10 Best Ways to Make Money from Your Garden

Start a Produce Stand in Your Neighborhood

One of the easiest ways to make money from garden is to sell your homegrown produce from a produce stand in your neighborhood. Set up a roadside stand or get a spot at your local farmer’s market and sell fresh picked fruits, vegetables, flowers, and herbs. According to the NASS, local food sales reached $11.8 billion in 2016, so there is high demand.

You can keep things simple by harvesting crops from your own garden, or expand by selling items from nearby farms. Make sure you research your local regulations regarding permits, licenses, and food handling rules. Price items competitively based on your local market. Create attractive displays to draw customers in and offer samples whenever possible. Use social media to spread the word about your stand’s location and hours.

The key to success is high quality, fresh produce at reasonable prices. Build a base of loyal, repeat customers by providing great products and service. A produce stand is a simple way to turn your garden harvest into profit while also supporting your local community. With time and dedication, you can grow a small stand into a thriving local business.

Grow and Sell Herbs and Spices Online

Another profitable way to utilize your garden harvest is to grow and sell herbs, spices, and herb plants online. According to A recent report from Business Insider estimates the global spice market will reach $68 billion by 2025, as the popularity of spicy and flavorful cuisine expands worldwide. Whether you sell fresh or dried herbs, value-added products like herbed vinegars and spice rubs, or herb plants and starters, a homemade herb business can be an ideal niche market.

Growing a variety of popular culinary herbs like basil, rosemary, thyme, chives, and lavender is a great way to start. These hardy, easy-to-grow herbs do not require much space and can yield multiple harvests. Drying and packaging the fresh herbs to sell online as loose-leaf tea, potpourri, or pre-made spice rubs and seasoning blends will allow you to sell year-round. You can also create your own line of herbed finishing salts, sugars, and vinegars.

In addition to dried and value-added herb products, herb plant starts and herb garden kits are also popular sellers for home gardeners looking to start their own herb garden. Create kits that include several varieties of starter plants, a pot, soil, plant tags, and care instructions. Promote your products on websites like Etsy, eBay, and your own website. Build repeat customers by providing high quality, sustainably-grown products and sharing your herb gardening tips and expertise. An herb business can be an extremely fulfilling way to turn your gardening passion into profit.

Offer a Garden Landscaping Service

If you have a knack for garden design and maintenance, consider offering landscaping services to homeowners in your area. According to IBISWorld, the landscaping services industry grew 3.6% in 2020, indicating strong demand. Landscaping is also a highly profitable business, with average profit margins of 9.4%.

Provide services like garden design, installation, weeding, pruning, mulching, and pest control. You can focus on specific styles like formal gardens, English gardens, native plant gardens, or edible gardens. Determine your service area and pricing to attract high-end residential clients or partner with local gardening nonprofits. Build your portfolio by first offering discounts or taking on small jobs for friends and neighbors.

Advertise your services on neighborhood Facebook groups, community websites like Nextdoor, and by posting fliers at local gardening centers. You can also create content about your gardening expertise to help educate potential clients. Partner with a professional gardening association to find leads and gain credibility. Work with landscape designers, garden architects, and lawn services to provide installation and maintenance for their designs.

The key to a successful gardening service is providing high quality work, cultivating long-term clients, and building your reputation as a gardening expert in your area. You can charge premium rates once you have an established track record and portfolio. An eco-friendly gardening service that uses sustainable, organic methods may also appeal to environmentally-conscious clients. Turn your passion for playing in the dirt into a lucrative career as a professional gardener and landscaper.

Create and Sell DIY Garden Kits

Gardening is a popular hobby, so creating and selling garden kits and supplies is an opportunity for budding entrepreneurs. According to National Gardening Survey, 26% of U.S. households participated in food gardening in 2017. Developing do-it-yourself themed garden kits with instructions and supplies for people to start their own garden can be a profitable business venture.

Kits could include seeds or starter plants for a specific theme like a salsa garden, pizza garden, or tea garden. Also include necessary supplies like plant tags, gardening tools, gloves and reference materials to help gardeners be successful. Price kits competitively based on the types of plants and materials included. You can source materials from local gardening stores or nurseries and repackage them into custom kits. Offer kits for different gardening skill levels and space requirements like container gardens or kid’s gardens.

Promote your garden kits on platforms like Etsy, eBay, or your own website. Build interest by starting a gardening blog, email newsletter, or podcast to engage your audience and establish credibility as a gardening expert. Offer discounted or free kits to social media influencers and gardening organizations in exchange for promotion and reviews. Set up a booth at local gardening events, craft fairs and farmers markets to sell kits directly to customers. Wholesaling kits to independent garden centers is also an option for higher volume.

The key to a successful gardening kit business is providing high quality, user-friendly products, and the support and education home gardeners need to have a positive experience. Offering themed kits with a variety of plants at different price points also gives customers options that work for their unique gardening needs, space and budget. Turning your gardening passion into a creative kit business is a rewarding way to spread the joy of gardening with others.

Harvest and Sell Seeds of Rare Plants

If you grow heirloom or rare plant varieties, harvesting and selling their seeds can be quite lucrative. According to the Seed Savers Exchange, the market for heirloom and organic seeds in the U.S. and Canada exceeds $3 billion annually. Avid home gardeners and seed collectors are willing to pay premium prices for seeds that produce unique, hard-to-find plants.

Focus on plants that produce seeds, especially self-pollinating heirlooms that breed true. Let a few vegetables reach maturity specifically for harvesting seeds. For the best germination rates, only save seeds from vigorous, disease-free plants. American Garden Club or other gardening organizations to network and find new customers. Wholesaling seeds to small independent garden centers is also an option.

The key to successful seed selling is providing high quality, non-GMO seeds that produce plants true to their description. Build a loyal customer base by sharing helpful growing tips and continuing to source unusual, hard-to-find seeds. Offering a diverse selection of seeds, especially for popular vegetables and produce, gives customers varieties of options at different price points for their unique gardening needs. Turning your passion for rare and heirloom gardening into a seed selling business allows you to preserve garden biodiversity and help support the organic home gardening movement.

Teach Gardening Classes and Workshops

If you have extensive gardening knowledge and experience, teaching gardening classes and workshops is an engaging way to share your skills with others while earning an income. According to IBISWorld, the adult education industry is growing steadily. Gardening and botanical education in particular is in high demand.

Determining your areas of expertise and the types of classes you want to offer is the first step. Some options include:

• Vegetable gardening – learning how to plan, plant and maintain a productive vegetable garden.
• Composting – teaching different [composting]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Composting methods and how to use compost to enrich soil.
• Flower arranging – demonstrating how to create beautiful floral arrangements for display in homes and events.
• Landscaping basics – providing an overview of garden and lawn care covering topics like plant selection, maintenance, and design.

Research your local gardening organizations and education providers to set competitive pricing for your classes. Promote your offerings on community Facebook groups, Nextdoor, and by posting fliers at garden centers or nurseries. Provide engaging class content using visual aids and give hands-on opportunities to gain experience. Build your student base by offering intro classes at a lower cost or free first sessions.

The key to success is providing helpful, engaging gardening education and building long term relationships with your students. Hands-on workshops also allow you to give more personalized guidance for home gardening questions. Turning your gardening passion into a teaching business allows you to share your knowledge while creating an additional income stream in a fulfilling way. With experience, you can expand to offer private or customized lessons and online video courses.

Produce and Sell Homemade Organic Fertilizers

According to Statista, the global organic fertilizer market was valued at $6.73 billion in 2018 and is projected to reach $11.16 billion by 2025. Making and selling your own organic fertilizers, compost, and soil amendments is an eco-friendly business venture for gardeners and farmers.

The first step is determining what products you want to make and sell. Some options include:

• Compost – fertile, organic matter formed by composting yard and food waste. Sell by the bag or in bulk.
• Manure compost – composted manure from livestock like chickens, cows, goats or rabbits. Age manure for at least 6 months before selling to kill pathogens.
• Worm castings – fertile digested material produced by composting worms. High in nutrients and excellent for plants.
• Comfrey fertilizer – made by steeping comfrey leaves in water until it becomes a dark, foul smelling liquid. Dilute and use as a fertilizer or compost activator.
• Biodynamicpreparations – specially formulated natural solutions used to help stimulate compost piles and enrich soil. Require a certification to produce and sell.

Market your products on platforms like Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, and Nextdoor. Wholesale to local garden centers, nurseries, and organic farms. Set up a booth at gardening events and farmers markets to sell direct. Educate customers about the benefits of using organic methods and materials by starting an informational blog or email newsletter.

Build relationships with organic growers associations and gardening non-profits to find new customers. Focus on sustainably and locally sourcing ingredients. The key is providing high-quality, organic products and sharing your passion for sustainable growing methods. An organic fertilizer business allows you to help support environmental stewardship and the organic home gardening movement.

Host Garden Tours and Events

If you have a beautiful garden, consider opening it up to host tours, weddings, parties, and other special events. According to IBISWorld, the event planning industry generates $39 billion in revenue annually. Garden tours and garden-themed events are popular, especially during spring and summer.

Determine what types of events you want to host and your pricing. Some options include:

• Garden tours – Give guided tours of your themed garden. Charge per person or offer season passes. Provide information on the plants, decor and garden design.
• Garden teas – Host an afternoon tea party or picnic in your garden. Serve tea, scones, sandwiches, and cookies. Charge per ticket.
• Weddings – Rent out your garden for wedding ceremonies, photoshoots or receptions. Working with event planners and caterers allows you to charge at a premium. Ensure facilities like seating, bathroom access, and vehicle parking are adequate for large events.
• Workshops – Offer gardening, craft or cooking classes in your outdoor space. Demonstrating how to arrange flowers, make garden crafts or use homegrown produce in recipes are some options. Charge per workshop.

Promote your garden events and tours on wedding planning websites, community event calendars and by networking with local event planners and gardening organizations. Build interest by starting a gardening or lifestyle blog to showcase photos of your garden through the seasons. Offer discounts to first-time visitors to build your client base and reviews.

Keeping your garden looking lush and well-maintained, especially for the duration of events, is key to success. Also focus on attending to every detail to provide a memorable experience for your clients and guests. An event garden business allows you to share the beauty of your outdoor space with others in an enjoyable, meaningful way. Opening your private garden for tours and events is a unique opportunity, so make the most of each visitor.