market garden business plan template

Market Gardening: A Start Up Guide

By Janet Bachmann, NCAT Agriculture Specialist

Photo: Edwin Remsberg, USDA/CSREES

Market gardening involves the intense production of high-value crops from just a few acres and gives farmers the potential to increase their income. Market gardening is also of interest to people considering agriculture as an alternative lifestyle. This publication provides an overview of issues you need to be aware of as you consider starting market gardening and suggests helpful resources.

Introduction Business plan Choosing markets Learning production and marketing techniques Selecting equipment Planning and recordkeeping Labor Food safety Agricultural insurance Organic market gardening Grower profiles References Further resources

Introduction

Market gardening is the commercial production of vebgetables, fruits, flowers and other plants on a scale larger than a home garden, yet small enough that many of the principles of gardening are applicable. The goal, as with all farm enterprises, is to run the operation as a business and to make a profit. Market gardening is often oriented toward local markets, although production for shipping to more distant markets is also possible.

Business plan

Starting any business demands an investment of time and money. When you invest in your own business, be it market gardening or something else, a business plan will help ensure success. Developing your business plan helps you define your business, create a road map for operations, set goals, judge progress, make adjustments and satisfy a lender’s request for a written explanation of how a loan will be used. A basic business plan includes:

• What? Describe your product or service
• Why? Describe the need for your product or service
• Who? Describe your customer
• When? Draw a timeline and list all the tasks you need to accomplish
• Where? Describe the location of your business
• How? Describe equipment, materials and supplies you will use in your market garden and how you will finance your market garden

The 280-page publication Building a Sustainable Business: A Guide to Developing a Business Plan for Farms and Rural Businesses is an excellent tool for business planning. Developed by the Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture in St. Paul, Minn., and co-published by the Sustainable Agriculture Network, the book helps people involved with commercial alternative and sustainable agriculture create profitable businesses. The book contains sample and blank worksheets that help you learn how to set goals, research processing alternatives, determine potential markets and evaluate financing options to create a business plan.

The book Sustainable Vegetable Production from Start-Up to Market , published in 1999 by University of Vermont vegetable specialist Vernon Grubinger, has an outline for a basic five-part business plan. The ATTRA publication Agricultural Business Planning Templates and Resources lists additional resources, primarily website links.

Choosing markets

Farmers market. Photo: Jim Lukens

You need to develop a focused marketing plan before planting any crops. A marketing plan helps, but does not guarantee, that most of what you plant will be sold and can help eliminate wasted time, space, produce and money. Many market gardeners try to maximize their income by selling directly to consumers and bypassing wholesalers and other middlemen. Tailgate markets, farmers’ markets, roadside and on-farm stands, pick-your-own operations and subscription marketing are common direct-marketing strategies. Sales to restaurants, institutions and schools and grocery stores are common wholesale marketing strategies. More in-depth details are provided in other ATTRA publications. Most market gardeners use several outlets. Diversity in marketing, as well as diversity in planting, is a cornerstone of stability.

If you choose a wholesale market, you will not be able to charge retail prices, but your labor cost for marketing may be reduced. The case study summarized below points out that price premiums at farmers’ markets are not pure profit and less-costly wholesale marketing produced the highest profits.

A California case study When comparing markets, be sure to compare the costs as well as the returns. If you sell wholesale, you will not get the price premiums expected at a farmers’ market, but your labor cost for marketing will be lower. A case study in California compared marketing costs of three farms selling by wholesale, community-supported agriculture and farmers’ market methods. All three farms were well-established, diversified organic growers in northern California. One farm was small, with 20 acres and two full-time employees; one medium, with 70 acres and seven employees; and one larger, with 240 acres and 30 employees. Labor was the highest marketing expense for all the farms. At the small farm, labor was 77 percent of all marketing costs, ranging from 67 percent for wholesale marketing methods to 82 percent for farmers’ markets. Farmers’ markets generated the lowest net revenue return for all three growers, while wholesale provided the highest net return for all. The study shows that price premiums at farmers’ markets are not pure profit. (Hardesty, 2008).

Selling melons from a tailgate. Photo: UM Food Services

Tailgate marketing is one of the simplest forms of direct marketing. It involves parking a vehicle loaded with produce on a road or street with the hope that people will stop and purchase the produce. This is commonly used for selling in-season regional produce. This method takes very little investment and can be set up on short notice. Check with your city government first if you plan to set up inside a city. Some cities have regulations governing transient vendors.

Farmers’ markets are an excellent place for a beginning market gardener to sell his or her crop. Farmers’ markets do not demand that a vendor bring a consistent supply of high-quality produce every market day, although that is the goal. If you have less-than-perfect tomatoes, you may be able to sell them as canners at a reduced price. A farmers’ market is a wonderful place to meet people and develop steady customers, which can lead to additional marketing channels. Disadvantages include the need to spend time away from the farm and the possibility of having produce left over at the end of the market. The ATTRA publication Farmers’ Markets: Marketing and Business Guide offers more information and resources about establishing, promoting and being successful at a farmers’ market. On-farm marketing strategies include roadside or farm stands and pick-your-own arrangements.

Farm stand. Photo: Maggie Hoback, fullcirclefarm.com

On-farm marketing strategies are often successful because pick-your-own customers who come for the enjoyment of spending time in the field will often also purchase harvested crops. Innovative farmers have found that on-farm entertainment, like animals to pet or pumpkins to carve, can be profitable additions to on-farm markets. For these marketing methods, a mower may be your most important piece of equipment since you will need to keep the farm landscape neat to attract customers. See the ATTRA publication Entertainment Farming and Agri-Tourism for more information about on-farm selling.

Subscription marketing is a strategy that continues to gain interest and has benefited from the use of the Internet. Community supported agriculture (CSA) is one type of subscription marketing that involves providing subscribers with a weekly basket of seasonal produce, flowers or livestock products. The subscribers pay at the beginning of the season for part of or their entire share of the farmer’s planned production.

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), Bivalve MD. Photo: Edwin Remsberg, USDA/CSREES

This eliminates the problem of covering up-front production costs at the beginning of the season and guarantees a market.

The challenge for the grower is to have a consistent and continuous supply of popular vegetables throughout the growing season. It is helpful to survey the customers or members about their preferences before planting. Refer to ATTRA’s publication Community Supported Agriculture for more information.

Restaurants that are interested in serving fresh, locally grown produce can be a good market. Chefs or restaurant owners are very busy people. Ask the chefs what day and hour is the best time to call to find out what produce they need, and then be consistent about calling at that time every week. You can also find out when to make deliveries. Chefs appreciate the opportunity to tell you what they can use or would like to try. ATTRA’s Selling to Restaurants has more information about selling to chefs, as does Diane Green’s Selling Produce to Restaurants: A Marketing Guide for Small Growers , which is listed in the Further resources section.

A green restaurant supplier Greentree Naturals, a certified-organic farm in Sandpoint, Idaho, supplies a number of local restaurants. Diane Green and her husband, Thom Sadoski, created greentreenaturals.com to let people know about their products, workshops and projects. The website also gives Green and Sadoski a way to answer questions from other farmers. “We receive frequent requests asking us how to do what we do,” Green explains. ” While on the one hand, we do not want to give away the hard-earned knowledge that we have learned about being successful small-acreage growers, we feel it is very important that more people are exploring the possibilities of becoming farmers. We believe that our experience has value. We are proud of what we do.”

Grocery and natural food stores may be one of the most difficult markets to break into for small-scale growers, but as interest in locally grown food increases, some stores are looking for ways to make this easier. If you want to sell to retailers, remember that they need consistently available and high-quality products. Have a sample of your product with you when you visit the store and know your selling price for the product.

A number of farm-to-school programs across the country make schools and institutions another market for small-scale growers. Food service departments at schools across the country are joining forces with concerned parents, teachers, community activists and farmers to provide students with healthy meals while simultaneously supporting small farmers in their region. Check to see if a farm-to-school program exists in your community. Healthy Farms, Healthy Kids: Evaluating the Barriers and Opportunities for Farm-to-School Programs, a campaign started by the Community Food Security Coalition, examines seven farm-to-school projects from around the country and provides plenty of information to start a farm-to-school program. See the Further Resources section for information on how to find the Healthy Farms, Healthy Kids publication.

Market gardeners can use the Internet to transact business or distribute information about farms and products. How to Direct Market Farm Products on the Internet , a U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Marketing Service publication, discusses what to consider before using the Internet as a marketing tool and provides examples of farmers’ experiences, as well as links to more information.

Learning production and marketing techniques

Apprenticing with an experienced market gardener is one of the best ways to learn sound techniques. If that opportunity isn’t available, you can attend workshops and conferences, visit with other market growers, read industry materials, watch videos and experiment. State fruit and vegetable grower organizations, sustainable agriculture and organic grower groups and regional and national organizations host conferences, trade shows, workshops and field days where a wealth of information is shared. A few of these organizations, workshops and educational materials are listed in the Further resources section.

The Cooperative Extension System is an excellent source of bulletins on production basics for most crops. The service may be able to provide on-site consultation if you have production questions. Check calendars in trade magazines and the ATTRA events calendar for conference postings. See ATTRA’s website for current publications on soil fertility management; season extension techniques; organic production of specific crops; postharvest handling; and insect pest, weed and disease management.

The books listed below are all highly recommended by those who have used them. Which one may be the most useful to you on a day-to-day basis depends on your scale of production. See the Further resources section for ordering information.

Market Farming Success was written by Lynn Byczynski, editor and publisher of the journal Growing for Market. The advice in this book comes from the personal experience of the author and her husband, Dan Nagengast, as market growers in eastern Kansas, as well as interviews with many other growers around the country. The book is intended to help those who are or want to be in the business of growing and selling food, flowers, herbs or plants create a profitable and efficient business. Market Farming Success identifies the key areas that usually hamper beginners and shows how to avoid those obstacles. The book discusses how much money you will need to start growing, how much money you can expect to earn, the best crops and markets, essential tools, how to keep records to maximize profits and further resources.

Eliot Coleman’s The New Organic Grower: A Master’s Manual of Tools and Techniques for the Home and Market Gardener is written for market gardeners with about 5 acres of land in vegetable crop production. Coleman, an agriculture researcher, educator and farmer, describes techniques using walking tractors, wheel hoes, multi-row dibble sticks and soil block transplants. The sections on planning, crop rotations, green manures, soil fertility, direct seeding and transplants are inspiring. Coleman includes season extension techniques in this book and authored additional books on this topic, including Four Season Harvest and The Winter Harvest Manual.

Sustainable Vegetable Production from Startup to Market was written by Vern Grubinger, a vegetable and berry specialist for University of Vermont Extension and director of the UVM Center for Sustainable Agriculture. The book is aimed at aspiring and beginning farmers. The book introduces the full range of processes for moderate-scale vegetable production using ecological practices that minimize the need for synthetic inputs and maximize conservation of resources. The book provides practical information on essential matters like selecting a farm site; planning and recordkeeping; marketing options; and systems for starting, planting, protecting and harvesting crops. The book’s final chapter profiles the experiences of 19 vegetable growers, focusing on individual crops, and provides each grower’s budget for these crops.

How to Grow More Vegetables: And Fruits, Nuts, Berries, Grains, and Other Crops Than You Ever Thought Possible on Less Land Than You Can Imagine, by John Jeavons, details biointensive gardening techniques. The book emphasizes the use of hand tools, raised bed production, intensive spacing, companion planting and organic fertility management. The planning charts are aimed at helping families provide for their own food needs, but can be adapted for use by market gardeners as well.

Selecting equipment

Table 1 is adapted from a chart distributed to participants at an Advanced Organic Vegetable Production Workshop sponsored by the Michael Fields Agricultural Institute. The chart provides an estimate of equipment needs for market gardens of various sizes. The publication Grower to grower: Creating a livelihood on a fresh market vegetable farm also provides information on equipment options for different sizes of farms (Hendrikson, 2005). Please keep in mind that your own needs will differ. You may be able to adapt machinery that you already have or you may be able to buy used machinery. If you are just starting out with a small amount of land, it may be more economical to purchase transplants than to build a greenhouse and grow your own. It may make sense to have primary tillage done by someone with a large tractor rather than purchase a tractor for this purpose.

Depending on your location and choice of crops, irrigation is a must for consistent and high-quality production, even on a scale of less than an acre. Drip or trickle irrigation is becoming the method of choice for many fruit, vegetable and flower growers. Grubinger’s book provides a summary of overhead sprinkle and drip or trickle irrigation systems. Byczynski’s book also explains how to set up a drip system. Your local extension office can supply detailed bulletins. An irrigation specialist who will work with you to design a system to meet your needs is also helpful.

Tools of the trade It is possible to operate a market garden of less than an acre with little more than a shovel, rake, hoe and garden hose. However, most serious market gardeners acquire labor-saving tools such as walk-behind rototillers, mowers, small greenhouses and small refrigerator units. Some growers, especially those farming more than an acre, use small tractors with a limited array of implements. Experienced market gardeners advise beginning growers to first purchase equipment that will support the back end of their operations. A small walk-in cooler to maintain high product quality or an irrigation system to assure consistent yields and quality might be more important early purchases than a tractor (Hendrickson, 2005).

Planning and recordkeeping

Recordkeeping may be one of the most difficult tasks for market gardeners, but good records are critical if you want to know which crops are profitable. Market gardeners need records to fine-tune planting, cultivation, pest management and harvest schedules. Records help answer questions about labor, equipment and capital needs, and are valuable when developing business plans.

Alex Hitt of Peregrine Farm in Graham, N.C., keeps extensive records. The records include planned and actual data for what crops he plants, where crops are planted in the field and when Hitt plants the crops. He keeps a harvest record and a crop rotation record. Hitt tallies the produce he brings to farmers’ markets, charts selling prices and notes what doesn’t sell. In addition, he keeps track of farm expenses and income and records daily activities, including time spent on each farm task. A sample planting record is included on a CD titled Organic Vegetable Production and Marketing in the South with Alex Hitt of Peregrine Farm, produced by the Southern Sustainable Agriculture Working Group.

The size of your operation and the crops, markets, and equipment you choose will determine the amount of labor needed. Two of the growers profiled in this publication have decided that they do not want to hire outside help and planned their production and marketing accordingly.

Many market gardeners, however, will need help. In an advanced organic vegetable production workshop offered by the Michael Fields Agricultural Institute, Richard DeWilde of Harmony Valley Farm explains how to manage labor so crews will be happy and productive. DeWilde’s operation is one described in the grower profiles at the end of this publication.

DeWilde emphasizes that it is important to be clear about your employee expectations and operating procedures. He does this by meeting regularly with his employees and using an employee manual. An employee manual details farm standards and expectations. For example, it might tell people what to do with trash and include a Friday night checklist to ensure that supplies and equipment are properly stored at the end of the week. Employees do not work on Saturday or Sunday.

On Monday morning DeWilde meets with his crew in the packing shed. He makes the day and week manageable by writing down all that needs to be accomplished on two dry-erase boards. One board provides information about tasks planned for the entire week. On the other board, De Wilde posts tasks for the day with assignments for who will do each task. Past records show how long it should take to do each task. This information is critical for determining assignments.

Separate task sheets list supplies needed for each task. For example, if floating row covers need to be laid, the task sheet will include shovels, markers and marking pens.

Harmony Valley Farm commits to providing full-time jobs. A list of rainy-day tasks and extra chores is on hand to ensure that employees always have something useful to do.

DeWilde emphasizes that it is important for employers to be knowledgeable about government regulations, including field sanitation, drinking water, worker protection and safety regulations. A resource for learning about government regulations is Neil D. Hamilton’s The Legal Guide for Direct Farm Marketing. The book includes a chapter on labor and employment. See the Further resources section for ordering information.

Food safety

Changing lifestyles and a growing interest among consumers in fresh, nutritious food has created an increase in produce consumption. Along with this increase, there has been an increase in the number of food-borne illness outbreaks associated with fresh fruits and vegetables. An occurrence can cause irreparable damage to a business, both legally and from the negative effects on its reputation (Cuellar, 2001).

Currently, there are no mandatory rules for the safe growing and packing of fruits and vegetables, except for those regulating water and pesticide residues under the surveillance of the Environmental Protection Agency. In 1998, however, the EPA published the Guide to Minimize Microbial Food Safety Hazards for Fresh Fruits and Vegetables, comprising a set of Good Agricultural Practices. Although the practices are optional, many growers incorporate them into their operations. Extension offices in a number of states provide bulletins outlining safe growing and packing practices. Cornell University compiled a number of educational materials in English and other languages. The National GAPs Education Materials can be found at Cornell’s website. Kansas State University published Food*A*Syst , a handbook to help address food safety and environmental concerns. The University of California’s Good Agricultural Practices: A Self Audit for Growers and Handlers is also available online.

Agricultural insurance

According to the Washington State Department of Agriculture, insurance is one of the most overlooked pieces of running a farm business. In today’s litigious culture, it is wise to have adequate coverage for all your farm activities. Insurance coverage is available for nearly any activity on your farm, but the cost of coverage may not be economically viable. Shop around for the insurance that best suits your needs and balance the coverage into your farm business plan.

If your farming operation is very small, you may be able to simply add coverage to your homeowner’s policy. Larger operations may require a farm policy that includes property coverage as well as liability coverage for physical injury and ingested food products. A farm policy can also cover a roadside stand whether or not it is on your property and may be extended by endorsement to cover a farmers’ market stand. Farms that process foods or sell primarily flowers or other non-edibles may require a commercial general liability policy (WSDA, 2006).

Visit the Washington State Department of Agriculture website for more information.

The Pennsylvania State University bulletin Agricultural Business Insurance discusses the different types of insurance you should consider as part of your risk management strategy. Agricultural business insurances include general liability, product liability, business property, workers compensation, vehicle and crop insurance and more.

A very readable discussion on insurance is in Lynn Byczynski’s Market Farming Success . She advises that your best bet in finding what you need is to sit down with an independent agent and explain your business thoroughly. Another excellent resource on this issue is Neil Hamilton’s The Legal Guide for Direct Farm Marketing.

Organic market gardening

Some market gardeners grow their crops organically. The motivations vary. Some market gardeners think it is the socially and environmentally responsible thing to do. Some are motivated by economic benefits. Organically grown produce typically commands higher prices in the marketplace. Growers who sell through CSAs or use other forms of relationship marketing sometimes find that their customers expect and demand organic produce. There is a long history that equates organic farming with fresh, whole foods.

The production and marketing of organic foods is subject to federal regulation. Organic production is defined in legal terms and use of the term organic is controlled. You must be certified by the USDA to market your products as organic unless your annual sales of organic products are less than $5,000. ATTRA has numerous publications that address organic matters. See ATTRA’s Guide to Organic Publications for more information.

Grower profiles

To give you additional ideas and inspiration, several market gardeners from different parts of the United States agreed to share information about their operations. Alex and Betsy Hitt are featured in the Sustainable Agriculture Network publication Building Soils for Better Crops , 2nd Ed. and The New American Farmer . Richard DeWilde and Linda Halley are also featured in The New American Farmer.

It is interesting to note that although each operation is unique, all have a number of things in common. These include:

• Diversity of crops
• Diversity of marketing strategies
• Cover crops grown for soil building
• Detailed recordkeeping systems
• Willingness to share knowledge and ideas with others

Peregrine Farm , Alex and Betsy Hitt, Graham, N.C.

Alex and Betsy Hitt began market gardening on their 26-acre farm near Chapel Hill, N.C., almost 20 years ago. They grow organic vegetables and specialty cut flowers on 5 acres and have a quarter of an acre in highbush blueberries. The Hitts sell primarily to local farmers’ markets, but have also sold to restaurants and stores.

“Our original goals,” Alex Hitt said, “were to make a living on this piece of ground while taking the best care of it that we could.” For the Hitts, making a living doing work they enjoy and finding a scale that allows them to do most of it themselves are key aspects of sustainability. Their crop mix and markets have changed over the years, as they continue to evaluate the success of each operation and its place within the whole system.

When the horse stable down the road went out of business, it forced the Hitts to reevaluate their farm fertility program. Without this source of free manure, the Hitts created an elaborate rotation that includes both winter and summer cover crops to supply organic matter and nitrogen, prevent erosion and crowd out weeds.

“We designed a rotation so that cover crops play a clear role,” Hitt said. “Many times, where other growers might say, ‘I need to grow a cash crop,’ we’ll grow a cover crop anyway.”

The farm stays profitable thanks to a marketing plan that takes full advantage of their location near Chapel Hill, home to the University of North Carolina. More unusual produce like leafy greens, leeks and rapini find a home in restaurants, and sell well alongside their most profitable lettuce, tomato, pepper and flower crops at area farmers’ markets.

A year in the Hitts’ rotation may include a cool-season cash crop and a summer cover crop like soybeans and sudangrass followed by a fall cash crop and then a winter cover.

“We have made a conscious decision in our rotation design to always have cover crops,” Alex Hitt said. “We have to. It’s the primary source for all of our fertility. If we can, we’ll have two covers on the same piece of ground in the same year.”

While other farmers grow beans, corn or another profitable annual vegetable in the summer after a spring crop, the Hitts don’t hesitate to take the land out of production. Instead, Alex Hitt said, their commitment to building organic matter in the soil yields important payoffs. The farm remains essentially free of soilborne diseases, which they attribute to “so much competition and diversity” in the soil. And, despite farming on a 5-percent slope, they see little or no erosion.

Table 2, above, shows the Hitt’s 10-year rotation plan.

Beech Grove Farm, Ann and Eric Nordell, Trout Run, Pa.

Neither Ann nor Eric grew up on a farm, but both gained experiences on other farms during and after college before they bought Beech Grove Farm, their small farm near Trout Run, Pa. In this area with steep, rugged terrain and a relatively short growing season, they had three goals:

• Remain debt-free
• Keep the farm a two-person operation
• Depend on the internal resources of the farm as much as possible.

Of the 90 acres on the farm, 30 are wooded. Six are cultivated for the market garden. The remainder, excluding the homestead and house garden, is left in pasture. They use draft horses and low-cost implements for cultivation and tillage and have the 6-acre plot divided into half-acre strips of 20 yards by 120 yards, which the Nordells find to be a good size for working with horses and by hand.

Because the farm is distant from major markets, the Nordells first chose crops that can be sold wholesale, like flowers and medicinal herbs for drying and root vegetables. As the couple became known in the area, they were approached by restaurant buyers to supply cool-season and specialty items. By 1998, they were selling to 10 fine restaurants in the area and at the Williamsport farmers’ market. Income from wholesale markets is now only 10 percent of their total income.

For the Nordells, as for all market gardeners, weeds presented a major challenge. They adapted a traditional field crop rotation system of corn, oats, wheat, grass and legume sod used in the Midwest and Pennsylvania to a rotation that includes vegetables, cover crops and a summer fallow. The half-acre strips are managed so that 3 acres are in crops and 3 acres are in fallow or cover crops. Over the years, the Nordells reduced the fallow period to six weeks or less as the weed population has diminished.

The Nordells collected copies of the articles they’ve written about rotation, cultivation, growing onions, using pigs to turn compost, designing a barn for animals and for compost production and more. They have a weed management publication, Weed the Soil Not the Crop ( ordering information can be found here ).

Harmony Valley Farm , Richard DeWilde and Linda Halley, Viroqua, Wis.

Richard DeWilde has farmed for most of his life. He moved to Harmony Valley Farm in 1984 after his farm in Minnesota was paved over by urban sprawl. Linda joined him there in 1990. The DeWildes grow vegetables, fruits and herbs on 70 acres and have pasture, hay and a few Angus steers on 220 acres. They sell produce wholesale at the Dane County Farmers’ Market in Madison, and through a 500-member CSA. DeWilde handles this scale of operation by hiring labor, becoming highly mechanized and through careful management.

DeWilde notes that his wholesale markets have been the most profitable, and CSA the least. The time needed for management makes the difference. The wholesale market is the least diverse. The money-making crops are turnips and daikon radishes. A CSA market demands a tremendous diversity of crops and a complexity of management needed for market.

Soil building is done with cover crops, compost and additional micronutrients as needed. Favored cover crops are sweet clover, vetch, rye, oats and peas. Seeds for these are available locally and are reasonably priced. The residue is chopped into the top 1 or 2 inches of soil with a rotovator.

DeWilde and Halley have experimented with many ingredients for making compost and have been pleased with dairy manure and cornstalks, which are readily available and have a good carbon-to-nitrogen ratio. The compost is made in windrows, turned with an old wildcat turner pulled by an International tractor equipped with a hydrostatic drive so that it can move slowly. Finished compost is spread on fields at a rate of 10 to 15 tons per acre.

One strategy for insect pest management on Harmony Valley Farm is to provide permanent habitat for natural predators and parasites. Refuge strips in the fields are made up of plants that attract and harbor beneficial insects and birds. A number of these plants can also be cut and sold as flowers or woody ornamentals.

Richard says his goal is “to develop an organic farming curriculum, complete with slides. My time and focus could be put into a Harmony Valley Farm operating manual. It would deal with communication, employee training and recordkeeping. Who knows? Maybe I would retire and do training seminars.”

Halley adds, “We really do have clear family goals: to continue to learn new ways to do things on the farm and communicate those things.”

Thompson Farms, Larry Thompson, Boring, Ore.

Oregon farmer Larry Thompson has a long history of using innovative, sustainable practices to grow his array of berries and vegetables. He also works closely with the fast-growing community of Damascus to develop policies that help farmers hold onto their operations as urban boundaries grow around them. Thompson Farms has 140 acres in strawberries, raspberries, cauliflower, broccoli and other crops. Produce is sold at farmers’ markets and farm stands; one in a new location just outside a hospital where patients, nurses and staff benefit from his healthy fruits and vegetables.

Thompson’s parents, Victor and Betty, began raising raspberries, strawberries and broccoli in the rolling hills southeast of Portland in 1947. Thompson’s parents sold their produce to local processors, where agents for canneries always set the purchase price. In 1983, Thompson took over operating the farm and sought more profitable places to sell his produce.

After Thompson started working on the 140-acre farm, he quickly learned that selling to canneries failed to cover production expenses. The family opened their farm to the local suburban community. Thompson started offering pick-your-own berries and selling the fruit at a stand he built at the farm. Strawberry sales were so strong that Thompson decided to plant new varieties to extend the season.

The Thompsons soon attracted a loyal following, primarily from Portland, which is 20 miles away. The family started selling at area farmers’ markets, too. The family and 23 employees raise 43 crops and sell them at six markets and two farm stands and through on-farm activities. For Thompson, profitability means that each year he earns more money than he spends. “I reach that level consistently,” he said.

Thompson makes sure he earns a profit. He calculates the cost of planting, raising and harvesting each crop, and then charges his customers double that. His most profitable crop is strawberries. Retaining different marketing channels gives Thompson a chance to cross-promote.

Thompson is a dedicated advocate of crop rotations and planting a succession of flowering species to control pests without pesticides. He relies on cover crops to control weeds and provide habitat for beneficial insects. Thompson allows native grasses and dandelions to grow between his berry rows. The dandelion blossoms attract bees, which are efficient berry pollinators. The mixed vegetation provides an alluring habitat that, along with flowering fruit and vegetable plants, draws insects that prey on pests. Late in the year, Thompson doesn’t mow broccoli stubble. Instead, he lets side shoots bloom, creating a long-term nectar source for bees into early winter. Thompson Farms sits on erodible soils and runoff used to be a major problem. But thanks to the cover crops and other soil cover, now virtually no soil leaves the farm.

Thompson won the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education’s 2008 Patrick Madden Award for Sustainable Agriculture. Many call him a pro at relationship marketing, or forming bonds with customers who see a value in local produce raised with few chemicals. Thompson regularly offers tours to students, other farmers, researchers and visiting international delegations to show off his holistic pest-management strategies and bounty of colorful crops. As a result, the farm attracts people by the busload for educational seasonal events.

“Instead of seeing my farm as a secluded hideaway, I am getting the community involved, bringing them to see our principles in action,” Thompson said (USDA CSREES, 2008).

Cuellar, Sandra. 2001. Assuring produce safety: A key industry marketing strategy. Small Fruit News of Central New York. Cornell Cooperative Extension of Oswego County. November. p. 3-5.

Hardesty, Shermain. 2008. Case study compares marketing costs of farms selling wholesale, CSA, and farmers market. Small Farm News. p. 4.

Hendrickson, John. 2005. Grower to Grower: Creating a Livelihood on a Fresh Market Vegetable Farm. CIAS, University of Wisconsin-Madison. p. 7.

U.S. Department of Agriculture Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service website. 2008. Larry Thompson-Boring, Oregon. Accessed April 2009.

Washington State Department of Agriculture website. 2006. Insurance and Risk Management. Accessed April 2009.

Further resources

Corum, Vance et al. 2001. The New Farmer’s Market: Farm-Fresh Ideas for Producers, Managers and Communities . Covers the latest tips and trends from leading sellers, managers and market planners all over the country, including the hottest products to grow and sell as well as how best to display and merchandise your products, set prices and run a friendly, profitable business. The second half of the book, written for market managers and city planners, offers ideas about how to use farmers’ markets as a springboard to foster community support for sustainable and locally grown foods. List of additional resources.

Hamilton, Neil D. 1999. The Legal Guide to Direct Farm Marketing. Drake University. 235 p. Covers questions about liability, insurance coverage, labor laws, advertising claims, zoning, pesticide drift, inspections and food safely issues.

Green, Diane. 2005. Selling Produce to Restaurants: A Marketing Guide for Small Growers . 95 p. The author is a certified organic grower in Idaho who markets through restaurants, CSA subscriptions and a farmers’ market.

DiGiacomo, Gigi, Robert King, and Dale Nordquist. 2003. Building a Sustainable Business: A Guide to Developing a Business Plan for Farms and Rural Businesses . Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture. 280 p.

Byczynski, Lynn. 2006. Market Farming Success . Fairplain Publications, Lawrence, KS. 138 p.

Coleman, Eliot. 1995. The New Organic Growers: A Master’s Manual of Tools and Techniques for the Home and Market Gardener , 2nd ed.

Coleman, Eliot. 1998. The Winter Harvest Handbook . 63 p. A supplement to The New Organic Grower, this manual records recent experience in planning, carrying out and fine tuning a fresh vegetable production and marketing operation on the back side of the calendar.

Grubinger, Vernon. 1999. Sustainable Vegetable Production from Start-Up to Market . NRAES-104. 270 p.

Jeavons, John. 2002. How to Grow More Vegetables , 6th ed. Ten Speed Press. 276 p.

Magdoff, Fred and H. van Es. 2000. Building Soils for Better Crops 2nd ed. [PDF/4.03M] Available for $19.95 plus $3.95 shipping and

Valerie Berton, editor. 2005. The New American Farmer . 200 p.

Azuma, Andrea Misako and Andrew Fisher. 2001. Healthy Farms, Healthy Kids . CFS Coalition. 64 p. This report documents the barriers and opportunities for school food services to purchase food directly from local farmers. Case studies and policy recommendationsare included.

Klotz, Jennifer-Claire. 2002. How to Direct Market Farm Products on the Internet . USDA Agricultural Marketing Service. 50 p.

Newenhouse, Astrid et al. 1998-2001. Work Efficiency Tip Sheets . University of Wisconsin. A series of tip sheets on labor efficiency for vegetable and berry growers.

Periodicals

Growing for Market Growing for Market is published 10 times per year. It covers growing and direct marketing vegetables, fruits, herbs, cut flowers and plants, farmers markets, Community Supported Agriculture, the local food movement, organic growing, cut flowers, and much more.

Small Farm News The 12-page Small Farm News is published four times per year. It features farmer and farm advisor profiles, research articles, farm-related print and web resources, news items, and a calendar of state, national, and international events. The newsletter is free. However, contributions to help defray expenses are encouraged. Many past newsletters contained articles on marketing produce and crafts. Other SFC publications of possible interest include Small Farm Handbook, a guide for people interested in operating a successful small farm; Production Practices and Sample Costs, Chili Pepper, Eggplant, Lettuce, and Okra.

The Packer Target audience is primarily large-scale produce growers and wholesalers.

American Vegetable Grower Monthly publication featuring production and marketing information. Annual Sourcebook provides information on state vegetable grower organizations. Also information about equipment and supplies. Print or online. Free to qualified growers and consultants. Meister also publishes American Fruit Grower.

Agencies, associations and organizations

North American Direct Marketing Association NAFDMA is a 501(c)6 trade association whose members include farmers, farmers’ market managers, extension agents, industry suppliers, government officials and others involved with agritourism, on-farm retail, farmers’ markets, pick-your-own, consumer-supported agriculture and direct delivery. The organization hosts an annual conference and trade show.

Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers Formed in 1988, the essential goal of ASCFG is to help growers of specialty cut flowers produce a better crop. The ASCFG hosts an annual conference and trade show, regional workshops, coordinates new variety trials and publishes the Cut Flower Quarterly. Its members share information based on their field and marketing experience through a Bulletin Board.

Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems Wisconsin School for Beginning Market Growers is an intensive three-day course held in January or February. The course demonstrates what it takes to set up and run a successful market garden or small farm, including capital, management, labor and other resources. Topics include soil fertility, crop production, plant health and pest management, cover crops, equipment needs and labor considerations at different scales of operation and marketing and economics. The course is taught primarily by three growers whose farms vary in scale, cropping mix, marketing strategies and growing methods. It includes presentations and hands-on labs by University of Wisconsin faculty and other specialists.

Michael Fields Institute Michael Fields Agricultural Institute offers courses of benefit to people who want to become farmers and those who have been farming for many years. They are also creating opportunities for consumers to enter into farm life through cooking, gardening and farm tours. These include interactive workshops and on-site field trainings.

These videos were produced by Vern Grubinger, University of Vermont Extension, and feature vegetable growers in the Northeast:

• Farmers and Their Diversified Horticultural Marketing Strategies
• Farmers and Their Innovative Cover Cropping Techniques
• Vegetable Farmers and Their Weed-Control Machines
• Farmers and Their Ecological Sweet Corn Production Practices

For more, check out the University of Vermont’s youtube channel .

Market Farming list serve A discussion group that covers tools and equipment, markets, production practices, labor, and more.

Business plans

Developing a Business Plan . 2004. Agriculture Alternatives. Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences Agricultural Research and Cooperative Extension.

Building a Plan for Your Farm: Important First Steps . 2003. Jones, Rodney. Presented at the 2003 Risk and Profit Summer Conference.

Market Gardening: A Start Up Guide By Janet Bachmann NCAT Agriculture Specialist IP195 Slot 201 Version 062409

This publication is produced by the National Center for Appropriate Technology through the ATTRA Sustainable Agriculture program, under a cooperative agreement with USDA Rural Development. ATTRA.NCAT.ORG .

Originally Published May 2009, IP195

Related Publications

• Direct Marketing
• Community-Supported Agriculture
• Farmers’ Markets: Marketing and Business Guide
• Entertainment Farming and Agri-Tourism
• Postharvest Handling of Fruits and Vegetables
• Resource Guide to Organic and Sustainable Vegetable Production
• Scheduling Vegetable Plantings for Continuous Harvest
• Season Extension Techniques for Market Gardeners
• Specialty Cut Flower Production and Marketing

Freshly Picked

• A Mid-Scale Anaerobic Biodigester Creates On-Farm Renewable Energy
• Vermont Awards Grants to Maple Producers
• Bioplastic Pellet Absorbs Phosphate for Fertilizer Use
• European Research Highlights Importance of Farm Transition
• Community Agriculture Grants (Wisconsin)

NCAT Websites

NCAT.ORG ATTRA Sustainable Agriculture  Armed to Farm AgriSolar Clearinghouse Soil for Water Latino Farmer Conference LIHEAP Clearinghouse Montana Harvest of the Month Grow Montana Mississippi Food Justice Collaborative

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Starting A Market Garden: The Complete Beginners Guide

Whether you want to become a full-time farmer or just earn a little money on the side, a market garden is a fantastic way to start profiting from your passion.

In this article, I’ll break down the basic steps you need to start your own market garden, regardless of what your starting point is. I’ll teach you how to decide what to grow, where to grow it, how much of it you should grow, and how to market and sell it. All it takes is a bit of creativity and a good amount of manual labor.

Turning your green thumb into cold hard cash isn’t as hard or intimidating of a process as you might think. It also doesn’t require expensive equipment, acres of land, or a formal education. And the money is just part of the satisfaction that comes from starting a market garden. You’ll also be doing what you love.

What Is Market Gardening?

A market garden is a relatively small operation, usually under one acre, used for the small-scale production of vegetables, flowers, and fruits as cash crops.

Typically, a market garden will grow a diverse variety of crops as opposed to a monoculture. A market gardener often sells their crops directly to customers, restaurants, and shops.

Market gardens rely more on manual labor and gardening techniques than the big pieces of equipment used for large-scale agriculture.

Even though market gardens operate at a small scale, they’re able to earn a good amount of money.

Farmers who sell to the wholesale market usually only get about 10 to 20% of the retail price for their crops. But since market gardeners can sell direct to consumers, they can earn 100% without a wholesaler or distributor taking a cut.

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Conventional farms can return as little as a few hundred dollars per acre, but market gardens are highly efficient and can return tens of thousands of dollars in the same amount of space.

Although, because of its highly manual nature and the maximum number of local customers it can reach, there is a practical limit to how large a market garden can be.

How To Start A Market Garden (Step By Step)

Starting your first market garden can seem quite intimidating. But it doesn’t have to be so difficult, as long as you break it down into smaller steps.

1. Do Your Research

Before you ever start buying any seeds or starting to lay out your garden, you need to do a lot of market research first.

You can grow the best red cabbages in your area. But if nobody is looking to buy red cabbages, then there’s no point in growing them.

It might be worth working on another farm before you decide if you really want to start one of your own. That way you’ll get to experience a lot of the day-to-day tasks that you’ll need to do once you start.

You might end up loving it, but a lot of people also have romanticized ideas about what working on a farm is like. Sometimes they end up not actually having that much fun once they try it.

It’s better to find out early on if farming isn’t for you, rather than investing in a market garden of your own first.

Working for someone else will also give you an idea of what works and what doesn’t, what equipment you like and don’t like, and other details that you can’t pick up without direct experience.

Check out farmer’s markets to see what products are already being sold. If one or two vendors already has the same product you want to sell, it’s not necessarily cause for panic.

Especially if you think you can produce a better product, or make it cheaper. But if the market seems oversaturated with a particular produce, you might not want to pick something with so much competition.

If you do pick something other people are selling, find a way to differentiate yourself. If someone is already selling regular carrots, you can sell purple carrots.

If they’re selling sunflower microgreens, there’s still room to sell radish microgreens or pea shoots instead.

2. Find Some Land

You’ll need a permanent (or at least long-term) plot of land to set your market garden up on.

Ideally you want somewhere for more than just one season, since you’ll need to put a lot of initial work into getting it ready for growing.

This can be an empty lot, someone’s backyard they’re willing to lease to you, or any other land you can find.

This is the first major hurdle you’ll face in starting your market garden, and the first big decision that you make. So take some time and don’t necessarily feel like you need to jump on the first piece of land that you come across.

There are a lot of factors to consider when you’re evaluating a potential piece of land. Like how much it will cost you, what the land is currently designed for, whether you have access to water, and other things.

But one thing that I think is especially important is proximity to where you live.

During the summer you’ll need to travel to your market garden on a daily basis, so try to find a location that’s 10 or 15 minutes away, or even less if possible.

A piece of land 30 minutes or more away is probably a dealbreaker, as it’s a big barrier to actually getting there and consistently putting in the work needed to make the project a success.

If you’re planning to just grow mushrooms or microgreens, you won’t necessarily be looking for an open plot of land, but you’ll still need to locate and acquire a place to grow your crops, even if it’s indoors.

That might be your basement, leasing an unused section of a factory, or getting a shipping container.

• Learn How To Start a Homestead , how to find the perfect land for growing plants, and which skills you need to grow your farm.

3. Plan Your Crops and Production

You need to know what you’re going to grow before you can start work on your land, since the crops you’re planning to grow will determine row spacing and other factors.

Based on your initial research into market gardening, you should already have a good idea of what produce is likely to be popular and sell well in your area.

A big part of this step is also planning out your production schedule and when various produce will be ready for sale.

In a home garden, people usually just plant vegetables they like, and eat them whenever they become ripe.

But as a market gardener, you have restaurants, shops, and other customers who are counting on you to be their supplier. They need you to deliver a successful product, week after week.

You’ll need to use succession planting to ensure new crops are ripening constantly every week.

Usually it’s good to estimate how much you think you’ll sell at any given date, then work backward to figure out when and how much you need to plant to hit that goal.

Having a bit of variation and occasionally running out of things is going to be normal in your first year.

But avoid it as much as possible, since if it’s happening consistently you’ll miss out on sales and potentially lose repeat customers.

4. Prepare Your Soil

Once you’re sure what you want to plant, you can start preparing your soil. Ideally if you’re planning in advance, you can start to prepare your soil the year prior.

Things like covering the ground with a tarp in the fall and spring to kill off weeds will make your life a lot easier later on. If you’re using no-dig permaculture methods like sheet mulching, it’s best to do that in the fall.

That way things will have time to decay over the winter before you start to plant in the spring.

• Read more of How To Start A Permaculture Garden or Complete Guide To Online Permaculture Design Courses to know more about growing food at own.

A lot of market gardeners will rent a rototiller in their first year to help really loosen the soil, break up any existing roots, and mix in amendments to improve soil quality.

It’ll cost you $50 to $100 to rent a tiller for the day, but trust me, it will make your life a lot easier. Of course if you want a strictly no-dig market garden, you can skip this step.

Just be sure to have any underground power cables, telephone lines, or other hazards marked out before you dig. In most places, you just need to call and utility companies will come out and do this free of charge.

5. Plant Your Crops

Your land is all ready, now it’s time to plant your crops. You can either plant seeds or start with seedlings. But if you’re planning to use seedlings, I recommend setting up a small nursery to grow them yourself ahead of time.

If you buy seedlings from a nursery or garden center, things can get cost-prohibitive pretty quickly.

Keep your plans in mind and figure out how you will lay out your successional sowing, as well as when and where you’ll do crop rotations throughout the season or between seasons.

If you’re willing to invest in some equipment, using a mechanical seeder or paper pot transplanter can drastically reduce the amount of time it takes you to plant.

These pieces of equipment quickly and accurately plant in evenly-spaced rows, and can turn what’s normally hours of work into just minutes. You can find such equipment on https://paperpot.co/ .

6. Maintaining Your Crops

Once your plants are in the ground, you need to keep them alive and thriving until they’re mature.

Water them and weed regularly. If plants are getting burned in the middle of summer, you might need to bring in some shade cloth.

Check thoroughly for bugs or disease every few days. If you catch it early, it will be a lot easier to deal with, before it affects your whole garden.

7. Harvesting

If your crops made it to maturity and fully developed, then most of the hard part is done. But harvesting is still a very time and labor-intensive process that needs to be completed before you can take your goods to market.

I recommend finding the most efficient way to harvest, and take advantage of any special tools that you have at your disposal.

Even if it costs a couple hundred dollars to buy a specialized harvest tool, it could save you a huge number of hours in the long run, as well as potentially saving a ton of strain on your knees and back.

8. Cleaning and Storage

The next step after harvesting the bounty of your market garden is to wash and pack it for storage.

You’ll want a large sink and hose to clean produce off with, or potentially even make yourself a bubbler depending on what your production size is like.

You might also want to make a salad spinner out of an old washing machine to streamline the process as well. Jean-Martin Fortier has guides on how to make all of the wash shed equipment you’ll need here.

After your produce is clean, you’ll want a way to keep it refrigerated until it’s time to deliver it to customers. This will greatly extend the life of your produce and is a must-have, especially in the summer months.

There are plenty of great guides on Youtube for how to cheaply make a DIY walk-in cooler.

9. Selling / Delivering Produce

Ideally you’ve been making some connections with chefs, small shops, and other potential customers during slow periods in your market garden. That way you’ll have customers ready to buy your produce as soon as it’s ready.

You should also plan in advance to book a spot at your local farmer’s market as well.

When you’re just starting out, you can load up whatever vehicle you currently own with produce and take it out for deliveries.

But once you’ve earned a bit of money and your business is starting to scale up, you’ll want to invest in a cube van. Preferably something climate controlled for those delivery runs that take several hours to complete.

10. Learn From Experience

If you’ve managed to pull off a successful season, congrats! You likely faced lots of challenges along the way. So take some time when you’re planning and preparing to learn from the lessons of the past.

• What worked really well for you?
• What could you have done better?
• What held you back or took up a disproportionate amount of your time and effort?

What Kind of Crops Are Grown In A Market Garden?

It’s best for market gardeners to try and find in-demand products that fetch a high price and are currently under-served in the local market.

Although pretty much any crop can be grown. It’s best to avoid crops like corn and wheat though, which large farms are already supplying lots of at low prices.

Of course it will depend on your local area. The name “market garden” gives a good clue that you should be listening to what your market is asking for, and then supply that.

But here are some of my top picks for crops that I think market gardeners should grow.

1) Salad Mixes

Pretty much any leafy greens like arugula (rocket), kale, spinach, swiss chard, and others are great crops to grow in a market garden.

You can sell them individually, or make various different types of salad mixes that you can market for farmer’s markets and other places where you can sell direct to consumers.

If you’re also growing microgreens, you can mix them in to your salad mixes as well.

Since leafy vegetables are so nutritious but also have a short life, there’s a big market for fresh greens. They will only become more popular as the number of health-conscious shoppers increases.

There are plenty of profitable crops that you could grow on your small farm . Learn which are the most profitable here .

2) Mushrooms

Edible and gourmet mushrooms are an awesome crop for market gardeners and urban farmers . They can be grown indoors year-round, so you don’t need to worry about weather cycles or changes in how you grow.

Mushrooms produce a very high amount of revenue per square foot.

The two most popular mushrooms for market gardeners to grow are oyster and shiitake. Oyster mushrooms specifically are very profitable.

You can grow about 25 pounds of mushrooms in a square foot each year. If you’re selling them for $8 per pound and grow a 10×10 area worth, that’s $20,000 per year.

If you’re thinking of growing mushrooms, I would avoid growing button, cremini, or portobello mushrooms.

There is already a lot of competition from industrial growers who sell these in practically every grocery store, so stick to other popular varieties.

• Learn what types of mushrooms to grow, and how to grow them in this Ultimate Guide: How To Grow Mushrooms .

3) Microgreens

Microgreens are the seedlings of a variety of vegetables like peas, sunflowers, and radishes that are harvested at around 7 to 14 days.

These little sprouts are packed full of nutrition and flavor, and make a great addition to a salad or smoothie.

Microgreens are like mushrooms, in that you can grow them completely indoors year-round in quite a small space.

To start growing microgreens you’ll need some trays, soil, fluorescent lights, and shelving or racks to hold them all.

Or if you’ve got a greenhouse, you can experiment with trying to grow a few flats of microgreens at a time in there.

• Read more about microgreens business and how to grow microgreens for profit .

Fresh culinary herbs have seen a big increase in demand, both from restaurants as well as home cooks. Herbs of all types also come with big price tags, often just a small bunch of them can be sold for several dollars.

You can try growing any number of popular herbs like basil, cilantro, rosemary, chives, oregano, mint, parsley, thyme, and sage. Many of these are hardy plants that grow and spread quickly.

You can use herbs to create your own line of value-added products like bath oils, teas, soaps, and candles. Dried herbs also sell surprisingly well at farmers markets.

For a unique product to sell, try making small “instant” herb gardens that people can take home and grow on their kitchen windowsill. Combine a couple popular herbs so people can cut them as-needed for their cooking.

5) Lavender

Lavender is another crop that can produce high amounts of profits from a small area. It’s also very versatile, and there are a lot of different avenues for selling it.

You can sell fresh or dried flowers to florists and crafters. You can even make your own lavender oil.

Or you can sell it to local companies to turn it into a variety of value-added products like soap, skincare, and aromatherapy products.

• You can also grow fruit trees and make money on them, learn more about How To Create A Permaculture Orchard here.

Where Do Market Gardens Sell Their Goods?

A well-run market garden will have a wide range of fresh produce available in a steady supply all throughout the growing season.

The more diverse of a set of clientele you can establish for yourself, the lower the risk will be to your business.

If you’re selling through multiple different channels, then it’s not a big deal if one restaurant suddenly decides that it doesn’t want to order from you any more.

Whereas if you set yourself up so that all of your produce is being sold to one grocery store and they change their mind, you’ll be in a very difficult position to recover from.

Here are some of the different ways that you can try to sell your products. I recommend trying out as many as possible early on, and see what works.

If you have lots of success with one or two of them, you can double your efforts in those areas and avoid ones that seem to be taking up too much time or aren’t driving enough business.

Farm Stands

One of the easiest ways to sell your produce is simply to set up a stand outside of your farm.

If you live in a decent area, you can use the trust system and simply leave your produce out along with a sign saying something like “1 basket of tomatoes, $5” and a lockbox where people can drop off their money.

Most people are honest and will abide by this system. The best part is that it doesn’t require you to stand there all day like at the farmer’s market to make sales, it’s a passive system.

And since it’s located right outside of your farm, you save time having to transport the produce across town.

Depending on what you’re growing and the time of year, you may want to store your goods in the shade or even set up a refrigerator with a glass front to keep your produce cool and prevent spoilage.

Farmer’s Markets

Farmer’s markets are a great place to sell your products. For a small fee, usually $20 per week or around $500 for a six month season, you get access to hundreds of your ideal customers every time that you set up.

People who shop at farmer’s markets value fresh, sustainably-farmed, local food and are willing to pay a premium for it. The downside of farmer’s markets is that they are a very active process.

You’ll need to stand there yourself all afternoon to make sales, hire someone, or get a family member or friend to help you out.

There’s also a lot of time involved with preparing all the things you need to take to the market, setting up when you get there, and then taking everything down again at the end.

Still, the amount you earn will most likely make the time worthwhile, and most market gardeners get their start selling at the farmer’s market.

Restaurants

Chefs put a high value on fresh, flavorful items that look great on the plate. They’re willing to try more trendy new produce that people at the farmer’s market might be unsure about, but they’ll also buy lots of the staples as well.

Restaurants will pay a little lower prices than individual customers would, but they also buy in much larger quantities.

The best part of selling to restaurants is that they’re repeat customers. Once you get your foot in the door, if they enjoy your product they’ll most likely keep buying from you week after week.

Reach out to higher-end restaurants in your area and ask if you can meet with the chef to talk about supplying them with fresh ingredients. Bring along samples when you visit restaurants is a must.

Tasting your crops for themselves will sell your product better than anything you could say.

Don’t be afraid to bring a whole box of products for them to try and test out in dishes. If they end up buying from you, you’ll more than recover the expense.

Along with the produce, include a fresh sheet they can keep which includes your contact information, as well as what you’re offering and what your prices are. List what days of the week you will do deliveries as well.

Independent / Local Food Stores

The chances of you getting a deal with a large national grocery chain are slim, they often have teams of buyers and find suppliers on their own terms.

You also probably don’t have the production capacity necessary to supply them with enough product if you’re just getting started.

But local or independently-run grocery stores and produce outlets will definitely talk to you and be willing to sell your produce.

Go in and speak with the store manager and/or produce manager, and take the same approach as with restaurants.

Give them samples of your produce to try, and give them a sheet to let them know what your prices are and what days you can deliver.

Just like restaurants, getting in at shops can provide a huge amount of repeat business for you. As long as customers like your products and they’re buying it, the store will keep ordering more.

Small stores won’t squeeze you down to the same prices as wholesalers will, but expect to earn significantly less per pound than you would selling at a farmer’s market.

Community Supported Agriculture (CSAs), Veg Share Schemes, and Subscriptions

While you’re selling at the farmer’s market and other locations where you interact with individual customers, you should be trying to collect email addresses and getting people to sign up for an email list.

That way you can let people know when you’ll be at the market, what produce will be available that week, and also give customers a chance to contact you and let you know what kinds of products they want to buy in the future.

Once you establish a bit of a following and some credibility in your community, you can use your followers to start a CSA or veg box subscription program.

For a set fee, people can get a box of an assortment of fresh vegetables delivered fresh to their home each week.

Offering boxes gives you a lot of flexibility and a way to offload products that perhaps you planned to sell to restaurants or shops, but grew way too much of.

As well as including some staple favorites like lettuce, tomatoes, and carrots each week.

The big downside to this approach is that you’ll have to spend a lot of time delivering your products to individual customer’s homes each week.

If you’ve got a few dozen subscriptions, it might take you a whole afternoon to make all of your deliveries every week.

But on the bright side, you’ll have a steady amount of orders that you can plan around, and you can set customers up on direct debit so their payments will automatically come out each week unless they cancel.

Wholesalers, Food Cooperatives, and Other High-Volume Channels

Like I mentioned earlier, you probably don’t want to sell to wholesalers as a main part of your sales strategy, because they will only pay you 10 or 20 cents on every dollar that you could get from other sales channels.

But it’s still good to establish connections, because in a pinch they’ll usually be willing to buy any surplus you do find yourself holding on to.

It’s better to at least get some money back if you have no other way to sell your products, rather than let it go to waste.

Examples of Well Known Market Gardeners

1. jean-martin fortier.

JM Fortier is a market gardener from Quebec, Canada. He has founded two market gardens, Les Jardins de la Grelinette and La Ferme des Quatre Temps . He is considered a real pioneer in the market gardening space.

He’s also an author and advocate for economically-viable sustainable agriculture.

I highly recommend checking out the two links above to get inspired as to what a market garden can be.

2. Richard Perkins

Richard Perkins is an innovative farmer who has been growing food since he was a teenager. He’s designed farm projects in every major climate zone in the world, on multiple continents.

You can check out his work on http://www.ridgedalepermaculture.com/ .

3. Charles Dowding

Charles is the leading authority on no dig gardening. He has been sharing and exploring new ways to garden since the early 80s.

He has written nine books on organic and no dig gardening methods, runs a YouTube channel, and teaches courses around the world. 

Learn more at https://charlesdowding.co.uk/

A market garden is a physically demanding, but also very rewarding business to run.

After reading this article, you should now know how to start a market garden of your own, step by step. Including researching, finding land, planning your crops, planting, harvesting, etc.

We also discussed some popular crops for market gardens that are profitable and don’t require a huge amount of space. Consider crops like gourmet mushrooms, microgreens, herbs, and salad mixes.

For more on beginner gardening, check out our article on how to start a milk crate garden .

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Fescue & Sons Yard Care

Executive summary executive summary is a brief introduction to your business plan. it describes your business, the problem that it solves, your target market, and financial highlights.">.

Fescue & Sons Yard Care is a residential lawn care service targeting rural middle-class homes with large yards which the owners cannot care for well on their own. Over the last three years, the prices for homes in the nearby urban area have skyrocketed. Many families in our targeted income bracket have chosen to buy larger parcels in the nearby countryside, rather than spending huge amounts on small lots in the city. However, many of them are unprepared for the level of care such large lawns require, and end up with small gardens near the house, and overgrown acreage further away.

Fescue & Sons Yard Care will start out as a partnership, owned jointly and equally by Red and Kikuyu Fescue. For the last five years, Red has worked as head landscaper at ABC Landscaping. He now has the design and lawn-care expertise, as well as the management experience, to begin his own business. Kikuyu is a graphic designer and master gardener. Her skills will be extremely useful in creating the look of our marketing materials, from brochures to business cards to newspaper ads. She will continue to work in her current job while Red manages the day-to-day details of the company.

Over the first summer, Red will be the primary employee, with some part-time help from his son, Rye. Rye has worked with Red at ABC landscaping and will continue to help out at Fescue & Sons in the summers.

In the coming spring, we will hire an additional landscaper for seasonal work, and may hire another if demand warrants. In mid-summer of Year 2 we will purchase additional equipment, including a second trailer or used truck.

As a business with largely seasonal profits, we will use the high summer revenues to support the business through the winter’s leaner months. We will have a modest profit in the first year, but expect profits over $8,000 in the second fiscal year and over $10,000 in the third year.

1.1 Objectives

Our objectives for the first three years of operation are to:

• Create a service-based company whose primary goal is to exceed customers’ expectations.
• Obtain contracts for yard service in at least 30 different residential homes.
• Increase our number of clients served by 3% per year.
• Develop a sustainable home business, being maintained by its own cash flow.

1.2 Mission

The mission of Fescue & Sons Yard Care is to provide top-quality residential and commercial yard care service.  We will strive to attract and maintain customers by providing services in the most timely manner to provide 100% customer satisfaction. Our services will exceed the expectations of our customers.

1.3 Keys to Success

• Experienced landscaper with excellent customer-service skills
• Commitment to high quality and professionalism in every task and encounter
• Small size, allowing direct management oversight of every project and employee

Company Summary company overview ) is an overview of the most important points about your company—your history, management team, location, mission statement and legal structure.">

Fescue & Sons Yard Care will offer residential and commercial lawn care service, including lawn cutting, trimming, edging, and removal of the clippings. Most of our customers will use our services once every week or every two weeks, depending on the amount of rain we get. In this area, lawn care needs vary greatly depending on the weather, and while this year is likely to be dry, future years will probably see a return to normal rain levels, meaning faster-growing grass and weeds and more frequent lawn care.

2.1 Company Ownership

Fescue & Sons Yard Care will start out as a partnership, owned jointly and equally by Red and Kikuyu Fescue. As the business grows, the owners will consider re-registering as a limited liability company or as a corporation, whichever will better suit the future business needs.

2.2 Start-up Summary

Fescue & Sons Yard Care’s start-up costs include:

• Home office equipment: file cabinet, computer system (including printer, scanner, and fax software)

Long-term assets:

• Vehicle: The owners are contributing a 1998 Toyota pickup to the business

Short-term assets

• Standard tool box with tools for simple repairs

Fescue & Sons Yard Care will provide residential lawn care service which includes lawn cutting, edging and trimming. Optional services will be available upon customers’ requests. The service is typically offered once a week in season, but we can create a custom schedule for clients if they have beginning of the season projects, or if the weather changes their lawn care needs.

Market Analysis Summary how to do a market analysis for your business plan.">

Fescue & Sons Yard Care will target rural middle-class families with larger lawns or parcels of property. This population is the most likely to use a lawn care service such as ours, since they often have more acreage than they can easily care for.

Red will be canvassing neighborhoods and posting flyers to develop a clientele. We will also place advertisements in the local rural newspaper to develop visibility for Fescue & Sons Yard Care.

In the second year, Red will expand service beyond the small rural town to the urban area located 15 miles east. 

4.1 Market Segmentation

Fescue & Sons Yard Care will be targeting families with annual income over $50,000. The median income of $50,000 and above is targeted because they tend to have more disposable income for the care of their lawn, whereas lower income families will tend to provide their own lawn care. 

Over the last three years, the prices for homes in the nearby urban place advertisements have skyrocketed. Many families in our targeted income bracket have chosen to buy larger parcels in the nearby countryside, rather than spending huge amounts on small lots in the city. However, many of them are unprepared for the level of care such large lawns require, and end up with small gardens near the house, and overgrown acreage further away.

By targeting customers with large lawns and parcels of property, we will fill the niche created by urban flight, as well as keep our margins higher than we could with small lawns. Transportation time and costs for all the equipment make it more profitable to do a few large lawns than many smaller ones.

By doing a superb job on these rural lawns in the first year, we hope to build a positive reputation which will carry over with recommendations to co-workers and friends in our customers’ former urban neighborhoods. Since we want to maximize lawn size cared for in both settings, our eventual outreach to urban dwellings will focus on high-end houses and lawns on large, often older, lots.

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4.2 Target Market Segment Strategy

Initially, we will canvass nearby homes in our rural town. Red will be basing the business out of our home, very close to the target market. Red will start by speaking with his own neighbors. Although some people are put off by solicitors, Red is their neighbor, so they will be more comfortable with him and he will be able to make his sales pitch. We will also put some small signs on our own lawn advertising our service.

Once Red has built up a steady list of customers he will begin to run advertisements in the local paper to gain access in different neighborhoods. In the second year, we will continue running ads and begin outreach to the more affluent city customers with large lawns.

4.3 Service Business Analysis

Fescue & Sons Yard Care will be working in the lawn care industry. The industry includes both residential areas (individual homes) and commercial areas (apartment complexes, business parks, schools, etc.).

The commercial side is generally serviced by larger landscaping services. The residential side is serviced by both landscaping companies and basic lawn care service companies.

The lawn care business is made up of many small companies. This occurs because of the high labor intensity and low start-up costs of the industry. The industry is vulnerable to recession, as lawn care is a luxury. Lastly, the lawn care industry is seasonal, with the high season being spring through fall. There is usually little activity in the winter, but some can be achieved by acquiring a clientele that will utilize monthly maintenance through the winter months.

4.3.1 Competition and Buying Patterns

The lawn care business can be divided into two types, residential and commercial. As a start up or one person business, it is much easier to enter into the residential market compared with the commercial market. The commercial market is dominated by larger, established companies.

Within the residential market, there are two competitors: full-scale landscaping companies and basic lawn care services. The full-scale landscaping companies will generally be handling jobs outside of Fescue & Sons’ range. They are servicing even larger homes that require other landscaping activities that need more equipment and multiple employees. The margins are therefore larger for the full-scale companies because they can charge more for the higher-skilled work. The other competitor is the basic lawn care services, not unlike Fescue & Sons Yard Care. In the residential market, the current competition is underwhelming and often lacks basic quality and professionalism.

The trend with the residential customers is that they are making their purchasing decisions based on referrals and perceived professionalism and quality of service.

Strategy and Implementation Summary

Fescue and Sons will rely on Red’s knowledge of the local community and top-quality landscaping skills. Initial outreach will involve direct canvassing of the neighborhood. This will be supplemented by ads, showing properties we have worked on, and brochures and fliers hung up in local businesses.

We will also rely on word of mouth, so part of our strategy is to treat every job as if it were the most important client we have ever had. Phone calls will be returned promptly, services will be done professionally and on time, and customers will be treated with respect.

5.1 Competitive Edge

Fescue & Sons Yard Care’s competitive edges will be our high quality work and unflagging professionalism.

During the first summer, Red will do all of the lawn care and other work, with some help from his son, Rye. Starting in May of 2006, we will hire a second, part-time employee as a landscaper. Red, Rye, and the landscaper will always work as a team, allowing for direct supervision of all workers and direct involvement with the job at hand, to ensure customers receive the high quality they expect.

Fescue & Sons Yard Care’s second competitive edge is professionalism. In our business, this means returning customer inquiries promptly, showing up on time, bringing all necessary equipment, reserving breaks for times away from the customers’ yards, and cleaning up thoroughly after ourselves when we leave. To facilitate communication, Red will have a cell phone at all times, where he can be reached directly or receive messages, if he’s in the middle of a job. Cell phone reception in most of the town is quite good, despite being a rural area.

All of these sound like simple things, but they will help us stand out from the local competition.

5.2 Marketing Strategy

Our marketing strategy in the first year relies largely on face-to-face contact between Red and potential customers, and word-of-mouth from satisfied clients. In the second year, we will place more ads, and in different papers (such as in the nearby city), as well as trying to generate more word-of-mouth from our customers. 

5.3 Sales Strategy

Fescue & Sons Yard Care sales strategy will be based on one-on-one communications with potential customers. By going door to door in his own neighborhood, Red can become more familiar to these folks and take advantage of his outgoing personality. 

In the start-up period (the month of June), we will set up the office, and purchase the necessary lawn care equipment. At the same time, Red will spend three to four afternoons a week, especially on weekends, going around the neighborhood to scout out problem lawns and talk to potential customers. There are at least two weekends coming up that are likely to be scorchers, when potential customers will look outside and think that the last thing they want to do is go out and mow the lawn – these are our best days to canvass the neighborhood, offering a service many do not even realize they want.

After getting in the door, Red’s challenge will be to effectively communicate his experience and skills in lawn care and related work. He will bring a portfolio of some of the nicest lawns he has worked on in the past, when working as head landscaper for ABC landscapers, and photos of our own lawn, which is more similar to the ones in the neighborhood. He is also willing to offer a free estimate and cutting for those that are interested in a possible contract. Although some of the free cuttings will not turn out to be long-term customers, our competitive prices and superior service will turn most of the leads into customers.

By year two, the business will be ready to expand outside of the neighborhood. At that point, we will place more advertisements in the local paper to generate business. When people call with questions, Red will have already built up a loyal following of customers who can serve as an effective referral system.

5.3.1 Sales Forecast

In September, we will begin advertising our end-of-year garden prep and winter maintenance services, which will supply revenue over the winter. Since the climate here is mild, many gardeners put off their seasonal clean-up and garden prep until it is too late. Weeds continue to grow all winter, long past when gardeners want to be out in the yard, and uncompleted garden prep forces them to do much more labor in the spring to get the garden back in shape.

Winter maintenance includes things like trellis and shed repairs, helping gardeners organize their supplies and seeds, and fixing or building cold frames for early vegetables.

Direct cost of sales for all of these projects includes gas for powered equipment and transportation costs, most equipment repair and maintenance, and the cost of any items used up in the process, like mower blades or edging strings. Unlike most big lawn care services, we are tracking direct labor costs as operating expenses, not direct cost of sales. These amounts can be found in the Personnel plan, and are reflected in the Profit and Loss statement.

We also plan to do occasional tree stump removal, for which the direct cost of sales is higher, since it includes the cost to rent the equipment. If this becomes a larger part of our business, we may buy our own equipment.

5.4 Milestones

We have established some basic milestones to keep the business plan priorities in place. Red is in charge of all goals directly related to yard care and employee practices, while Kikuyu will oversee our marketing materials – brochures, business cards, ads, etc.

We have sketched out only a few milestones past the first year, as details of that implementation will become more clear in the spring of 2006. For now, we are focused on setting up the office and collecting customers.

Management Summary management summary will include information about who's on your team and why they're the right people for the job, as well as your future hiring plans.">

Red and Kikuyu have been involved in landscaping and outdoor design for over 10 years. For the last five years, Red has worked as head landscaper at ABC Landscaping. He now has the design and lawn-care expertise, as well as the management experience, to begin his own business. Red will oversee the work of his son, Rye, and a second landscaper, to be hired in the spring of 2006.

Kikuyu is a graphic designer and master gardener. Her skills will be extremely useful in creating the look of our marketing materials, from brochures to business cards to newspaper ads. She will continue to work in her current job while Red manages the day-to-day details of the company.

6.1 Personnel Plan

Rye has worked part-time at ABC Landscaping alongside his dad for over a year now, and will help out the family business during his summer breaks. His strengths include topiary design, hedge work, and edging and trimming.

In the spring of 2006, we will hire a second landscaper, and possibly a third, depending on how busy we are. We are seeking someone with at least two years of experience in the lawn care industry, with attention to detail and a good work ethic. Rye is already talking to some of his friends about possibly applying for this job, and they are good candidates. This will probably be a seasonal position, unless winter work ends up having a higher demand than expected.

Financial Plan investor-ready personnel plan .">

The following sections will outline important financial information.

7.1 Start-up Funding

The owners are contributing a truck worth $3,500 as a long-term asset to the business, plus $1,500 cash toward purchasing the short-term assets needed (mowers, trimmers, safety equipment, etc.). In addition, we are seeking a loan of $11,000 to fund the rest of the start-up requirements. This loan will be backed by the Fescues’ equity in their home.

7.2 Important Assumptions

The following table highlights some important financial assumptions of Fescue & Sons.

7.3 Projected Balance Sheet

The following table indicates the projected balance sheet. As we retain earnings and repay the long-term loan, our net worth will increase from $1,200 at start-up to over $21,000 by year three.

7.4 Break-even Analysis

The Break-even Analysis indicates $3,830 is needed in monthly revenue to break even.

7.5 Projected Profit and Loss

The following table and charts show our projected profit and loss. After paying reasonable salaries, we will make a modest profit in the first year, with increasing profits in future years. Our gross margins will remain around 91 or 92%. Our largest expenses as a service business are payroll and payroll taxes.

7.6 Projected Cash Flow

The following chart and table show our projected cash flow. We will repay the loan over ten years (interest payments can be found in the Profit and Loss, above). The table also shows planned purchases of additional equipment as long-term assets in the second fiscal year.

7.7 Business Ratios

The following table outlines some of the more important ratios from the Lawn and Garden Services industry. The final column, Industry Profile, details specific ratios based on the industry as it is classified by the Standard Industry Classification (SIC) code, 0782.

The major difference between our ratios and the industry standard is in gross margin. The Lawn and Garden Service industry is labor intensive, and most businesses include manual labor expenses in their direct cost of sales. As a small, family-owned business without a large staff of workers, I am treating these as operating expenses, instead. If personnel costs are included, our gross margin in the first year falls around 23%, and by year three it is up around 32%, roughly the industry average.

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GARDENING BUSINESS PLAN: 2023 Templates & Detailed Guide

• by Kenechukwu Muoghalu
• August 13, 2023
• No comments
• 8 minute read

Table of Contents Hide

What is a gardening business plan, #1. executive summary, #2. company description , #3. market analysis, #4. competitor analysis, #5. sales and marketing plan, #6. operational plan.

• #7. Financial Plan 

#8. Appendix

What tools do i need to start a gardening business, how do i get customers for my gardening business, do you need a qualification to be a gardener, what insurance do i need as a gardener, do gardeners need to be insured, do i need insurance if i employ a gardener, still not in the mood to create a gardening business plan, final thoughts, how much do you need to start a landscaping company, how do i price my gardening services.

The £4.5 billion gardening industry has gained an alarming population of 17,000 registered businesses in the UK and is still counting. Even at that, the number of entrepreneurs that are still willing to roll up their sleeves and get their hands dirty has not depreciated, including you. But to invest in this market and join the strong outdoor army, you need to come prepared and armed with a UK gardening business plan. In this guide, we are going to help you draft a winning UK gardening business plan using our unique template that can also be accessed in PDF format. 

You can also make use of our pre-made gardening business plan if you are too busy to draft one yourself. Without further ado, let’s reveal what we have for you. 

A gardening business plan is a living document that helps cement your goals, vision, and strategy. It does this by having a clear illustration of your gardening business and what it entails, starting from the maintenance and design to lawn care and landscaping. When it has a list of all this vital information, it will then help you narrow your focus and lay out a high-level plan of action so you don’t get overwhelmed and act out of your aims. 

Aside from this self-explanatory definition, a gardening business plan can help you decide on the strategic direction of your company, what services you’ll offer, and how you plan to grow. Having a business plan is always better than operating your business with none. Having known this, let’s see how you can effectively draft a UK gardening business plan using our free template that also comes in PDF format. 

The Ultimate Guide to Writing a Gardening Business Plan?

Before you write your UK gardening business plan, there are some functions you need to perform, which include conducting market research. When you then get your business facts right, then you will need to write them down in sections and then make yourself a business plan at the end of the process. With our well-explained template below, which can also be accessed in PDF format , you will find it easy to construct a gardening business plan for your investment.

Your executive summary should be a summary of all the other sections that will be contained in your business plan. Starting from unleashing your business ideas and how you intend to make your business flourish. Most of the time, the reason behind this section is to serve readers that do not want to go through the stress of reading the whole business plan, and for this course, your executive summary should sum up your overall business. While writing, you should employ a clear and concise tone so your readers will not be confused while reading through.

In this section of your business plan, you need to focus more on your gardening company to get in-depth information on it. You should be able to answer questions like when you started your business, why you started, where you are located, who the owner of the company is, and what you plan to achieve in the near future. Just as the name implies, make sure it describes your company in a way the reader can easily access. Ensure to keep your information SMART: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and timely. 

Before you consider writing the market analysis of your UK gardening business plan, you need to conduct thorough research on your industry to discover what your market trend is. Meanwhile, the essence of researching your market is not just to discover what your current market trends look like; you can also decipher who your ideal customers are and how best to treat them. 

While on this, you should go for information that can deeply describe your customers. Discover where they live, what their gardens are like, what they do, how old they are, what their income rate is if they need a lawn care expert, and a host of other factors. Once you state the data you found about your customers in this market analysis section of your UK gardening business plan, your readers will trust your credibility more. 

Just after concluding the market research section of your UK gardening business plan, it doesn’t end there. You need to carry out a competitive analysis . You will also need to understand who your competitors are and how your business is more unique compared to theirs. 

Discover the top gardeners in your locality and research in-depth how they operate. Find out their strengths and weaknesses and how they offer their services to their customers. Pick a few points from their mode of operation and then tweak yours to be better. Tell your readers who they are and how you can be better. 

Your sales and marketing plan should be all about how you intend to market your internet cafe business and attract more customers that would make use of your services. You will also need to specify the marketing channels you will be employing. Will you be using an online presence, opening a website, creating fliers, advertising in magazines and a host of others? These are the questions you will need to cover in this section. 

Your operational plan is where you get to discuss how all the business plans and ideas you have made for your gardening business are going to be carried out. Will you need the help of some staff or a team? Do you wish to handle the whole process yourself? How do you intend to carry out those plans? These are questions you need to answer in this section of your business plan.

#7. Financial Plan  

If you seek extra help from any financial body or an investor, then you need to put in extra effort while creating the financial plan section of your business plan. You should include how much capital you need to start your business, including the tools and equipment you will need. You will also need to specify where the funds will be allocated and also give a clear explanation of how you will make profits from your business in the near future. 

This is where you get to add all of your qualifications, certifications, and documents that would validate the information you gave in the other sections above. These documents might be your permits, licences, and a host of others. 

To run a successful gardening business in the UK, you will need some basic tools to help you carry out your services with ease. These necessary tools are not limited to:

• Hedge trimmer
• Hand gloves and safety goggles
• Hard-wearing uniform
• Gardening van

For every business to function properly and make a proportional profit, it needs a strong customer base. If you notice that you don’t attract many customers to your gardening business, then you can build a strong online presence by building a website or opening social media platforms where you can showcase your previous work. You can also join a professional organisation to expand your network, brand your gardening vehicles or practice local advertisements. 

As long as you enjoy what you do and like the idea of being outside, then you don’t need a qualification to be a gardener. But when this is the case, then you will find that there are ‘cowboy gardeners’ who offer low-quality work for low prices and who will be numerous in the gardening industry. To curb this, you can then go for some handy qualifications that will make your brand more credible.

As a gardener, you should be able to boost some insurance policies that can guide and protect your brand in any situation. You can opt for some insurance policies like public liability insurance, employers’ liability insurance, personal injury insurance, and business equipment insurance, among others.

Yes, as a gardener, you need to be insured because you might need some protection on your tools if you find them too expensive. You might also need protection against injury to members of the public, among others. 

Yes, you do need insurance if you employ or work with a staff member. The type of insurance to get in this situation is called “employers’ liability insurance.” 

Most people won’t tell you this, but creating a business plan can be fun and daunting at the same time, especially when it’s your first time trying. 

But because time waits for no man, you have to take the easier route out, and for this reason, we have created a ready-made gardening business plan for your convenience. 

Over the years, businessyield consult has specialised in creating professional business plans and, so far, has helped millions of businesses stand on their feet, and we are happy to help you too. Get started here .

A business plan is an important aspect of every business. Imagine having the luxury of laying down your whole business ideas and plans in a document, including your market analysis, financial plan, and marketing strategies, and then referring back to it from time to time. It will surely make your planning easier and keep you right on track. With the gardening business plan template above, which can also be accessed in PDF format , you will be able to construct a professional plan. Don’t forget to also reach out here to get further assistance from us.

Depending on the exact services you are going to offer, you could budget an estimate of £3,000, £7,000, or $10,000. You might even decide to go for a basic garden tidying service or a lawn care service depending on which one suits you better. You will also need to consider the necessary insurance protection policies you might need to get. 

Pricing for your gardening services might differ depending on your region or how you want to be paid. You might choose to go with an hourly rate or a fixed price. But most times, it’s advisable to use a fixed price for small gardening charges so you won’t exhaust your energy all day over a little job. You can also add extra charges for things that might cost you extra to deliver, including weed killer or pest tool use. As a UK gardener, you can earn up to £150 to £200 a day.

Yes, the gardening business is a very profitable one, especially in the UK. No matter how big or small your brand is, you can make profits from it, of course, when managed efficiently. You will need to invest a lot of time and energy and then observe all sectors of your business. 

Related Articles

• Gardening Business: Tips For Starting A Gardening Business
• STARTING A GARDENING BUSINESS: How to Start From Scratch
• LANDSCAPE GARDENER: How To Become a Landscape Gardener

Kenechukwu Muoghalu

Kenny, an accomplished business writer with a decade of experience, excels in translating intricate industry insights into engaging articles. Her passion revolves around distilling the latest trends, offering actionable advice, and nurturing a comprehensive understanding of the business landscape. With a proven track record of delivering insightful content, Kenny is dedicated to empowering her readers with the knowledge needed to thrive in the dynamic and ever-evolving world of business.

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What does a REAL Market Gardening Business Plan look like?

A market gardening business plan is absolutely necessary, if you are seriously thinking about making money from your garden. You're business plan will help you figure out if your garden will pay you back for your time and effort expended. And it is a must-do if you are looking for financing to start a market garden. What goes into your business plan? While different financial institutions may have different formats they expect to see in a business plan, here's how we built the New Terra Farm business plan.

Get my FREE One-Acre Farm Plan and learn how to raise pigs, chickens and more, integrated with an organic market garden, to make more money from your small property. Imagine building a profitable and sustainable mini-farm even on a small piece of land.

Components of the New Terra Farm Market Gardening Business Plan

We wrote the New Terra Farm market gardening business plan both to clarify our business goals and objectives for the farm, and also to satisfy the requirements of potential investors. Here's what's in it:

• Background This section introduces the plan, and explains the origin of the business idea i.e. the 'how' and 'why' you decided to start a market garden.
• The Team Here's where you identify all the players in your start-up market garden, and give their relevant background. You want to demonstrate that you have the necessary personnel resources to carry out your plan. Explain how this team has acquired or will acquire the necessary skills and knowledge to run your market garden business. Your team may also include partners or advisers whose experience you can use to supplement your skill set; e.g. you nay have a neighbour who is an experienced market grower, and can provide advice.
• Growth Objectives This section explains how big you plan to grow the business over the next five years. This is generally explained in terms of how many customers you plan to acquire and/or how much revenue you expect to generate over the period. This will be explained in more detail in the Cash Flow Projections late in the market gardening business plan
• The Marketing Plan This section details how, where and to whom you will sell your market garden goodies. Your plan might include sales to restaurants, at a farmer's market, or through a Community Supported Agriculture program You need to explain the system you will use to contact and 'make the sale' to each of these potential markets. If you are planning to sell at a farmer's market, contact the market to make sure they have a spot and to find out market rules. With restaurant sales you will want to talk to the owners or head chefs to find out what they might buy from you. Do this well in advance of the season, so you can adjust your growing plans if required. The CSA program is the easiest to document a revenue and marketing plan for; once you have set an income target and a price per share, you just need a likely pool of prospects and a way to contact them. See Market Gardening Marketing for more about marketing a CSA program.
• Success factors In this section you explain the internal and external factors that will contribute to your success. This includes identifying your competitors, and any competitive advantage you may have over them - e.g. superior skills or knowledge, or unique access to a market. You will also want to demonstrate the growth potential in your area for your type of product. For example, here's a quote from the New Terra Farm business plan: "Current statistics indicate that 55% of consumers try organic food at least some of the time; the market in North America is growing by 20% annually."
• Risk Management Identify and explain how you plan to manage the risks of starting your market garden. This includes both production risks - e.g. what steps are you planning to manage and protect your market garden from drought, flood, bugs, wild dingoes, etc - and business risks e.g. low sales, or the loss of key customers. You need a contingency plan to deal with these eventualities. You can read more about farm risk management here .
• Cash Flow Projections This section contains projected income and expenses for the next 5-year period. Cash flow is driven by your marketing and business expansion plans, and has to make sense in terms of the rest of the plan. We developed a Budget and Cash Flow Planner spreadsheet to help us with that. You will need to 'play around' with income and expense figures to get a projection that makes sense (and makes a profit!). You can see more about this here Farm Income Planning

SCORE is a network of volunteer, expert business mentors  with the mission of helping small businesses get off the ground, grow and achieve their goals.

In addition to providing free business education and mentoring, they also make a number of useful forms and documents available on their website.

You can download a very thorough business plan template (35 pages) that includes directions and guidance for crafting your own business plan.

You can get it here

Free 2-Page Business Plan Template

"A dream without a plan is just a wish"

If you aren't  planning for success , what ARE you planning for? Download my free 2-page business plan template and get methodical about your business success. 

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Gardening Business Marketing Plan Template

• Great for beginners
• Ready-to-use, fully customizable Subcategory
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Running a gardening business can be a blooming success, but without a solid marketing plan, you might find it hard to stand out from the competition. That's where ClickUp's Gardening Business Marketing Plan Template comes in to help you grow your business!

With this template, you can:

• Strategically promote your services, products, and expertise to attract and retain customers
• Increase brand visibility through targeted advertising, social media marketing, and search engine optimization
• Collaborate with local nurseries or home improvement stores for impactful partnerships
• Stay organized and track your marketing efforts all in one place

Don't let your gardening business wilt in the shadows. Harness the power of a well-crafted marketing plan with ClickUp's template and watch your business bloom!

Benefits of Gardening Business Marketing Plan Template

When you use the Gardening Business Marketing Plan Template, you can reap the following benefits:

• Develop a strategic roadmap to effectively promote your gardening business
• Identify your target audience and tailor your marketing efforts to reach them
• Increase brand visibility and awareness through targeted advertising and social media marketing
• Optimize your website and online presence to improve search engine rankings and attract more customers
• Forge partnerships with local nurseries or home improvement stores to expand your reach and attract new clients
• Track and measure the success of your marketing initiatives to make data-driven decisions for future campaigns.

Main Elements of Gardening Business Marketing Plan Template

ClickUp's Gardening Business Marketing Plan template is the perfect tool to help you strategize and execute your marketing efforts effectively. Here are the main elements of this List template:

• Custom Statuses: Keep track of the progress of your marketing tasks with statuses such as Cancelled, Complete, In Progress, Needs Input, Planned, and To Do.
• Custom Fields: Utilize 6 custom fields including Quarter, Task Type, Impact, Progress, Percent Completion, and Effort to organize and analyze your marketing plan in a way that suits your business needs.
• Custom Views: Access 5 different views to gain a comprehensive understanding of your marketing efforts. Use the Key Results view to track important metrics, the Timeline view to visualize your marketing plan over time, the Getting Started Guide view to get quick instructions on how to use the template, the Objectives view to set and track your marketing objectives, and the Progress Board view to monitor the progress of your marketing tasks.

With ClickUp's Gardening Business Marketing Plan template, you can streamline your marketing efforts and achieve your business goals efficiently.

How to Use Marketing Plan for Gardening Business

If you're starting a gardening business and need a solid marketing plan, follow these steps to make the most of the Gardening Business Marketing Plan Template:

1. Define your target audience

Identify the specific group of people you want to reach with your gardening services. Are you targeting homeowners, businesses, or both? Consider factors such as location, demographics, and interests to narrow down your target audience.

Use custom fields in ClickUp to categorize and track your target audience based on location, age, and preferences.

2. Conduct market research

Get a clear understanding of the local gardening market by conducting thorough research. Analyze your competitors, assess customer needs, and identify any gaps or opportunities in the market that you can leverage.

Create tasks in ClickUp to gather information about competitors, customer preferences, and local market trends.

3. Set marketing goals

Determine what you want to achieve with your marketing efforts. Are you aiming to increase brand awareness, generate leads, or drive more sales? Setting specific and measurable goals will help you stay focused and track your progress.

Use Goals in ClickUp to set marketing objectives and track key metrics such as website traffic, social media engagement, and conversion rates.

4. Develop your marketing strategies

Based on your target audience and research findings, outline the strategies you will use to reach and engage potential customers. Consider online and offline tactics such as social media marketing, content creation, local advertising, and networking.

Use the Board view in ClickUp to create a visual representation of your marketing strategies and organize them by priority or timeline.

5. Create a budget

Determine how much you are willing to invest in your marketing activities. Allocate funds for advertising, promotions, website development, and any other expenses required to execute your marketing plan effectively.

Use custom fields in ClickUp to track your marketing budget and expenses, ensuring that you stay within your allocated funds.

6. Implement, monitor, and adjust

Put your marketing plan into action by executing your strategies across various channels. Monitor the performance of your marketing efforts regularly and make adjustments as needed. Analyze data, track metrics, and listen to customer feedback to optimize your marketing activities.

Use Dashboards in ClickUp to track the performance of your marketing campaigns, monitor key metrics, and make data-driven decisions for continuous improvement.

By following these steps and utilizing the Gardening Business Marketing Plan Template in ClickUp, you'll have a comprehensive and effective marketing plan to grow your gardening business.

Get Started with ClickUp’s Gardening Business Marketing Plan Template

Garden business owners can use this Gardening Business Marketing Plan Template to effectively promote their services and attract more customers.

First, hit “Add Template” to sign up for ClickUp and add the template to your Workspace. Make sure you designate which Space or location in your Workspace you’d like this template applied.

Next, invite relevant members or guests to your Workspace to start collaborating.

Now you can take advantage of the full potential of this template to create a comprehensive marketing plan:

• Use the Key Results View to track and measure the success of your marketing campaigns
• The Timeline View will help you plan out the timing and duration of each marketing activity
• Use the Getting Started Guide View to get a step-by-step overview of how to set up your marketing plan
• The Objectives View will help you define specific goals and objectives for your marketing efforts
• The Progress Board View will give you a visual overview of the progress of each marketing task
• Organize tasks into six different statuses: Cancelled, Complete, In Progress, Needs Input, Planned, To Do, to keep track of progress
• Update statuses as you complete tasks to ensure smooth progress and accountability

Related Templates

• Music School Marketing Plan Template
• Senior Living Community Marketing Plan Template
• Flower Shop Marketing Plan Template
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• Optical Company Marketing Plan Template

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Gardening Business Plan Template

A successful gardening business is based on a solid business plan. To help you out, we've designed a business plan template specifically for your gardening business.

Get your copy today!

Download The Template  

For help completing your gardening business plan, read our guide .

How can a gardening business plan template help you?

• A solid gardening business plan acts as your strategy guide for building a successful business.
• Whether you're an existing gardening business or just starting out, a business plan helps you get organised.
• Use a gardening business plan to help secure funding for your business.

Get your free gardening business plan PDF!

Created by tradify - the easiest way to manage your gardening business..

Garden Maintenance Business Plan Template & Guidebook

Are you interested in starting your own yard maintenance company but unsure of where to start? We can help with our garden maintenance business plan template and how-to manual. You can simply construct a business plan that details every facet of your enterprise, from market analysis and financial predictions to marketing plans and operational tactics, with the help of our comprehensive template and professional advice. Our step-by-step process makes it simple to start an own garden maintenance business so you can realize your dream. With the help of our tried-and-true template and advice, you can confidently start the process of creating a successful garden maintenance company. Join the ranks of prosperous landscape maintenance business owners by getting started right away!

Get worry-free services and support to launch your business starting at $0 plus state fees.

• How to Start a Profitable Garden Maintenance Business [11 Steps]
• 25 Catchy Garden Maintenance Business Names:
• List of the Best Marketing Ideas For Your Garden Maintenance Business:

How to Write a Garden Maintenance Business Plan in 7 Steps:

1. describe the purpose of your garden maintenance business..

The first step to writing your business plan is to describe the purpose of your garden maintenance business. This includes describing why you are starting this type of business, and what problems it will solve for customers. This is a quick way to get your mind thinking about the customers’ problems. It also helps you identify what makes your business different from others in its industry.

It also helps to include a vision statement so that readers can understand what type of company you want to build.

Here is an example of a purpose mission statement for a garden maintenance business:

Our mission at Garden Maintenance is to help our clients cultivate beautiful and healthy outdoor spaces that bring joy and relaxation. We are dedicated to providing expert care and attention to every aspect of our clients' gardens, from pruning and weeding to planting and watering. We strive to create a personalized and holistic approach that meets our clients' needs and budget. We are committed to using sustainable and eco-friendly practices, and to providing a positive and respectful work environment for our employees. By partnering with our clients and nurturing their gardens, we aim to help them create outdoor oases that they can enjoy for years to come.

2. Products & Services Offered by Your Garden Maintenance Business.

The next step is to outline your products and services for your garden maintenance business. 

When you think about the products and services that you offer, it's helpful to ask yourself the following questions:

• What is my business?
• What are the products and/or services that I offer?
• Why am I offering these particular products and/or services?
• How do I differentiate myself from competitors with similar offerings?
• How will I market my products and services?

You may want to do a comparison of your business plan against those of other competitors in the area, or even with online reviews. This way, you can find out what people like about them and what they don’t like, so that you can either improve upon their offerings or avoid doing so altogether.

3. Build a Creative Marketing Stratgey.

If you don't have a marketing plan for your garden maintenance business, it's time to write one. Your marketing plan should be part of your business plan and be a roadmap to your goals. 

A good marketing plan for your garden maintenance business includes the following elements:

Target market

• Who is your target market?
• What do these customers have in common?
• How many of them are there?
• How can you best reach them with your message or product?

Customer base 

• Who are your current customers? 
• Where did they come from (i.e., referrals)?
• How can their experience with your garden maintenance business help make them repeat customers, consumers, visitors, subscribers, or advocates for other people in their network or industry who might also benefit from using this service, product, or brand?

Product or service description

• How does it work, what features does it have, and what are its benefits?
• Can anyone use this product or service regardless of age or gender?
• Can anyone visually see themselves using this product or service?
• How will they feel when they do so? If so, how long will the feeling last after purchasing (or trying) the product/service for the first time?

Competitive analysis

• Which companies are competing with yours today (and why)? 
• Which ones may enter into competition with yours tomorrow if they find out about it now through word-of-mouth advertising; social media networks; friends' recommendations; etc.)
• What specific advantages does each competitor offer over yours currently?

Marketing channels

• Which marketing channel do you intend to leverage to attract new customers?
• What is your estimated marketing budget needed?
• What is the projected cost to acquire a new customer?
• How many of your customers do you instead will return?

Form an LLC in your state!

4. Write Your Operational Plan.

Next, you'll need to build your operational plan. This section describes the type of business you'll be running, and includes the steps involved in your operations. 

In it, you should list:

• The equipment and facilities needed
• Who will be involved in the business (employees, contractors)
• Financial requirements for each step
• Milestones & KPIs
• Location of your business
• Zoning & permits required for the business

What equipment, supplies, or permits are needed to run a garden maintenance business?

Garden maintenance businesses provide services such as lawn care, landscaping, and gardening to help individuals and businesses maintain the appearance and health of their outdoor spaces. The equipment and supplies needed to run a garden maintenance business can vary depending on the specific services offered, but may include:

• Lawn care equipment, such as mowers, edgers, and trimmers, to maintain lawns
• Landscaping tools, such as shovels, rakes, and pruning shears, to design and maintain gardens
• Protective clothing, such as gloves and hats, to protect against the elements and potential hazards
• Pesticides, herbicides, and other chemicals, as needed and allowed by law, to control pests and weeds
• Watering equipment, such as hoses and sprinklers, to provide adequate moisture to plants

In addition to the equipment and supplies needed to run a garden maintenance business, it is important to obtain any necessary permits and licenses that may be required by local regulations. These permits and licenses may vary depending on the location of the business and the specific services offered.

In summary, the equipment, supplies, and permits needed to run a garden maintenance business can include lawn care and landscaping tools, protective clothing, chemicals, and watering equipment, as well as any necessary licenses and permits.

5. Management & Organization of Your Garden Maintenance Business.

The second part of your garden maintenance business plan is to develop a management and organization section.

This section will cover all of the following:

• How many employees you need in order to run your garden maintenance business. This should include the roles they will play (for example, one person may be responsible for managing administrative duties while another might be in charge of customer service).
• The structure of your management team. The higher-ups like yourself should be able to delegate tasks through lower-level managers who are directly responsible for their given department (inventory and sales, etc.).
• How you’re going to make sure that everyone on board is doing their job well. You’ll want check-ins with employees regularly so they have time to ask questions or voice concerns if needed; this also gives you time to offer support where necessary while staying informed on how things are going within individual departments too!

6. Garden Maintenance Business Startup Expenses & Captial Needed.

This section should be broken down by month and year. If you are still in the planning stage of your business, it may be helpful to estimate how much money will be needed each month until you reach profitability.

Typically, expenses for your business can be broken into a few basic categories:

Startup Costs

Startup costs are typically the first expenses you will incur when beginning an enterprise. These include legal fees, accounting expenses, and other costs associated with getting your business off the ground. The amount of money needed to start a garden maintenance business varies based on many different variables, but below are a few different types of startup costs for a garden maintenance business.

Running & Operating Costs

Running costs refer to ongoing expenses related directly with operating your business over time like electricity bills or salaries paid out each month. These types of expenses will vary greatly depending on multiple variables such as location, team size, utility costs, etc.

Marketing & Sales Expenses

You should include any costs associated with marketing and sales, such as advertising and promotions, website design or maintenance. Also, consider any additional expenses that may be incurred if you decide to launch a new product or service line. For example, if your garden maintenance business has an existing website that needs an upgrade in order to sell more products or services, then this should be listed here.

7. Financial Plan & Projections

A financial plan is an important part of any business plan, as it outlines how the business will generate revenue and profit, and how it will use that profit to grow and sustain itself. To devise a financial plan for your garden maintenance business, you will need to consider a number of factors, including your start-up costs, operating costs, projected revenue, and expenses. 

Here are some steps you can follow to devise a financial plan for your garden maintenance business plan:

• Determine your start-up costs: This will include the cost of purchasing or leasing the space where you will operate your business, as well as the cost of buying or leasing any equipment or supplies that you need to start the business.
• Estimate your operating costs: Operating costs will include utilities, such as electricity, gas, and water, as well as labor costs for employees, if any, and the cost of purchasing any materials or supplies that you will need to run your business.
• Project your revenue: To project your revenue, you will need to consider the number of customers you expect to have and the average amount they will spend on each visit. You can use this information to estimate how much money you will make from selling your products or services.
• Estimate your expenses: In addition to your operating costs, you will need to consider other expenses, such as insurance, marketing, and maintenance. You will also need to set aside money for taxes and other fees.
• Create a budget: Once you have estimated your start-up costs, operating costs, revenue, and expenses, you can use this information to create a budget for your business. This will help you to see how much money you will need to start the business, and how much profit you can expect to make.
• Develop a plan for using your profit: Finally, you will need to decide how you will use your profit to grow and sustain your business. This might include investing in new equipment, expanding the business, or saving for a rainy day.

Frequently Asked Questions About Garden Maintenance Business Plans:

Why do you need a business plan for a garden maintenance business.

A business plan is a document that outlines the goals and objectives of a business, as well as the strategies and tactics that will be used to achieve those goals. It is important to have a business plan for your garden maintenance business because it helps to focus the efforts of the company, communicate the business's goals and objectives to potential investors, and provide a roadmap for the business to follow. Additionally, a business plan can be used to help secure funding from investors or lenders, who will want to see that the business has a solid plan in place before they provide funding.

How to write a business plan for your garden maintenance business?)

To build a business plan for your garden maintenance business, start by researching your industry, competitors, and target market. Use this information to define your business's goals and objectives, as well as the strategies and tactics that you will use to achieve those goals. Next, create a financial plan that outlines your projected income, expenses, and profit. This should include a projected income statement, cash flow statement, and balance sheet. Once you have all of this information, you can use it to create a comprehensive business plan that outlines the goals and objectives of your business, as well as the strategies and tactics that you will use to achieve those goals. A well-written garden maintenance business plan contains the following sections: Purpose, Products & Services, Marketing Plan (including Marketing Strategy), Operations/Management Plan (including Operations/Management Strategy), Financial Plan (including Financial Forecasts), and Appendixes.

Can you write a garden maintenance business plan yourself?

Yes, you can write a garden maintenance business plan yourself. Writing a business plan is a valuable exercise that can help you clarify your business idea, identify potential challenges and opportunities, and develop a roadmap for success. While there are many resources and templates available to help you write a business plan, the process of creating one is ultimately up to you.

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I'm Nick, co-founder of newfoundr.com, dedicated to helping aspiring entrepreneurs succeed. As a small business owner with over five years of experience, I have garnered valuable knowledge and insights across a diverse range of industries. My passion for entrepreneurship drives me to share my expertise with aspiring entrepreneurs, empowering them to turn their business dreams into reality.

Through meticulous research and firsthand experience, I uncover the essential steps, software, tools, and costs associated with launching and maintaining a successful business. By demystifying the complexities of entrepreneurship, I provide the guidance and support needed for others to embark on their journey with confidence.

From assessing market viability and formulating business plans to selecting the right technology and navigating the financial landscape, I am dedicated to helping fellow entrepreneurs overcome challenges and unlock their full potential. As a steadfast advocate for small business success, my mission is to pave the way for a new generation of innovative and driven entrepreneurs who are ready to make their mark on the world.

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Moscow-City – The Moscow International Business Center

• 3 years ago

Moscow-City is an iconic location for life and work in Russia’s capital. Enormous skyscrapers, business centers, the best restaurants and retail spaces – all this is concentrated in one place. The ultramodern Moscow-City towers are truly striking in their outward appearance, and the layout of the apartments inside and the fantastic views that can be seen from the higher floors are nothing short of impressive.

This skyscraper compound, often referred to as Moskva-City, is the Russian take on Manhattan, where businessmen strike multi-million dollar deals daily while ordinary life goes on next door. Its state of the art spaces offer the ultimate convenience. The infrastructure of this business district is so well-developed that anyone can find something interesting for themselves here: from residential apartments to boutiques, clubs, exhibitions and more.

When the foundations for the Moscow-City skyscrapers were laid, a special kind of concrete was used, the properties of which are amplified by many times compared to standard concrete. Even in the event of a plane crashing into one of the buildings, the structural integrity of the towers will be preserved.

The architects of the Moscow-City Business Center have created a unique locality that has integrated into itself the hub of the capital’s business life and a whole ensemble of historical monuments. Anyone can admire the beauty of these skyscrapers from within or without the compound. There are also a number of apartments for sale or rent available in the MIBC itself. But first, let’s have a look at some more interesting facts about the financial core of Russia’s capital.

How It All Began

The history of Moscow-City goes all the way back to 1992. The government of Moscow at the time wanted to bring into existence its own skyscrapers like the ones in London or New York. And the idea caught on. In 1992 the project for the construction of the huge “Moscow-City” MIBC compound was enthusiastically approved, kick-starting the painstaking preparatory works. The original intention was that the skyscrapers would only house office space. However, as time went on, the towers began to welcome in ordinary residents who wanted to live on the territory of this business and finance hub.

Moscow-City is undoubtedly a city within a city. Its grandeur is mind-boggling. It is perfect in every way: from location to infrastructure. And today, anyone can get a feel of the atmosphere of the “capital city” of Russia’s business world – many of the apartments in Moscow-City are available for rent. Any citizen of Russia and even nationals of other countries can make use of these offers.

What It’s Like in 2021

Today Moscow-City is not just a magnificent and fascinating sight, but also a real hub for the work, life and leisure of thousands. Its infrastructure is organized in such a way that there is no need to leave the territory of the “city within a city” at all. This business district contains everything one may need for work and recreation. And if one does decide to venture out into the larger metropolis, the MIBC’s three subway stations make this remarkably simple to do.

Moscow-City stands on the Presnenskaya Embankment . Each of the buildings in the district has a name, which simplifies its identification. Some of the buildings form complexes that are united under one name, such as the Neva Towers and the Naberezhnaya Tower complex of two skyscrapers and one high rise. There are a total of 16 towers in the MIBC, of which the most popular are:

• Moscow-City Central Core;
• Tower 2000;
• Evolution Tower;
• Imperia Tower;
• City of Capitals (Moscow Tower and St. Petersburg Tower);
• Steel Peak Tower;
• Federation Tower;
• Mercury City Tower;
• OKO Tower Complex.
• 1 Moscow-City Central Core
• 2 Tower 2000
• 3 Evolution Tower
• 4 Imperia Tower
• 5 Moscow Tower and St. Petersburg Tower
• 6 Steel Peak Tower
• 7 Federation Tower
• 8 Mercury City Tower
• 9 OKO Tower Complex
• 10 Afimall City Shopping Center
• 11 Bagration Bridge
• 12 Expocentre Fairgrounds

Moscow-City Central Core

This is the most complex building within the MIBC compound. Its total floor area is a whopping 1 476 378 sqft (450 000 m²). It consists of two massive parts, each of which boasts a truly impressive infrastructure. The underground part includes 3 Moscow Metro stations, a parking lot for automobiles and a shopping mall. The aboveground part houses a concert hall and a hotel.

Tower 2000 is a skyscraper having 34 stories. Its total floor area is 200 318 sqft (61 057 m²), most of which is office space. The key feature of this skyscraper is its direct connection to the Bagration Bridge, which has its own shopping arcade. The tower has everything one may need while working here, including a large parking lot and several restaurants.

Evolution Tower

This elegant structure is 836 feet (255 m) high – that’s a whole 54 stories! The total floor area here is 554 462 sqft (169 000 m²). The Evolution Tower’s key feature is that it has its own Wedding Hall. This skyscraper houses large office spaces, a parking lot and several restaurants.

Imperia Tower

MIBC’s Imperia Tower is the undeniable focal point of the MIBC’s business life. Its height is 784 feet (239 m), which means one can hold conferences and resolve key business matters on the 59 th floor! And that really is amazing! The tower has everything: offices, hotels, restaurants and parking lots. But if you want a truly unforgettable experience, visit the viewing platform! It is situated on the 58 th floor and a simply astounding view of Moscow can be seen from it.

Moscow Tower and St. Petersburg Tower

The Moscow and St. Petersburg Towers are the chief representatives of the MIBC. The Moscow Tower has 76 stories and is 990 feet (302 m) high, while the St. Petersburg Tower has 65 stories and stands 843 feet (257 m) tall. Both towers offer fantastic views of the capital city.

Most of the floors of these two skyscrapers are taken up by luxurious sky apartments. There are also several recreational and entertainment centers, office spaces, restaurants, etc.

Steel Peak Tower

Also known as the Eurasia Tower of Moscow-City, this supertall skyscraper has a total of 680 912 sqft (207 542 m²) of floor space. Most of this is taken up by offices, and the rest – by residential quarters (around 65 616 sqft or 20 000 m²). The tower also houses a number of the greatest restaurants, studios and shopping centers.

Federation Tower

The Federation Tower is a complex of two skyscrapers, known as Tower East and Tower West. Tower East is the second highest building in Europe (the first is a skyscraper recently erected in the city of St. Petersburg). Its height is a colossal 1 223 feet (373 m) and that makes 95 stories! Tower West, on the other hand, is noticeably shorter at 794 feet (242 m).

The Federation Tower is a multifunctional complex.

Mercury City Tower

The Mercury City Tower skyscraper is widely known as one of the tallest buildings in Europe. Its height is 1 112 feet (339 m) and it has 75 stories. It is multifunctional by concept, holding within its walls shopping centers, offices and all kinds of other spaces. It is also possible to rent apartments here.

OKO Tower Complex

The OKO Tower Complex consists of two towers – the North Tower (49 stories and 803 ft or 245 m in height) and the South Tower (85 stories and 1 155 ft or 352 m in height).

Each of the MIBC’s tower complexes has its own recreational and entertainment areas, restaurants and parking lots. The top floors of most of these buildings contain luxurious fully-furnished apartments. At night, the towers shine with bright lights, while inside them the panoramic windows reveal astounding views of Moscow. This breathtaking view of the capital of Russia is why visiting Moscow-City is a must!

What Not to Miss

There are many interesting landmarks within the Moscow-City compound, but three of them are truly deserving of special attention:

• The Afimall City Shopping Center;
• The Bagration Bridge with two galleries and a shopping arcade;
• The Expocentre Fairgrounds.

Afimall City Shopping Center

The Afimall City Shopping and Entertainment Center is located in Moscow-City’s Central Core. It is divided into 4 zones, each with its own theme – one for every season of the year. The shopping center houses the biggest indoor fountain found worldwide. The height of this watery wonder is 118 feet or 36 meters.

The shopping and entertainment center contains everything one might expect from one of the largest centers of its kind:

• Retail brand stores;
• Exhibitions;
• Game rooms;
• and Restaurants.

The main recreational space is roofed with a giant transparent dome, which is an impressive sight to behold.

Bagration Bridge

Bagration Bridge with its upper and lower galleries has a shopping center all of its own and was the first structure to be built as part of the Moscow-City business district. Its lower gallery is a shopping arcade and its upper gallery is an open-air viewing platform with a spectacular view of the MIBC and the Moskva River. The hall of the bridge houses the 23 foot tall sculpture called “Tree of Life”. Having gone through the bridge via either one of its two galleries, a pedestrian would find themselves standing right on the Kutuzovsky Prospekt.

Expocentre Fairgrounds

The Expocentre Fairgrounds exhibition venue is located at the very heart of the capital. The first exhibition held at the Expocentre happened all the way back in 1959, much earlier than the MIBC was erected. Today it is the venue of many interesting events.

Exhibitions with very diverse themes are regularly held at this complex. An up-to-date schedule can be found on the official webpage of the Expocentre. The events can be free or fixed-price entry, depending on their type.

Renting and Buying Real Estate in Moscow-City

Moscow-City is not only a work and business hub, but also a residential neighborhood. Any citizen of Russia can rent or buy apartments or elite sky lounges here. The variety of residential real estate available inside the skyscrapers is impressive, including options for any pocket. The following buildings in the MIBC contain residential blocks:

This skyscraper has a mirror glass façade which reflects the passing clouds. Just imagine how beautiful that looks! Anyone can buy an apartment in the Federation Tower. Such properties are not only a good investment, but also a mark of prestige. The average price of residential real estate here is 45 million rubles for an apartment with a total floor area of 334 sqft (102 m²). The average price of a square meter (3.28 square feet) is in the range of 650 to 700 thousand rubles. There are two- and three-room apartments available in the Federation Tower, each with its own loggia. As for rent, the minimum price of one month’s stay in a three-room apartment in this skyscraper is 300 000 rubles per month.

The Mercury City Tower skyscraper welcomes citizens from all parts of Russia. This building is no less tall than the world-famous Dubai skyscrapers. Living in its apartments is a delight. The minimum cost of an apartment in the Mercury City Tower is 75 million rubles. The average price of a square meter (3.28 square feet) is 800 thousand rubles. And for those looking for a lower price point, some of the properties are also available for rent – in this case you will pay a minimum of 250 thousand rubles per month.

The Imperia Tower is a key cluster of interesting offers. The best options for buying and renting apartments within the MIBC can all be found in this skyscraper. The lowest price of a residential apartment here is 40 million rubles. A square meter (3.28 square feet) in a luxurious apartment in the Imperia Tower currently costs 600 thousand rubles, while the price range of the listings available for rent in this skyscraper is from 350 thousand all the way up to 1 million rubles per month.

This complex, standing on a faceted or “crystal” base, is an architectural engineering project boasting spectacular design. Behind its impressive façades is an abundance of penthouses and apartments having floor areas in the range of 262 sqft (80 m²) to 984 sqft (300 m²). The minimum price of an apartment in the OKO Tower Complex is 40 million rubles (the price of a square meter (3.28 square feet) is 500 thousand rubles). You can rent an apartment here starting from 400 thousand rubles per month.

City of Capitals

The City of Capitals is an exemplary architectural complex. Its sum appearance gives the impression of a huge city. Inside its walls are spacious apartments available for purchase and rent. This complex is considered to be especially prestigious. The prices of apartments here start from 50 million rubles, while the minimum cost of renting is 400 thousand rubles per month.

Please note! The price of real estate available for purchase or rent depends on: the tower, the floor, the total floor area, the furnishings and/or interior design, and other factors.

The key advantages of buying/purchasing real estate in Moscow-City are:

• Favorable location;
• Convenient transportation links;
• Well-developed infrastructure;
• High safety level;
• Efficient architecture;
• Panoramic windows.

Buying real estate in Moscow-City is very much a rational decision, most appealing to those who value the ultimate level of comfort. The residential apartments here boast impressive interior design solutions executed in the contemporary style.

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