Working in your home garden can be an extremely fulfilling hobby and a great stress reliever…
But can you turn your gardening hobby into a thriving business?
For many, that idea has become more and more appealing.
So I’m here to break down the seven tips you really need to know before you try to turn your garden into you full time job (or even your side hustle).
If you’re wondering why in the heck you should listen to me, my name is Ippei, and I’ve been mastering the art of online business, passive income, and local lead generation since 2014.
And I’m going to cover the average startup costs and profit margins for a gardening business…
So that you and your green thumb are prepared to tackle the hurdles of this business model.
Ready to get your hands a little dirty?
Then let’s dig right in.
How to Start a Gardening Business in 2021
Considering Starting Your Own Gardening Business in 2021? Here's What You Should Know:
For those who don’t mind getting a little dirt under their nails, starting a gardening business can be an appealing business idea. But before you can get started, you will need to master your gardening skills, invest in quality equipment, and explore a variety of business models.
Start Up Costs
While this list is not a comprehensive compilation of everything you need to start a gardening business, it provides a snapshot of what you need to add into your business plan.
Annual Revenue of Established Gardening Business
According to Lawn Starter, the average annual revenue of this kind of business is: $50,000-$1,000,000
Profit Margins of Established Gardening Business
According to Go Materials, the average Profit margin of this kind of business is: 5-20%
Quick Start Checklist:
1. Grow Your Green Thumb
For many people, gardening has become more than just a hobby.
Especially after so many of us spent time at home last year during the height of the pandemic!
Whether you were an avid gardener long before the effects of Covid-19, or you picked up the art of gardening recently…
You might have wondered if it’s possible to turn this backyard pastime into a thriving business either part time or even full time.
The answer is yes…
But there is a lot of work that will go into it if you want to see financial success with a gardening business.
Before you can even consider launching a business based out of your home gardening skills…
You need to invest in your own knowledge base like never before.
Pro Tip:
There are a total of 13 different plant “hardiness zones” in the United States according to the USDA. Learn where you fall in these zones, and educate yourself about the plants that will thrive in your growing region during different seasons.
While it isn’t necessary to become a “professional gardener” before pursuing a profit from your tomato crop…
There is so much that goes into gardening, and if you launch a business based around micro farming or gardening services before you have a firm grasp on what you’re doing…
You may find that all you have is an increasingly expensive hobby, rather than a thriving business.
This can be especially true if you are hoping to sell your backyard produce for profit at local farmer’s markets…
Only to find that your entire crop has been knocked out due to unexpected weather patterns or disease.
Use the time that you have now to learn as much as you can!
Experiment with different business models, invest in quality equipment, and hone your gardening skills before establishing your business full time.
2. Invest in Equipment
Hands down, the most important and expensive investment that you will make when starting your gardening business is your tools.
Gardening equipment can be extremely expensive, and it’s easy to get overwhelmed by all of the choices.
But don’t feel like you have to purchase everything all at once…
And don’t get caught up with trying to always buy the newest model.
What you really need are some high quality basics to get you started.
Taking good care of the small amount of equipment that you do have is so much more important that having a shed full of gardening tools!
Invest your money in quality over quantity.
So what do you really need to get started?
Here is a basic gardening equipment list that will get you started:
Basic Gardening Equipment List:
Hand Trowel
If you’re going to start with a basic tool, the hand trowel is the way to go. This universal gardening favorite is great for planting and transplanting, digging up weeds, and container planting.
Wheelbarrow
Here’s another basic piece of lawn care equipment that you probably already have in your garage arsenal. But if you don’t, I’d recommend investing in a sturdy wheelbarrow for hauling around things like mulch, compost, and soil.
3. Develop Your Business Model
When you imagine yourself starting a garden business, you’re probably envisioning a table filled with your garden’s bounty of vegetables and flowers on display at your local farmer’s market…
But there are a wide variety of business models for home gardeners that extend far beyond this method of creating a profit.
It’s extremely important to consider how you will be able to diversify your sales channels.
If you are set on selling micro-greens and making your profit entirely off of this business model…
What happens if your micro-green crop fails to yield the amount you were hoping for?
Or if you are unable to sell your crop of micro-greens to local chefs or at farmer’s markets?
It’s easy to become stuck on a specific idea…
Without considering the viability of your business model.
Be open to experimenting in the beginning to find what works for you and what sells in your local area.
When you are first starting out and trying to take your garden from a backyard business into a full time hobby…
Consider exploring at least three different sales channels.
That way, if one fails…
You have another opportunity to fall back on.
I’m going to cover the three best business models for turning your garden into a thriving business…
But first, let’s take a moment to talk about the second aspect of a successful business model...
4. Identify Your Target Market
Not only do you need to take into consideration the structure of your business and the diversity of your sales channels…
But you need to know who your target market is!
In business, your target market is the group of people that you are attempting to sell your product or services to.
Sometimes a business’s target market is determined by factors like gender, age, or location.
When it comes to your gardening services…
The number one thing you need to identify is the primary needs of your local community.
Do you have a community that would jump on the opportunity to buy organic produce from your garden on a weekly basis during the growing season?
Or do you live in a more urban setting, where people would love to have their own gardens…
But aren’t sure how to go about setting up their own urban gardening system?
Are you living in an affluent area where estate owners are in need of a personal gardener?
Choosing your target market is about more than just who you would like to sell to…
It has to be based on the people who actually CAN sell to.
So before you can decide how you are going to go about your business…
Take a careful assessment of your local community, and determine what they need from a local gardening business…
Then jump into the mix and fill that need with excellence, whatever it is.
I personally believe that there are three viable opportunities for home gardeners to turn their passion into provision in 2021.
But not every model will work for every person.
Which is why understanding your target market first will be so important.
Now that we have this established…
Let’s move on and take a look at these gardening business models for 2021.
5. Selling Your Harvest
By far, the most obvious way to make money from your garden endeavors is to sell your harvest!
Whether you are growing a garden full of fresh zucchini and bell peppers, producing herbs by the armful, or even growing a crop of beautiful flowers…
There are a variety of ways that you can turn your garden’s harvest into a decent chunk of change.
Some of the avenues you can consider for selling your bounty are:
Gardening Sales Channels:
The drawback to these traditional methods of profiting from your garden…
Is that a large amount of physical space is required if you are looking to turn your gardening business into anything more than a side hustle.
Even if you are using ingredients from your garden to create other products, such as:
The chances of your small backyard garden producing a large enough yield to generate a full time income are slim to none.
Even if you maximize your space by using vertical gardening techniques…
Turning a profit from selling produce alone is extremely difficult and risky if you plan to rely on this method as your primary means of revenue.
If you're still struggling to attract new business, check out our course on local lead generation!
Which brings my to my next business model for aspiring gardeners...
6. Equipping Others
If you’ve been spinning your wheels racing from farmer’s market to farmer’s market hocking your wares…
You’re probably getting tired and frustrated, and you’re potentially even wondering whether this whole gardening business is even a good idea.
Well, consider this…
All the people that come to those farmer’s markets in search of fresh produce clearly value locally grown food, right?
So what is stopping them from doing exactly what you’re doing and growing their own gardens?
For some people, they simply don’t want to deal with the hassle of gardening.
However for many, gardening is an intimidating project that they would love to tackle…
But they just don’t know how to get started.
And for others, they simply lack the time required to maintain a garden.
Which means that you are missing out on a much more profitable opportunity than just selling them your tomatoes!
If you have the skills to build raised garden beds, install vertical gardening systems, and train others to garden…
You can start offering a whole new set of services!
Here are some examples of they ways you can put your gardening skills to use by equipping others:
With a garden installation, you can create different size packages at a variety of price points.
Depending on the package your clients select, you will personally come to their property and install the gardening system of their choice on their property for them.
Sometimes, half the intimidation of a new project is getting started.
So with this model, the idea is that “if you build it, they will come.”
Once the garden is set up, and their initial crops are planted…
All your client has to do is the day to day maintenance.
And if the day to day maintenance is still a bit overwhelming…
Guess what?
You can offer training and classes to help people overcome their gardening fears.
Equipping people with the knowledge necessary for them to confidently care for their own gardens can be extremely rewarding.
(Kinda like the old saying about teaching a man how to fish rather than just giving him a fish…)
Finally, if you encounter a potential client that loves the idea of stepping into their backyard and picking fresh fruits and vegetables…
But they have no interest or time available to invest in gardening for themselves…
You can even consider taking on a handful of clients whose gardens you maintain personally!
The best part about all three of these options is that you can advertise all of them at the farmer’s markets you are probably already attending!
You will already be there with your baskets of bell peppers, so why not take advantage of the target market that is literally right in front of you?
7. Sharing Your Knowledge Base
While equipping others to engage in home gardening through garden installations, classes, and personal gardening services are all great ways to increase the bottom line for your gardening business…
You will still be limited based on your ability to connect with clients in your local area.
Which is why my last tip for expanding your sales channels as a gardener is to take your knowledge base online.
The internet is all about the sharing of information, and there is a vast variety of spaces for you to connect with wannabe gardeners who need your knowledge!
The first step is simply to establish a social media presence for your gardening business.
I know, I know, this won’t exactly make you money right off the bat.
But having a social media presence for your business is crucial for establishing credibility, and extending the reach of your marketing.
Plus, it’s a fantastic way to advertise and direct people to the other ways you will be expanding your gardening business services online!
Several ways to share your gardening knowledge online and grow your business are:
All four of these options have been used by countless other businesses in a variety of industries to generate additional revenue, so why not apply them to gardening as well?
You can start a successful and profitable blog about gardening, or even a youtube account that is monetized through ads.
Even consulting can apply to gardening!
Thanks to video chat technology, you can easily consult people about their home gardens from anywhere in the world.
Whether they are experiencing a garden pest that is eating their crops and they are unsure of what to do...
Or they simply want your advice on where to plant their garden for the best sunlight in their yard…
Offering your gardening consulting services can be another way to create income.
And lastly, you can compile your knowledge about home gardening into online courses.
This is definitely the most sustainable method for generating income from a gardening business…
Because once your course is finished, it can be sold over and over again without you having to put in any additional work or effort!
Pros and Cons
of starting a gardening business
Pros
As someone who loves to garden, sharing that knowledge and love with others is one of the biggest draws to starting your own gardening business. If it was just about the money… There are a million other things you could be doing. But I’m guessing that this is also about equipping others through the knowledge base and passion that you have for gardening.
Not everyone likes the idea of a cushy desk job! And if you’re an avid gardener, you probably don’t like the sound of it either. With that being said, running a gardening business will allow you to be outdoors and connected with nature more than you are to a screen.
Another huge plus of a gardening business is that it can be run from home! As we are living in a post-pandemic world, this is a more and more desirable aspect to running a business of your own. It offers flexibility and peace of mind. And if you’re already a homebody, then it’s just another added perk!
Cons
While gardening is becoming more and more common again, it’s still a relatively small niche. So be mindful of this if you choose to go this route. You will be vying for the attention of a small customer base.
Depending on where you live, the scale of your gardening business may be limited by the physical scale of your property. Although urban gardening is definitely doable for many people, it isn’t always practical. Especially if you are trying to monetize your hobby into a fully fledged business.
If you are the type of person capable of killing a succulent simply by looking at it during the wrong time of day… I’d say it’s best if you don’t attempt a gardening business. Gardening is both a science, and an instinctive art form. If you don’t have a green thumb, this one just isn’t going to be for you!
Where in the world you live can also affect the success of your gardening endeavors. If the growing season in your area is particularly short, this will impact your profits. Especially if you make your bread and butter directly off the sales of your produce.
A Gardening Business Can Work, but Lead Gen is Better, Here's Why:
For many people, it is the love of gardening that pushes them to pursue this age old trade as a business…
But making a sizable profit from gardening is no easy task.
If you are simply in love with being able to spend your days working outside in your garden, and training others to do the same…
Then starting a gardening business might be the right fit for you.
Even if it doesn’t ever come close to yielding a six figure salary.
However, for those of you who are feeling a little discouraged at your gardening business prospects…
I have some good news.
I’ve spent multiple years experimenting with multiple different business models, but the one that changed everything for me was local lead generation.
While it’s nothing like gardening…
Lead generation was able to catapult me from making around 2K per month at my old job, to making well over 50K per month in less than five years!
So if you find yourself here in search of a business model that will allow you the freedom to do what you love, whether that be gardening, or something else entirely…
Online lead generation can help you get there.
Once you have done your due diligence work…
The lead generation business model harnesses the localization abilities of Google alongside strategic SEO to generate a sustainable stream of new leads for small businesses.
Which turns into passive income for you!
And this passive income can fund your gardening hobby, and just about any other business you might want to start!
To learn more about how we can help you get started with local lead gen, click here.
