Dill and parsley are the most popular types of greens. Almost every housewife uses these seasonings when preparing various dishes. Dill and parsley are not only tasty seasonings, but also very healthy, so people who care about their health must eat fresh herbs.
In the previous article we talked about growing fruits and vegetables as a business and growing flowers in a greenhouse for sale. In today's publication, we will talk about growing dill. Let's find out how to get the maximum benefit from this business.
Growing dill and parsley as a business can be a profitable and profitable way to earn money. The main thing is to skillfully implement the idea. To do this, first of all, you need to note the pros and cons of this type of business.
Advantages of a dill and parsley growing business
- Simple cultivation and care technology. Dill and parsley are unpretentious plants that do not require much care or specific skills. Even a beginner can handle this task quite well. Therefore, it makes sense to try to implement this business idea;
- Minimum financial investment. If you don't have the money to start a serious business, then growing greens can be a very profitable option to make a quick profit. Dill and parsley seeds cost pennies, and the growing technology is simple. Therefore, there is every chance of making money in this entrepreneurial field;
- Quick profit. You will receive a harvest of dill and parsley in a short time after planting. Thus, income from the greens growing business can be expected after just a few months;
- Great demand for products. Greens are in constant demand at any time of the year. Especially in winter, you can profitably sell your products, so it makes sense to grow greens all year round.
Sample business plan
Let's try to calculate a rough business plan for growing greens. As an example, you can choose green onions, which we will plant in boxes standing 2-3 stories high. You can place the shelving in the house, saving on a greenhouse, but it is better to purchase it right away. Our calculation can also be projected onto a greenhouse. In total, we get about 30 m2 of landing area in a small room of 20 m2. Let's solve our problem.
Green onions do not require any special care procedures: pruning, soaking and fertilizing. The main thing is to water once every two to three days, but not too much.
Step 1. Calculate expenses. Seed onions are sold in kilograms, for example, 15 rubles per 1 kg at a wholesale warehouse. We need about 10 kg to fit it tightly onto 1 m2. In total, for 30 m2 we will purchase 300 kg of onions for 4,500 rubles.
First, calculate how many seeded onions you need to purchase
Step 2. We purchase containers - boxes and boxes. They can be collected for free in stores. In greenhouses, you can make beds with your own hands.
Seedling box
Step 3. Approximately 2,000 rubles will be spent on fertilizers monthly.
Fertilizer
Step 4. The onion needs light, and the cost of the lamps is about 10,000 rubles.
Lamps for plants
Step 5. Payment for electricity and water for irrigation - 2500-3500 rubles.
You will also have to pay regularly for electricity.
Step 6. Removal of products will cost approximately 5,000 rubles.
Product transportation will also be required.
Step 7. Let's sum it up by adding up all the amounts - a total of about 24,500 rubles. This is a starting investment, which will be lower next month.
The initial investment will be about 24,500 rubles
Step 8. Let's calculate the income. Let's say that from 1 m2 in the room we get no more than 6 kg of green onions. And we harvest twice a month. Total - 360 kg of greens from the entire “garden”.
The planned harvest of green onions is 360 kg
Step 9. Let's sell onions for 100 rubles per kg and receive an income of 36,000 rubles.
We calculate future profits
Step 10. Net profit - 11,500 rubles at first. Gradually your income will increase.
Net monthly profit at first can be 11,500 rubles
We looked at one of the ways to grow onions in an apartment. You can also grow it, and any greens, seasonally in your garden or in a greenhouse. In the latter case, costs increase sharply - a greenhouse will cost from 30,000 to 150,000 rubles. You also need to purchase irrigation equipment. The desire to build a warm greenhouse in which you can grow greens all year round will especially affect the price.
Prices for white onions
white onion seeds
Video - Industrial cultivation of greens
Disadvantages of a greens growing business
As with any type of income, there are also certain disadvantages.
Firstly, cut greens cannot be stored for a long time and require immediate sale. Therefore, it is so important to establish a good distribution channel for finished products.
Secondly, there are difficulties with growing dill and parsley in the cold season. If you want to make your business year-round, then you need to equip a greenhouse for growing greens in winter. Although these are additional costs, believe me, they will quickly pay for themselves with a skillfully established distribution channel.
Video on the topic
How to plant parsley in a greenhouse
There are two ways to plant parsley in a greenhouse; you can sow it with seeds or use the rhizome left in the ground after the summer.
The second method is more troublesome, as it requires preliminary preparation of the roots. They need to be activated - dug up, placed in cold sand (no higher than 2°C), kept in this state for 10 days and only then transplanted into a well-moistened bed, where the parsley will send out young shoots from the root and begin to grow.
Parsley. (Photo used under standard license ©ogorodnye-shpargalki.ru)
To plant seeds, increase the seeding rate several times. Soak the seeds overnight, then drain the water and keep them in damp gauze for up to 5 days to speed up germination. Sow into the ground. Care is the same as for a summer plant - watering, fertilizing, weeding, harvesting. Parsley seeds grow slowly, the first harvest can be obtained in two months.
Technology for growing dill in a greenhouse in winter
On the shelves of grocery stores and supermarkets we see beautiful bunches of greens that attract buyers with their presentation and aroma. How to grow greens for sale at home? Let's look together at the important features of growing dill and parsley.
Growing dill in a greenhouse
To grow greens in the cold season, you should build and equip a greenhouse. Depending on the planned volume of cultivation, select the required area for sowing. To begin with, a small greenhouse near your house will be enough for you. You can build it yourself, with your own hands from scrap materials. To do this, you will need regular film and a frame, which can be made of wood.
How to properly grow greens in closed ground - a greenhouse
The choice of method for cultivating greenery in a greenhouse is determined not only by the volume of its production, but also, in fact, by the type of structure. So, in rooms that are not additionally heated and do not have artificial lighting, greens are grown only until the end of autumn and with the onset of spring. Heated rooms allow the conveyor belt to cultivate greens almost all year round.
Selection of varieties
In order to get a high yield of greens in the greenhouse, we select the most hardy and early ripening varieties of green plants. They are characterized by high growth of stems and foliage. Moreover, they are very unpretentious to cultivation conditions. A wide variety of crops can be grown in greenhouses with great success, but the most commonly grown crops are onions, dill, parsley, lettuce and spinach.
The technology for growing various herbs in a greenhouse involves dividing its productive area into separate bays into which various types of greenery are sown. This makes it much easier to care for it and easier to remove commercial products in a timely manner.
Required soil for planting
An important factor in greenhouse agricultural technology for greens is the choice of substrate on which they will be grown. Most of these crops prefer light and fertile soil. We feed the plantings as needed, but most often we perform this procedure before sowing the seeds (for those who wish, please learn about their treatment before planting) and during active plant growth.
When growing leafy vegetables and herbs in greenhouses, you should constantly monitor the condition of the soil. When a whitish coating forms on it, spray it with urea. When humidity is high, mold may appear on the soil. To eliminate it, water the soil with pale pink potassium permanganate.
Equipment
If you plan to grow greens on a production scale, you need to equip the greenhouse with everything necessary for comfortable ripening of the crop during the cold season.
As noted earlier, growing parsley and dill for sale in winter is much more profitable than in summer; the price is much higher, and there is little competition.
In order to preserve the green harvest, it is necessary to equip the greenhouse with a climate control system, install heating devices, and provide proper lighting and watering.
Growing greens. Selection of planting material, seeds
Parsley . Biennial plant. It has two types: root (cone-shaped, thickened root) and leaf (thin, curved root). Each species has its own varieties. It has increased frost resistance (tolerates down to -10°C). The harvest can be harvested from early spring to late autumn. The necessary conditions for this are very simple. It is recommended to plant at certain intervals, for example every three weeks. To do this, in the prepared beds we make grooves 1-2 cm deep at a distance of 15 cm from each other. The first shoots should appear in 9 to 15 days. Parsley is not covered for the winter. The basics of care are quite simple: water the greenery in the evening , thin out when 1-2 leaves of the plant appear (the first time you need to leave a distance of 3 cm, after a couple of weeks we increase the distance to 10 cm), remove weeds and loosen the soil. As for fertilizing, if you have fertilized the soil, you do not need to take any additional actions. And if something bothers you, then during the growing season you can feed parsley with nitrogen fertilizers.
In fact, there are not many varieties of parsley. You can easily choose seeds for growing greens according to your taste and desire. The most popular: Sugar, Leaf, Ordinary, Curly.
Dill . An annual herbaceous plant. The necessary conditions for growing this herb are similar to those for parsley. Seeds can germinate already at a temperature of -4°C. That is, already in April you can start planting seeds in open ground. If frosts are expected, the seedlings must be covered with protective material. The greens of plants planted in the fall can be cut two weeks earlier. Dill loves sunlight and constant watering, i.e. wet soil. To prevent this plant from turning into an ordinary weed, allocate a separate bed for it. Also, care features include thinning seedlings that have reached approximately 6 cm in height. The final distance from each other should be approximately 20 cm.
Dill varieties differ little from each other in taste and aroma. The main difference in terms of ripening:
• early ripening (Gribovsky, Dalniy, Aurora);
• mid-season Lesnogorodsky, Bushy, Abundant-leaved);
• late ripening (Alligator, Kibray, Dill).
Green onions . Biennial and perennial herbaceous plant of the bulbous family. It is unpretentious to climatic conditions and is easy to maintain. Different varieties of greens are grown in approximately the same way with the same necessary conditions. For planting, take a medium or small sized bulb. A large onion will take up a lot of space and will take longer to remove the feather. Onions can be planted in open ground in the fall before frost, or in early spring. You need to choose a place that is sunny and dry. Watering must be done regularly, preventing the soil from drying out. Before planting, it is recommended to soak the bulbs in warm water for 24 hours and cut off the tops. It is believed that thanks to these simple actions, onions will be forced into greens faster and the yield will increase. Most often, onions are planted so-called. using the strip method, in which the bulbs are laid at a distance of 2-5 cm from each other between rows located approximately 10-20 cm apart.
Onion diagram for planting
But the bridge method can also be used, in which the bulbs are laid close to each other (10 kg of onions per 1 m²). If planting takes place in winter, it is recommended to sprinkle a small layer of humus or manure on top, and in the spring remove and install a film frame on the bed. From October to April it is recommended to grow onions for greens in a greenhouse, and from February to May - in a greenhouse. Conventional mineral, organic or mixed fertilizers are recommended as top dressing. No chemicals should be used when forcing onions onto greens. The feather is collected when it reaches a height of 24-42 cm.
The most famous types of onions are: spring onions, chives, slime, shallots.
There are also general tips and rules that apply to all types and varieties of greens:
1) It is better to prepare beds for planting greenery in the fall. Apply organic (for example, manure) and mineral fertilizers at the same time. In the spring, complex fertilizers containing potassium, phosphorus, nitrogen, superphosphate are additionally applied; carbamide (urea) or ammonium nitrate can be added. It is recommended to sow in moist soil in furrows 2 cm deep, do not sprinkle too much soil.
2) It is believed that autumn planting of dill produces a much better harvest than spring planting. The plant will be more resilient and less susceptible to disease.
3) There is one general rule for seeds: before sowing, place them in a 1% manganese solution and leave for 12 hours. This is necessary for disinfection and replenishment with the necessary microelements for growth. The germination rate will be much higher than that of dry seeds.
4) When choosing seeds, pay attention to the expiration date and manufacturer.
Harvesting
When dill and parsley ripen, it is necessary to properly harvest and store the crop. Greens are a perishable product, but thanks to simple tricks you can extend the life and preserve the presentation of the product. Before harvesting, you should water the garden bed with water. Thus, it will be more convenient to dig up the plant and clear its roots from the soil. After this, the dill should be placed in a waterproof container; to preserve its presentation, you can pour water into the container with the addition of aspirin and fertilizer. At temperatures up to +10 degrees, the greens will remain fresh for a week. Video on the topic
Growing lettuce
Lettuce of different varieties is unpretentious to growing conditions. It is quite cold-resistant and grows well when illuminated with phytolamps. So watercress is ready to eat after 3 weeks. When growing head lettuces, take into account the peculiarities of cultivation:
- The distance between plants is at least 30 cm,
- They need more light
- Strict temperature regime
- It takes more time to form a head of cabbage.
Experts advise growing lettuce in the fall through December. The period from January to April is also favorable for growing this crop in a greenhouse.
Among the leaf varieties, the best are considered:
- Emerald lace
- Moscow greenhouse
- Parliament
Lettuce grows well in moist, loose soil. The soil must have a slightly acidic or neutral reaction. This can be achieved by adding lime to reduce acidity, and superphosphate and potassium chloride to increase it. Before sowing, mineral fertilizers (50 g/m2) must be added to the soil consisting of humus, peat and sand. Sow small lettuce seeds to a depth of 1 cm.
Water before emergence and immediately after the plants emerge from the ground.
The larger the plant becomes, the less often it is watered. Water is poured in the morning between the rows. Lettuce leaves do not like water. They lose their presentation. The temperature during the day is 18-20°C, at night 10°C is enough. The salad needs to be illuminated at least 16 hours a day. For this purpose, phytolamps or, in the absence of fluorescent lamps, are used. They are more like sun rays. Additional illumination with an ordinary electric light bulb will not help here. For rapid growth, plants can be fed a couple of times with nitrogen fertilizers. But you need to strictly adhere to the norm, not using more than 10 g/m2, so that a large amount of nitrates does not spoil the quality of the product.
Business costs
- Construction and equipment of a greenhouse. Everything will depend on your starting capital; you can build a greenhouse yourself or purchase a ready-made one;
- Purchase of seed material. Dill and parsley seeds are inexpensive. In the future, you can collect seeds and no longer spend money on purchasing them, continuing to grow greens;
- Purchase of fertilizers. To get a good harvest, you need to take care of proper fertilization and protection of plants from pests.
Fresh dill... in winter?
As for growing dill, I would like to draw your attention to the fact that this crop is undemanding in care and grows well in winter greenhouses. The only thing she needs to provide is a certain temperature regime and high air humidity.
To obtain a good harvest of this greenery, I try to optimally withstand all the required conditions. I provide high humidity by frequent spraying of the plantings.
I want to say that dill grows best at a temperature of 15-17 degrees, not lower. In order to get a harvest for winter, I sow the seeds in early autumn. Within two months I have fragrant and juicy dill on my table.
Sales and profit from business
The most profitable is growing dill in a greenhouse in winter. Therefore, you should count on high profits during the cold season.
Greens are products that are in great demand among customers. There are several options for its implementation.
Wholesale
If you enter into agreements for the constant supply of products with retail outlets, supermarkets, and restaurants, you can earn good money.
Selling greens at the market
You can sell greens at the market by renting a tent. But this option is not very profitable due to a lot of competition. But as an additional way of implementation, it will do just fine.
We can conclude that growing dill and parsley as a business is quite a profitable activity, just like growing onions at home. Small investments and quick payback give rise to high competition in this area of business. But even despite this, it is quite possible to earn good money, so it’s definitely worth a try. Also, read about other ideas for making money, for example, about growing asparagus in open ground or a business growing champignon mushrooms at home. I wish you success.
Harvest
For home use, dill can be pulled out by the roots to free up space for reseeding or thinning if necessary. If free space is not needed, then the stems are cut off and the “stumps” are watered to give impetus to the growth of new branches that appear after 7-8 days.
On a note!
You need to prune dill before the shoots appear, because all the plant’s forces will be directed to the formation and maturation of seeds, and not to the growth of new shoots.
It is quite possible to grow dill in a greenhouse in winter if you know agricultural technology and follow simple care rules. Vitamin greens will be on your table all year round, and if desired, can become a source of additional income.
Which varieties of dill should you prefer?
It is worth noting that although dill is an ancient plant, its popularity in the countries of the “Old World” knows no bounds; the number of varieties is not as large as we would like.
The main difference between varieties is adaptability to climatic conditions, as well as early ripening, which can be grouped as follows: Early varieties. Varieties of this group reach the marketable stage in 35-40 days. Their disadvantage is that they do not grow a lot of green mass; they reach the flowering stage very quickly, especially in conditions of elevated temperatures. Planting these varieties is suitable for growing in open ground for personal needs, such as conservation. These varieties include:
- Grennader - this variety is unpretentious, has good taste, a pleasant aroma and is capable of producing a large amount of greenery (from 1.5 to 3.5 kilograms per 1 m²);
- Gribovsky is special in that it grows well both in the garden and indoors, for example, on a windowsill. Dill is resistant to weather disasters, as well as many diseases. Has a pleasant taste, thick aroma;
- Far - ideal for growing to obtain early greens, for freezing (does not lose taste), drying, salting and pickling. The variety is high-yielding and disease resistant;
- Redoubt (good for adding fresh to food, for freezing and canning. Excellent for increasing green mass).
Medium ripe varieties
The ripening period of varieties of the middle group is from 40-50 days, forming green mass much more abundantly than early varieties, and the transition to the flowering stage is slightly slower, which allows for longer harvesting. Medium varieties include:
- The umbrella is ideal for canning and is resistant to weather disasters, diseases and pests. It has dark green leaves with a pleasant taste and persistent aroma. Ripens quickly. From sowing to harvesting, no more than 34-37 days pass;
- Amazon - suitable for growing for greens. The leaves of this variety of dill are massive, with a bluish tint, very juicy and aromatic. The main feature of Amazon is its unpretentiousness to climatic conditions and soil quality. In addition, dill is distinguished by its increased juiciness and tenderness of greenery, which can be harvested for a long time. The variety is used for drying, freezing, preparing seasonings, pickling and salting;
- Richelieu is excellent for fresh consumption. The leaves have thin, lacy lobes of a bluish-green hue. A special feature of this variety is its ability to grow green mass, which has a strong odor, even during the flowering period. It is very resistant to diseases and pests;
- Lesnogorodsky - the peculiarity of this variety is that it increases green mass during the period. The plant is tall (100-130 cm) and densely covered with leaves. The variety tolerates long-term storage in the refrigerator.
Late varieties
Their maturation lasts from 65 to 70 days. At the same time, a large amount of green mass is formed; accordingly, these varieties of dill for growing for business purposes are the best option. These varieties include:
- Alligator is a mid-late bush variety, which is distinguished by the peculiarity of not throwing away umbrellas for a long period, which allows you to cut greens for a long time. The plant is low (from 14 to 25 centimeters). Productivity - from 1.5 to 2.5 kilograms of greenery;
- Uzori is a high-yielding variety that is suitable for both processing and fresh consumption. The leaves are large, and the dill itself is quite tall (up to 1 meter). The variety is very fragrant, does not get sick;
- Buyan is very aromatic, with succulent leaves and retains freshness for a long time. The plant itself is very powerful, so when growing per 1 m² it is better to leave no more than 30 plants;
- Borey is a late-ripening variety with fairly optimal ripening times (40-45 days), is distinguished by strong foliage, strong growth (up to 140 cm) and has an interesting feature - the leaves do not turn yellow even at a late stage of development;
- Salute is a bush variety whose leaves do not turn yellow and shoots are not thrown out. Harvesting greens can be done in 2-3 steps;
- Kibray is a popular bush variety that can quickly grow green mass and the first harvest can begin in 30-40 days. The plant is spreading, so the distance between bushes should be at least 20 centimeters. The characteristics of the variety also include its resistance to disease and high yield (up to 5 kilograms of green mass per meter).
In addition, all varieties can also be grouped by regions where their cultivation will be most optimal (southern, northern or regions with a temperate climate), and by growing methods (for open ground, for greenhouse production, for home cultivation on a windowsill).
That is why dill seeds for growing need to be selected, focusing primarily on the conditions in which it will grow.
Suitable varieties
Success largely depends on the correct choice of seed material . It is better to give preference to dill varieties that are resistant to sunlight deficiency.
The varieties bred by Russian breeders are good for greenhouses: Anker, Almaz, Sevastopolsky, Umbrella, Grenadier, Karusel, Preobrazhensky, Iney, Max, Kutuzovsky. They grow quickly, produce a large amount of lush, fragrant greenery without unnecessary “florescence”.
In accordance with the timing of ripening, dill greens are divided into early-ripening, mid-ripening and late-ripening .
Early ripening varieties
Early ripening varieties produce the first young greens within 35-45 days after seed germination.
True, the bushes of early-ripening dill are not as lush as those of late-ripening ones. Also, early dill blooms quickly. Umbrellas appear after the formation of 4-6 leaves. early dill to obtain the first greens in the spring , to collect seeds and umbrellas for canning. For cultivation in greenhouses in winter, it is better to choose mid- or late-ripening varieties.
Popular early varieties include Redut, Richelieu, Grenadier, Dalniy, Gribovsky.
Attention! Early dill forms an inflorescence immediately after the formation of the stem. No more than 4-6 leaves are formed on the bush.
Mid-season varieties
In varieties of this group, stem formation occurs 45-50 days after emergence . A large amount of greenery is formed on dill bushes - up to 10 leaves.
Important! Mid-season varieties allow you to harvest a substantial harvest of greenery in a short time.
This group is optimal for commercial cultivation of dill greens in protected ground. Among the mid-season varieties, such as Amazon, Abundant-leaved, and Umbrella are known.
Late ripening varieties
These varieties are distinguished by a powerful, well-leafed rosette . There are more than ten leaves on the stem. Due to the close proximity of internodes, late varieties are also called bush varieties.
Important! Late varieties give maximum yield, but you will have to wait two months or more for it. It takes 55-75 days from sowing the seeds to harvesting the first harvest.
Growing late dill in equipped greenhouses allows you to harvest fresh herbs all year round.
Popular late varieties include Buyan, Alligator, Uzory, Kibray, Salyut.
