound depending on the quality, quantity, size and of course the variety of the produce.
Learn: Common Pests and Diseases in Chilli Pepper Plants
Mint
Mint is an easy-to-grow herb. It is perennial in a mild climate while the plant will die in extreme cold and hot zones. you can also grow mints in containers and the yield will be sufficient to earn you a couple of bucks every week. One thing to consider here is the short self-life of harvested mint. They will not last for 4-6 days after harvesting. Therefore make sure the buyers are ready for the purchase by the time of harvest. Local restaurants and chefs always prefer to buy farm-fresh products. You just have to approach them with a good deal for the best quality mint.
Read: Gardening of Fresh Mint- Grow your herbs in containers
Coriander
You can also grow coriander or parsley in cooler zones. It is a high-demand herb. You can sell coriander leaves to the local restaurants, chefs as well as directly to the customers. It can earn you $5-$30 per bundle depending on the variety and the season. It is a seasonal herb so the demand changes with time. You can start early to get an extra price for your product.
Basil
Basil is another in-demand herb. It is easy to grow and quite easy to sell. Only reach your local market before harvesting and check out the seller’s section for any demand. You can also reach out to local restaurants and chefs for direct sales. They usually prefer quality products and they can give you a better price for the best yields.
Cherry Tomato
Cherry tomato is another favorite of mine. I start my garden sale with some of these plants. It was a means of extra earning, more for extra pocket money. You can grow them easily in containers and only 5-10 plants are sufficient for yielding up to 10 pounds per week. It is too much and trusts me it is possible. You have to learn to handle these plants properly and in return, they can give you $25-$50 in a couple of weeks.
Strawberry
Strawberry is not my first choice for beginner gardeners. It may take time to expertise these plants for best yields. These plants are difficult yet not impossible for gardening. They can grow in containers even in vertical hanging gardens. Once you learn Strawberry plants and their needs. They can easily give $10 or more for every single box.
Read: How many seeds does a Strawberry Contain?
Limes & lemons
Lemons and limes are probably the best crops to grow in your garden and sell. There are 100s of different varieties available and you can easily find one compatible with your local conditions. It is better to grow them in a garden although they can grow in containers.
You can earn $5-$10 for a dozen fruits. A single mature plant can produce 100s of fruits so it is profitable to grow and sell them.
How Do Limes Reproduce Without Seeds?
Tree Fruits
If you have a pen garden and you want something permanent to grow. Then you much grow a couple of fruits trees. Fruit trees are probably the best plants with the lowest maintenance. Once grown these trees can keep producing fruits for decades. You can harvest some fruits for your family and friends and sell the rest to local markets. fresh fruits are always in high demand.
You can choose any of these fruits to grow in your garden. Must understand the plants’ needs before growing them in your garden.
You may grow apples, Peach, Guava, Banana, Avacado, Grapes, Pears, Oranges, maybe mango, and Lichii if they can grow in your locality.
What are your favorite Crops for the Local market? Write don in the comment and keep gardening.
