To determine how profitable a greenhouse business is, it is important to have a business plan ready. To make good money, you need to know what you need to do to maximize profits at minimal cost. You can start with a small greenhouse on your personal plot.

Many gardeners are interested in growing plants for sale all year round. This option is possible in temperate latitudes only with the equipment of winter greenhouses. There are several types of heating plants in the cold season: with the help of electrics, water or gas. The frame can be wood, metal or plastic. You will also need to build a foundation.

Coatings for greenhouses:

• Polyethylene film;
• Polycarbonate;
• Glass.

Film is the cheapest option. But at the same time, it has a number of disadvantages: it does not conduct light well, it is fragile. Every season it is necessary to replace the film coating, which significantly reduces the profitability.

Glass has a longer lifespan. But it's not a cheap option. At the same time, such a coating transmits too much ultraviolet light, which negatively affects the growth of crops. In summer, plants will have to create a shade.

The best option is a year-round polycarbonate greenhouse. The sheets are quite strong, flexible and easy to cut. Polycarbonate has excellent heat retention properties and protects plants from the harmful effects of ultraviolet radiation.

To conduct a greenhouse business, it is necessary to prepare a shed greenhouse. It is this form that will create good natural lighting, and snow will not accumulate on the roof. It is better to darken the northern part of the structure with the help of bars or cinder block. So the heat will be retained inside the greenhouse more and it will be possible to save on heating.

For industrial greenhouses, it is necessary to install ventilation and a hydroponic system with drip irrigation.

It is necessary to engage in the greenhouse business when building large-scale greenhouses. Optimal dimensions - from 500 sq. meters to 1 ha. In some cases, it is possible to equip smaller greenhouses for flowers, herbs or vegetables.

Greenhouse profitability as a business

The average profitability of a winter greenhouse is 20%. Colors and greens have higher rates - 30%. Vegetable greenhouses are less profitable - 15%.

Rules for successful greenhouse business:

1. The right choice of crop for cultivation. For beginners, it is optimal to grow greens. She is not very demanding in care. For more experienced farmers, flowers and berries are suitable. Vegetables are best grown in regions with the least competition.
2. Construction of a reliable greenhouse structure. It is necessary to think in detail about the system of heating, ventilation, climate control. It is worth using only high-quality building materials so as not to carry out repairs every season.
3. Optimal choice of cultivation technology. You can choose a soil method, hydroponics or suspended cultivation of crops.
4. The fertile composition of the soil. The soil must be fertilized regularly. Periodically, you need to replace the top layer of soil, as it is depleted.
5. Choosing the right variety. You need to buy special varieties with resistance to pests, a short growing season and high yields.

If you follow simple rules, a farmer's home greenhouse can become a big production. To do this, you need to sensibly assess your capabilities. First you need to create a business plan.

What is profitable to grow in a greenhouse for sale

First you need to study the needs of the market. Demand may vary depending on the season. In the first place for profitability is the cultivation of flowers. High productivity and unpretentiousness allows even beginners to start selling greens. Only then go vegetables, mushrooms and berries.

You can earn your first profit by growing flowers. All investments will pay for themselves within a year. But at the same time, a number of factors affect income, which makes such a business undulating.

Factors affecting the profit of flower production:

1. Variety of flowers. You can grow plants in pots or cut the stems. The second option is easier to grow, but has a limited implementation term.
2. Selling method. Trade relations need to be established in advance. The best option is a personal flower shop.
3. Ability to adapt to market needs.

Running a small flower business has significant downsides. So plants quickly lose their presentable appearance, they are difficult to transport, and the demand for them is rather unstable. This is not an easy task, it is much easier to sell greens.

The main advantage of growing greenery is large yields. Up to 10 crops can be obtained per year. Because of this, profitability equals flower production.

It is worth remembering that one greenhouse is intended for breeding one type of crop. This is due to the individual requirements for the microclimate. If you use joint cultivation, then only plants similar in care.

Growing citrus fruits in a greenhouse as a business: lemons and oranges

Growing exotic plants requires a special care system. Lemons, oranges, tangerines should be placed either indoors or grown in pots. In the summer, pots with plants are put outside, and with the onset of cold weather they are hidden in a comfortable greenhouse.

Features of growing exotic fruits for sale:

• It is necessary to take into account the necessary parameters of the microclimate;
• The winter greenhouse must be heated;
• The soil needs to be fertilized regularly.

For lemons, the optimum temperature in a greenhouse in winter is 6-10 degrees. Light must be diffused. Natural lighting is usually not enough. It is necessary to install artificial light sources.

Direct UV exposure to citrus plants is undesirable. In the summer, the greenhouse has to be shaded.

The greenhouse needs to be ventilated periodically. Lemons do not like high humidity. If you follow these rules, you can start a profitable business of growing lemons.

The optimal business plan for the construction of greenhouses

Numerical reviews allow you to understand where to start building greenhouses. First you need to choose the direction of cultivation: year-round or seasonal. For the second option, you can equip a regular farm greenhouse on a personal plot. The constant trade in fresh plants requires large scale, automatic heating and lighting.

Business plan sections:

• Description of activity;
• Descriptions of the line of business;
• Analysis of the manufacture of products and services offered;
• Market and direction research;
• Sequence of opening a business;
• Trading plan;
• Economic plan.

To draw up a construction plan, it is necessary to describe all of the above sections. In the first section, it is necessary to describe the activities and legal form. You also need to soundly evaluate the project and indicate the reason for its success.

The description of the direction of the business must begin with a listing of all the components of the economy. It is necessary to describe everything in detail and indicate the purpose. It is also worth making calculations of the consumption rate for heating and electricity.

Analysis of products and services should be the type of trade and description of the product offered. Market analysis requires a description of the regional or regional development of the greenhouse business.

In terms of sales, you need to clearly represent your buyer. Trade relations also need to be established. The last point concerns profit, how much money you need to spend and how much to get, how quickly the business will pay for itself.

Greenhouse farming in Russia as a business

Now there is a rapid development of greenhouses. The reason for this is the ban on the import of certain products. This encourages the Russian manufacturer to open his own business.

2017 is characterized by an increase in plant production by 13%. By 2020, the area allocated for greenhouses will be 500 hectares.

There are a number of reasons for this increase. The state itself is interested in the production of domestic plants. Even the Urals are actively engaged in the production of vegetables, herbs and even medicinal plants. If we compare the greenhouse situation with other countries, we can conclude that in Kazakhstan this industry is just beginning to develop, and in Ukraine there is a rapid development of the greenhouse business.

Problems of development of greenhouse farms:

• Small income;
• For a long time the construction pays off;
• Big competition;
• Unstable demand for goods;
• Few qualified personnel.

Sometimes the demand for fresh produce is quite low. This is due to seasonal sales, when you have to lower prices for fresh products. In winter, the cost of production increases significantly.

Greenhouse business all year round (video)

Every businessman must understand how profitable it is to grow a particular crop. To do this, it is important to create a business plan and think in detail about all 1000 ideas. You can build a greenhouse with your own hands on a personal plot in a village or village.

Fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs are bought all year round. They are grown both in the summer cottage and in specially built greenhouses. This business brings good income. But understand all the intricacies of the case, so as not to fail.

Analyze what products can be produced. In areas where cucumbers grow without greenhouses, their final price is low for most of the year, which does not cover the cost. A cold region with unsuitable soils makes it impossible to grow a range of crops - find a happy medium that matches the market demand.

Don't focus on one type of business - it's easier, more cost-effective, more flexible to produce a range of interchangeable products that rotate seasonally, maximize efficient land use, and provide profitable land use so that the soil doesn't sit idle and deplete the nutrients needed for plant growth.

When researching the market, pay attention to the end audience. When it is possible to create a farm with a huge yield of finished products, focus on mass consumer markets, large wholesale buyers. But if there are not enough free funds at your disposal to start, pay attention to rare products and their varieties that are sold through HoReCa networks. They are interested in deliveries and at high prices.

The type of greenhouses is distinguished by materials, purposes, location, frame, assembly method.

According to the intended purpose, they are divided into the cultivation of certain crops - separate requirements are put forward for them.

According to the materials, greenhouses are also divided widely. The frame, the coating are taken into account, which opens up space for combinations. To create small buildings, wood, polycarbonates or aluminum are used. Large permanent structures using glass or plastic hard coating require the use of steel or reinforced concrete supports and piles.

According to the location, the greenhouse can be isolated, wall-mounted or basement (underground). The latter are used either in small households, where there is a strict restriction on the available area, or as part of a large agricultural complex.

When creating an enterprise plan, you will need to find sales outlets for the finished product, calculate sales volumes, and then start construction, purchase the necessary equipment, and hire workers.

Greenhouses by industry:

1. Vegetable.

The greenhouse business pays off faster on dill, lettuce, and onions. Cold winters in mid-latitudes require large investments in heating and lighting. It is more profitable to build a greenhouse in the southern regions in order to make deliveries to other regions. And transportation costs are lower than heating tariffs.

Equipment

Due to the constant improvement of cultivation technology and the rapid development of this sector of the economy, competition is high. This reduces the profitability of production. Equipment requires regular upgrades and investments. In order to keep up with trends, it is necessary to introduce new products and expand production.

For a small greenhouse in a summer cottage, practically nothing is required, except for a frame and seeds, but when you want to engage in a full-fledged business, pay attention to other subtleties.

If you plan to engage in year-round cultivation, take care to purchase lighting and heating equipment. Don't forget about automated watering, which saves a significant amount of man-hours.

A common method is hydroponics. With its help, greens, cucumbers and tomatoes, other types of vegetables are grown. And the vegetative cycle is 2-3 weeks, 2-3 tons of crops are harvested daily from each hectare. This is 5-10 times faster than in natural conditions. 7 people are enough to serve one hectare.

Complex automation systems reduce the number of personnel. They regulate watering, lighting, heating and air quality, and with the help of sensors control all parameters, up to measuring soil indicators with automatic adjustment of all other processes.

Sample Business Plan Diagram

1. Studying the situation in this area. Analysis of competitors, product prices, consumer demand and the quality of products available on the market.
2. Deciding on seasonal business activity. It will require farm greenhouses - cheaper and easier. For year-round cultivation, industrial plants with communications for heating and lighting are needed.
3. Search for points of sale, wholesale buyers.
4. Calculation of all expenses, future profits.
5. Thinking through and selecting funding sources.
6. Drawing up a marketing plan for promoting products.
7. Preparation of documentation and direct project of the future economy. The choice of the organizational form of the enterprise.

Let's consider each item in more detail. It is necessary to start with the preparation of project documents, where all communications are calculated in detail, which are necessary for a specific area of ​​the greenhouse. You need to know exactly how much the equipment, installation, construction will cost.

Plan development

Select the land allotment, product type. For growing more than one species - calculate how much space each will take.

Calculate the approximate yield per square meter. Specify points of sale and volumes of purchases.

Sales of finished products

Suitable settlements that are in close proximity. This will reduce transport costs and cost.

Try to conclude agreements with large companies: supermarkets, catering establishments or factories.

Calculate the profit for the year of work, as well as the one that pays for production. It is important that the parameters differ and are above the unprofitable line.

Calculation of the terms of preparation, implementation of the greenhouse business project

• The construction of the complex, as well as communications, is carried out in time T1. It depends on the type of construction, dimensions and number of people employed;
• equipment, its installation for a period of time T2;
• purchase of materials, landing in the ground - T3;
• ripening period, which depends on the technologies used - T4;
• implementation - Т5.

When calculating, consider the keeping quality of the goods. Greens, flowers and vegetables are perishable. Look for sales markets before opening, so that after harvesting you do not rush about in search of customers. Without wholesale buyers, the business will burn out.

Production nuances

Lots of little things count.

1. Remoteness of the greenhouse from the communication network. They are holding their own account. Each extra meter affects the cost of production and investments.
2. Availability of the economy for transport.
3. You can't buy land, rent it. Purchase collapsible structures to dismantle when it is not possible to extend the lease of the site.
4. Heating is the main item of expenditure. Manufacturers regularly introduce new technologies that reduce costs and improve productivity.
5. For competitiveness, include in the estimate the cost of modernizing production.

Approximate calculations for a half-hectare greenhouse

List the costs to build the structure. This is the initial capital. This column includes construction works, summing up communications - water, electricity, heating, the price of equipment and seeds. Take into account current expenses before receiving the first profit.

1. Half a hectare of a greenhouse costs about $15,000.
2. Workers are required - a technologist, a manager and three assistants. The annual salary for them is 20–30,000 dollars.
3. 90% of all costs will be electricity, heating and the purchase of additional funds - fertilizers, insecticides and pesticides, as well as soil in a number of situations.
4. With an average profitability of 15%, the payback of the economy will be up to 3 years. It depends on the products grown, prices and demand for them.

Agriculture in Russia in general and crop production in particular after the crisis of the 90s continues to gain momentum to this day. Not a small part of agricultural products is produced by greenhouses.

Recently, the state has been actively supporting the development of many branches of agriculture and small businesses: large sums are annually spent on subsidies and subsidies to farmers. The products of large and small greenhouse farms are in high demand: first of all, these are vegetable crops. In the spring, you can make money on seedlings of vegetable crops and ornamental plants.

In the temperate and southern regions of the country, growing vegetables, berries, herbs, as well as flowers for seedlings and cuts in closed ground is the most profitable. The key roles are played by lower energy costs for heating and the length of the warm (unheated) season.

An indisputable advantage of growing agricultural and ornamental plants in greenhouses is the relatively small area of ​​cultivated land. For a small greenhouse farm, a personal plot cultivated by the forces of one family may be enough.

Despite the risk that exists in crop production (the whims of nature, diseases - the impact of which is minimized in greenhouses), a well-organized greenhouse business quickly pays off and begins to generate a stable income. Depending on the region, cultivated crops, the cost of the greenhouse and other factors, the payback period can vary from one to three years.

In developed Western countries, greenhouse complexes are high-tech and automated to such an extent that one worker can cultivate up to three hectares of sown areas. But their cost is prohibitive for most of our farmers. Domestic analogues are also available for sale: they have fewer opportunities and require most of the manual labor.

The prices for such complexes are noticeably lower than computerized foreign greenhouse complexes, but only fairly large farms that have the opportunity to invest large sums in the construction and launch of greenhouses can afford them. Beginning vegetable growers and flower growers often have a small budget.

Therefore, small private greenhouses often use technologies from the end of the last century. But good profits can be made in such greenhouses, despite the high labor costs.

Note that cheap facilities do not allow growing crops all year round, with the exception of farms in the warmest regions. Basically, such heated "spring" greenhouses help to get products 1-2 months earlier than from open ground.

In unheated film greenhouses and greenhouses, the first harvest can be obtained 2-3 weeks earlier than in the fields, that is, the first vegetables and berries are sold at a higher price. Often, seedlings of vegetable and ornamental crops are grown in budget greenhouses for subsequent planting in open ground.

The owners of these nurseries receive most of their annual income within 2-3 weeks. And the vacated area is immediately planted again. Sometimes unsold remnants of seedlings.

Greenhouses allow you to shoot several crops a year. For example, you can get one crop of indeterminate tomatoes (up to six months) in a cheap film greenhouse. And you can get greens all year round (up to 15 harvests) in a capital heating facility.

Farm registration

How to document a small greenhouse farm? If you plan to put a couple of greenhouses on a personal plot, service them yourself and sell products in wholesale and retail markets, then you can get by with a minimum number of documents.

When selling grown products, you will need a certificate from the local village council (or a similar body) on the availability of a cultivated land. Well, you will have to settle with utilities the issues of connecting to communications.

For example, when installing gas heating, it will be necessary to coordinate this issue with the local gas management department. After the installation and sealing of the equipment, payment will be made at a different rate (separate meters are placed for residential premises and greenhouses).

On a larger scale, greenhouse registration will be required. A relatively large enterprise (with a significant number of employees) can be registered as a limited liability company. It makes sense to register such an enterprise for several founders.

Due to the long term, the considerable cost of registration and other factors, it is not worth registering a small greenhouse farm as an LLC.

A more acceptable variant of the organizational and legal form of a small agricultural enterprise is to draw up documents as an individual entrepreneur. This will allow you to legally hire several workers, there are other advantages.

Registration is quite simple and does not take much time. The following documents must be submitted to the local tax office:

• Application for state registration of an individual entrepreneur in the form P21001 (Appendix 18). The signature must be certified by a notary.
• A copy of the entrepreneur's passport.
• A copy of the certificate of assignment of TIN.
• Address and contact telephones.

It is necessary to choose the most acceptable taxation system, the code of the future type of activity according to OKVD.

A few days after the submission of documents to the registration authority, you can pick up or receive by mail a certificate of state registration. registration of an individual as an individual entrepreneur and related documents. After that, you need to register with the Federal State Statistics Service, open a bank account or register a cash register.

If the maintenance of the greenhouse economy will be carried out by the forces of one family, then registration of a peasant farm (KFH) is possible. A distinctive feature of this form of enterprise is the common joint or shared rights to the property of the economy of all members of the peasant farm.

His head in the documentation is not designated as an individual entrepreneur, but has the OGRN and TIN of the entrepreneur.

Registration of KFK is carried out at the local administration (tax office). List of required documents:

• Notarized application for registration of a peasant (farm) economy.
• Agreement on the establishment of a peasant farm.
• Copy of the head of household's passport.
• Receipt for payment of state duties.
• List of OKVED farm activity codes.
• Copies of a certificate of family composition (or other documents confirming the relationship of members of the peasant farm).

After receiving a certificate of registration of a peasant farm and related documents, you will need to register with the Pension Fund, Compulsory Insurance Fund, FSS, FSGS, obtain an ID, open a current account, and, if necessary, make a seal.

Location of greenhouses

After receiving the necessary documents for the creation of a small greenhouse, you need to finally decide on the location of future greenhouses. A responsible approach to this issue is necessary not only when choosing a site for purchase or rent, but also for successful owners and tenants of land.

So, the basic requirements for the location of greenhouses.

First of all, convenient access roads should lead to the farm. If the construction of greenhouses is planned not on a personal plot, then you should take care of the possibility of reaching them in any weather - daily gasoline costs can significantly increase the cost of production. This is affordable only for fairly large farms. That is, the site should be located not far from settlements.

Not unimportant is the ability to connect to communications. It can be electricity, gas and even water. For the same reason, building a couple of greenhouses on a large plot of land will cost less in the immediate vicinity of the house and outbuildings (if this does not contradict other requirements).

Separately, it is worth paying attention to the water supply of future greenhouses. It is possible to use tap water, but when calculating costs, you should be aware that even a small greenhouse “drinks” a lot of water. When using open reservoirs, it is necessary to find out the chemical composition of water, and periodically take samples for bacteriological examination.

Do you know how to succeed in business thanks to the experience of successful entrepreneurs?

If watering will be carried out from a well or a well, then a heating tank will be needed - cold watering causes diseases in most cultivated plants, cucumbers and zucchini are especially sensitive to low temperatures.

The terrain is also of great importance. There should not be a noticeable slope on the site, otherwise you will have to make terraces, which leads to additional costs. Before construction, small irregularities will have to be leveled. Sometimes shed greenhouses are placed on the southern slope of the hill, but such buildings require careful calculations. Windy peaks, cold hollows and ravines should be avoided.

The level of groundwater is also important. Flooded areas for greenhouse farming are not suitable. Flooding of plants leads to souring and rotting of the roots, the development of fungal diseases. If the nursery in which the plants are on the racks is flooded with water, then subsidence of the soil under the supports is possible.

One or two sagging supports can lead to disastrous consequences - a rack that has fallen with all its contents. The integrity of the greenhouse itself may also be violated. Therefore, if there is a risk of flooding, it is not profitable to save on a good drainage system.

The neighborhood with the greenhouse of large trees, solid fences and buildings is not unambiguous. A greenhouse or greenhouse should not be obscured by anything. The table shows the calculations of the length of the shadow depending on the position of the sun and the height of the shading object.

Approximately, we can say that the distance from the greenhouse to a one-story house or tree on the north side should not be less than one height of the greenhouse wall. On the other sides of the world, this gap should be at least three greenhouse heights.

But at a short distance, a forest belt, a fence or a building (especially from the north of the greenhouse) protects from the wind. This results in significant energy savings.

The soil fertility of the site for a small greenhouse farm plays a role - imported soil will increase the cost of goods. And planting plants in unsuitable soil is obviously unprofitable.

Covering materials

An important element in the design of any greenhouse is a covering material, the correct choice of which directly affects the quantity and cost of production. When choosing a greenhouse cover, you should pay attention to the following material characteristics:

• Light transmission - plants need light for the process of photosynthesis, and not the entire spectrum of solar radiation is useful.
• The service life of the material - this indicator depends on the ability of the coating to withstand the effects of rain, snow, hail, wind, prolonged exposure to UV rays, low and high temperatures. Do not forget about mechanical damage due to various unforeseen situations.
• The ease of working with the material matters if not ready-made greenhouses are bought, assembled according to the principle of the designer.
  Thermal insulating properties.

Polyethylene film

One of the most common traditional covering materials, especially in small greenhouses, is polyethylene film. This material can be fairly transparent and easy to work with. During the claimed one to three seasons, the film copes well with such phenomena as snow, rain, wind. Its thickness ranges from 0.03mm to 0.4mm. However, the main advantage of this covering material is its low price.

The disadvantages include a short service life. Despite the ease of working with the material, polyethylene requires proper handling. For example, a poorly stretched film can be torn by a strong wind the very next day. Condensation is the scourge of many film greenhouses, the constant drops do not allow you to get the maximum yield of some crops. Without proper ventilation in a polyethylene greenhouse, overheating of plants is possible.

In recent years, many different films have appeared. This is a reinforced polyethylene film that has a longer service life, but less light transmission. Air bubble - has excellent heat-insulating properties.

For the southern regions, the industry produces polyethylene with a UV filter. For northern ones - with a phosphor that enhances diffused lighting. It is worth noting the breathable PVC film - a great option for summer greenhouses. The only thing that bothers me is its price.

Glass

Glass has been used in large greenhouses for many decades. Now new materials have begun to supplant it, but it will not be completely abandoned for a long time. The main advantages of this covering material are durability and transparency. In addition, the dusty glass roof is perfectly washed in the rain or from a watering hose.

The well-known disadvantages of this material include a large weight that complicates the design of the greenhouse, the complexity of glazing, fragility (impact, heavy melted snow and hail easily break ordinary window glass). And the cost of durable glass of good quality is high.

Cellular polycarbonate

Not so long ago, cellular polycarbonate began to be used in the construction of greenhouses and greenhouses. Currently, this material is gaining more and more popularity. It is durable, relatively light, transparent, has excellent heat-insulating properties.

The biggest disadvantage of polycarbonate is its price. A beginner farmer with a limited budget simply cannot afford a greenhouse made of cellular polycarbonate.

Agrotextile

Non-woven covering material is used for temporary protection of plants and soil. White textiles of various densities are used to cover plants, and black textiles are used for soil. This "breathable" material has good thermal insulation properties, transmits up to 70% of sunlight. The most famous non-woven materials are spunbond, agrotex, agril, lumitex, agrospan, lutrasil.

In greenhouses, they can be used to cover seedlings and as mulch. Non-woven agrotextile has an affordable price and is available to almost every farmer.

Greenhouse construction

The easiest way to get greenhouses is to buy ready-made structures in disassembled form with detailed assembly instructions. But when you open a small greenhouse, every penny counts, so it is more expedient to build greenhouses with your own hands.

They can be of various shapes, but the most common rectangular buildings with a shed, gable or arched roof. Straight roof options are easier to build, curved arched roofs behave much better under snow - it lingers less on a rounded surface. Condensate also flows down the walls perfectly, it does not “rain”.

Foundation

A light summer greenhouse under a plastic film may be without a foundation, but it is necessary for a glazed capital building. Also, the presence and type of foundation depends on other factors: the nature of the soil, the material of the frame.

The simplest foundation of a bar or pipe impregnated with protective compounds. Such a foundation is laid in a shallow trench lined with roofing material, easily assembled and disassembled. But even with protective impregnations, it quickly rots.

Under non-separable stationary greenhouses, pile and column foundations can be built.
Block, reinforced concrete and brick foundations are suitable for any structure, help to avoid freezing of the soil in winter and maintain the integrity of even a heavy structure on floating soil.

If it is planned to grow plants on racks in the greenhouse, then it may be necessary to strengthen the sole under the supports.

Frame construction

The frame of the greenhouse can be made of wood, aluminum, PVC pipes, galvanized steel, steel square, pipes and other materials. The north wall can be made from opaque materials such as board or brick. It is advisable to build such a capital wall in an area with prevailing cold northerly winds.

Galvanized profile and aluminum pipe are excellent for the frame of small light structures of protected ground, these materials are often used in collapsible greenhouses and greenhouses. Their advantages include low weight and long service life.

The steel frame of the greenhouse will last a long time, does not require regular repairs (you only need to periodically treat the frame with anti-corrosion compounds, paint if necessary). For assembly, you can use bolted connection, rivets, welding. Do not forget about the property of materials to deform under temperature changes. But the construction of a capital steel frame requires significant financial investments.

In small greenhouses, wooden frames are widely used as the cheapest and able to be used for several years. A beam, edged board and even substandard poles from the tops of trees are used for construction. In the latter case, it is necessary to pay attention to the absence of bark and sharp branches (such a budget option is mainly covered with a plastic film that easily tears at sharp edges).

One of the cheapest (but not durable) projects is a film greenhouse on a wooden frame. Such a structure is covered in calm weather, thin wooden or plastic slats with nails stuffed on them are used to fasten the film.

Covering material should be perfectly stretched, not "walk" in the wind. If the boards or beams of the frame are located sparsely, then the cords stretched along and across the structure will help reduce the “sail” of the film. Inner cords can be used to tie plants.

Spring-summer film structures of closed ground can be made single-layer. Winter nurseries are upholstered with a film in 2 layers: outside and inside the frame. Thus, thermal insulation is significantly increased, but light transmission is reduced. However, with a short daylight hours, plants still need additional artificial lighting.

Climate control

Indoor structures are used to grow heat-loving plants in colder climates or during the cold season. Greenhouses and greenhouses have their own microclimate, different from the weather outside. But it is not stable, it requires control and correction.

Ventilation

On a clear sunny day, the temperature in the greenhouse can rise above 500C, which, together with excessive humidity, can lead to a decrease in yield, diseases, and even death of plants. Then ventilation is necessary. In small greenhouses, the ventilation system can be a door and a window on the opposite wall.

In large buildings, the number of hatches for ventilation also increases. When planning a greenhouse, the ventilation requirements of the crops to be grown should be taken into account. For example, cucumbers are afraid of drafts, so ventilation hatches in such greenhouses should be located on the roof.

Ventilation hatches can be opened not only manually, but also automatically. When caring for several greenhouses, automating ventilation makes maintenance much easier. There are several types of devices for automatically opening and closing windows, depending on the temperature.

A temperature sensor, a device that uses the principle of volumetric expansion of material in a hydraulic system, or a device based on the principle of linear expansion of materials can regulate the position of the flaps.

Fans can be used in medium and large greenhouses. They perform both the function of ventilation (turning on and off is controlled by a temperature sensor), and the function of uniform distribution of heat from heating devices.

shading

In the southern regions and when growing shade-loving crops, greenhouse shading is often used. Conventionally, several methods can be distinguished: closing with protective screens from the inside, outside, applying an opaque composition to the covering material.

It makes sense to install protective screens indoors when growing shade-loving plants if you need to warm the greenhouse. In most cases, the problem of excessive lighting is associated with overheating - then it is more expedient to cover the greenhouse from the outside.

Heating

In unheated spring-summer greenhouses, seedlings or the first crop can be obtained 2-3 weeks earlier than in open ground. And if the greenhouse effect is not enough to achieve the desired temperature, then there is a need for additional heat sources.

The simplest and cheapest is biological heating. It is based on the release of heat during the decay of biological materials. Horse manure, straw, hay, pressed weeds, household waste and their mixtures can act as biofuels. The greenhouse needs to be "refueled" on average after 3 months. It is convenient to pour high ridges over the heating mass.

For winter greenhouses in all regions of the country, and often for spring greenhouses in temperate and northern regions, solar heat and biological heating are not enough. Then you have to think about the technical heating of closed ground structures. The cost of energy carriers must be acceptable. Therefore, oil heaters and similar appliances in terms of energy consumption are not suitable.

It is convenient and efficient to heat greenhouses with gas, but energy costs will be significant. The use of gas heaters or injection infrared heaters is quite common in greenhouses, but gas costs will make up a significant part of the cost of production. You will have to monitor the humidity, do not overdry the air.

Greenhouses are also heated with the help of various boilers and solid fuel stoves. The advantages include independence from communication systems, efficiency, fuel availability. The disadvantages include the problem of uneven heating of the air (the chimney runs along the entire length of the greenhouse) and frequent loading of fuel. With poor traction and poor-quality installation of the system, carbon monoxide may enter the greenhouse, which is dangerous for both people and plants.

Electrical appliances require increased attention in terms of fire safety. Fan heaters also significantly dry the air.
Of the more modern heating systems for closed ground, one can note a thermal cable that warms up the soil directly. This favorably affects the growth rate and yield of many crops.

Equipment and tools

Lighting

With a transparent covering material and a day length of more than 10-11 hours, artificial lighting is not needed for plants. But in spring and autumn, in most regions, natural light is not enough for the full growth of most vegetable and ornamental crops. This issue is especially acute when growing seedlings in early spring - elongated weak plants will not give a bountiful harvest and will not please with beautiful flowering.

Additional lighting is several hours a day - round-the-clock illumination leads to plant stress. Plant growers use various lamps with varying degrees of success, let's name the most popular ones. These are economical fluorescent, phyto lamps and white LEDs. Don't forget about reflectors.

White fluorescent lamps (LB and LBT) consume little energy, are durable, and have a fairly good effect on plants. Specialized phyto lamps are not affordable for everyone. Combined lighting gives good results.

LED lighting has a great effect on plants, the cost of electricity is not large. But it has not received wide distribution due to the high cost of LEDs.

Watering

In small greenhouses, watering is carried out manually from a bucket, watering can or irrigation hose. In a small greenhouse farm, manual watering will take too much time. Therefore, automatic irrigation systems are widely used in greenhouse crop production.

Irrigation can be done by sprinkling (through small sprayers) or directly under the root. The most common method of automatic watering is drip.

Drip irrigation systems can be adapted to almost any source of water: plumbing, well, well, open water or rainwater. Just in some cases, you will need additional containers and high-quality filters.

Such automatic systems have a number of advantages:

• Maintenance of a well-established system is reduced to the periodic replacement of filters and monitoring the water level in the tanks.
• When water is supplied directly to the roots, the loss of water and fertilizers is noticeably reduced.
• The yield and quality of products are significantly increased.

Tools

To maintain greenhouses, you will need certain tools and fixtures. You need to stock up on the usual set of gardeners (shovels, rakes, hoes, etc.). A garden wheelbarrow, buckets, boxes, a garden knife will come in handy.

A lot of tools will be needed for seedlings. This is a screen for preparing planting soil, a watering can, a set of small garden tools (various shovels, pickets, etc.). Simple tools made from improvised materials will also come in handy. For example, if you collect soil mixture for seedlings in a plastic bottle with a cut bottom or neck and roll a plastic bag on it, then when removed from the bottle, the glass is filled with earth.

Most agricultural plants are tall and require support. To tie plants, you will need cords, wire, trellises, trellises, pegs or other similar materials.

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Organization of work

Before you start organizing your small greenhouse business, you need to calculate the estimated income and expenses. At the same time, possible risks must be taken into account, such as pests, diseases, late rainy summers and poor quality seeds.

Main items of expenditure:

• paperwork,
• lease or purchase of land,
• supply of communications,
• greenhouse construction,
• installation of heating, lighting, irrigation systems, ventilation,
• purchase of tools, planting material, soil, fertilizers, protective equipment,
• Payment of utility services,
• salaries of hired workers,
• fare,
• taxes.

It is necessary to conduct research on potential markets, which will help to finally determine the crops grown.

Fertilizers and other greenhouse chemicals

fertilizers

Fertilizers can be organic and mineral. Most organic fertilizers are by-products of animal husbandry, crop production, and the food industry. In this regard, their cost can be quite low, sometimes such fertilizers are produced in the same greenhouse farm.
But in protected ground, plants need more nutrients than in the field.

In this regard, it is almost impossible to get good yields in greenhouses without the application of mineral fertilizers produced by the chemical industry.
These fertilizers dissolve well and are consumed by plants in the form of aqueous solutions. Fertilizers can be applied to the planting soil mixture, scattered over the surface of the soil (with subsequent dissolution during irrigation).

But most often, fertilizers are applied to the water during irrigation. Sometimes foliar top dressing of plants is carried out, in which ground parts are sprayed with a solution of fertilizers.

The needs for micro and macro elements of different crops differ and depend on the biochemical composition of the soil. In addition, the same plant at different stages of vegetation needs different top dressing.
It should be noted that the purchase of fertilizers accounts for not a small part of the cost of a greenhouse.

Means of protection

In greenhouses, a large number of plants of the same species are concentrated in a limited area, which contributes to the spread of diseases, pests, etc. In such cases, it is necessary to use special means to protect plants.

Their choice must be approached responsibly - some drugs can be harmful to humans and the environment. Of great importance is the correct use and dosage of the drug. When working with pesticides, follow safety regulations and use personal protective equipment or use automatic spray systems.

To reduce the surface tension of the working solution and form a homogeneous film on the plant, special "adhesives" are used. Their function for some preparations is performed by a soap solution. Thanks to such additives, the speed and effectiveness of protective liquids are increased, and their consumption is reduced.

Herbicides are divided into continuous and selective. In crop production, selective (selective) preparations are used to control weeds. It is advisable to use herbicides in preparing the site for growing cultivated plants.

Fungicides are chemicals used to control fungal diseases. Such drugs can be used both for the treatment of plants (powdery mildew, gray rot, late blight), and for prevention.

Insecticides are used to control insect pests. There are broad-spectrum substances that kill most arthropods, including pollinators. And there are drugs of a narrower action, focused on the fight against certain species. According to the mechanism of action, insecticides are divided into contact, intestinal and systemic.

Pre-sowing dressing of seeds and tubers from various diseases is also widely used. At different stages of growth, growth regulators, substances that delay fruit ripening, etc., can be used.

An alternative to pesticides can be biological and bacteriological preparations that help fight diseases, pests or complex effects.

planting material

Even at the planning stage, you need to decide on the main crops that will be grown in the greenhouse. Different plants require different care, up to the design features of greenhouses. A single crop is grown in a large, state-of-the-art indoor facility.

In a small greenhouse farm, boxes with champignons can stand under the racks with seedlings, and a row of early cabbage can grow in a cool place near the wall. It is only necessary to choose the right crops, taking into account their agricultural technology.

When choosing, you need to study the demand for planned crops, their prices in different seasons. For example, flowers (seedlings and cut) are expensive relative to their cost, but vegetables are much easier to sell. The same can be said about greenery. Of the vegetables, cucumbers, tomatoes, zucchini, cabbage, sweet peppers, eggplants, greens are in the greatest demand.

If you have already decided on the culture, then you should also think about the seeds: variety and producer. Seeds can be varietal or hybrid first generation (F1).

Humanity has been engaged in the selection of cultivated plants for several millennia, for such a long time many varieties have been bred that have valuable economic properties and pass them on to the next generations. Varieties of local selection are distinguished by better adaptability to weather conditions, resistance to diseases. Plants grown from self-harvested seeds will have the properties of their parents.

Modern hybrids have outstanding performance in terms of yield, shape and size of the plant, resistance to many diseases, composition, taste, ripening period of fruits of vegetable and berry crops.

There are many very interesting properties, for example, self-pollinating hybrids, plants with immature seeds in ripened fruits, have been bred. Despite the impossibility of harvesting seeds and their high cost, growing new hybrids indoors is often more profitable than old proven varieties.

When purchasing planting material, beware of fakes, it is better to buy seeds from well-known companies in original packaging.

Conclusion

In conclusion, we can say that the greenhouse business brings stable and easily predictable profits to thousands of farms in our country from the Krasnodar Territory to Siberia. Each region has its own nuances that must be taken into account at the planning stage.

For greenhouse farming, you need to choose a good place. No matter how strange it may seem, but the products of two identical greenhouses located 100m from each other can differ significantly in cost and quality. The difference between them is one of the following factors: relief, illumination, protection from prevailing winds, the location of communications or a natural reservoir, etc.

A short catalog of franchises in various commercial areas will help a novice entrepreneur make the right choice:

The main item of expenditure in the first year of growing greenhouse plants is the construction and equipment of greenhouses. Here you need to analyze a large amount of information to select the optimal materials, equipment and building design. On some things you can save money, on something you can’t in any case without the risk of losing a significant part of the crop.

Excessive savings are not justified when buying fertilizers, pesticides and planting material. When purchasing these products, you must first look at the quality. Otherwise, you risk not only the harvest, but also the health of the staff and consumers of greenhouse products.

Protected crop production is the least exposed to common risks in agriculture. For example, late frosts can significantly reduce the yield in the fields, while in greenhouses, the consumption of heat carriers will only slightly increase. Despite the significant investment of finance and manual labor, this industry remains one of the most profitable for small farms.

Starting a business in the form of a greenhouse business is far from a new idea. However, with a competent organization, a “green” business can bring a very good income. How to start a greenhouse business and how to overcome the obstacles that arise in the way of a novice entrepreneur? We will talk about this and much more in this article.

Let's weigh the pros and cons

In greenhouses, greens and vegetables grow rapidly, in some regions they harvest 3-4 crops per year. Therefore, such a business, in fact, cannot be unprofitable. However, in addition to the advantages, it also has a number of disadvantages. Let's look at both in the table.

Where to begin?

For a novice entrepreneur, an approximate picture or action plan that contributes to the success of the greenhouse business is extremely important. It is important to think over many points related to the organization of greenhouse management, but first of all, attention should be paid to solving three primary issues:

1. What to grow? Given the favorable weather conditions in a small number of regions, price forecasts, it is advisable to grow vegetables and herbs. These plants are very unpretentious, do not require much care, any greenhouse business will benefit from them. Flowers are the choice of many professionals. Exotic plants and flowers are the most profitable direction in the greenhouse business. But always associated with risk and high costs. It is recommended for a beginner who is a greenhouse beginner to practice on greens (onions, lettuce, parsley).
2. To whom to sell? This is a question that must be resolved before building or buying a greenhouse. Before starting all work, it is important to establish contacts with buyers. The more guaranteed points of sale for products you have, the better, because if one wholesale buyer refuses to purchase what is grown, then there will be another.
3. What type of greenhouse to put: summer or winter? What materials and how much to buy? Many choose quick-gathering greenhouses. More suited specifically for business but they are not cheap. Some start-up entrepreneurs build from improvised materials, and then update and equip the farm as they earn. Regardless of how much you are going to invest, it is advisable to plan the budget in advance.

Business specifics

There are three sectors in the greenhouse business: growing vegetables, flowers and herbs; for each direction there are greenhouses. According to experts, the maximum income from them can be obtained in a fairly hot climate, it is desirable that the winter temperature is not lower than -5 degrees. A frosty winter is a serious risk, in order to avoid it, you will have to invest additionally in the purchase of materials for insulation. The losses from the cold winter will be many times greater than the cost of transporting products to the northern regions.

A novice entrepreneur will have to choose a direction: seasonal or permanent greenhouse business. Where to start planning? If you are going to be engaged in seasonal cultivation of plants, then the usual permanent business is based on special industrial premises with protected ground, with year-round heating and lighting.

It is almost impossible to calculate all expenses and expected income in your mind, think over financial risks, and other significant issues without a business plan. It helps to identify and solve many problems at the stage of preparation. How to develop a business plan for a greenhouse complex?

Business plan sections

A greenhouse business plan may include several sections. It takes into account natural and climatic conditions, all aspects of a particular business:

• Activity overview or resume.
• Description of the business.
• Description of production and services.
• Market and industry analysis.
• production plan and
• Sales plan.
• Financial and investment plan.

What to write about in a business plan?

We give a detailed justification of the project in the table.

Financial plan

The basis of the financial plan is the forecasting of future income and expenses; without this, the greenhouse business cannot become successful. In addition, the entrepreneur will have to independently maintain these articles, calculate the planned and actual profit, net profit, break-even point and other indicators. To create a plan and keep records, it will be convenient to divide all expenses into one-time, fixed and variable:

• One-time costs are expenses that will have to be incurred once, as a rule, at the initial stage (purchase of greenhouses, cars, plumbing, electricity, etc.).
• Fixed costs are usually monthly expenses paid by a businessman in an equal amount (land rent, wages to employees, water supply, electricity).
• Variable costs - expenses that arise periodically in different amounts (repair of greenhouses, purchase of fertilizers, fuel and lubricants (fuel) for the delivery of products).

Based on detailed information about the costs, we can calculate the total amount of expenses for each month and for the whole year. A table will help simplify the work, in which we select columns for each month and columns for types of expenses.

It is significant that in a number of regions they receive 2-3 crops per year, and in some regions 4 crops per greenhouse. The business plan allows you to easily calculate the planned income. To do this, it is important to know market prices and crop volumes per square meter. Income will appear only after the sale of the ripe crop and depend on the type of product, its price in the market.

As an example, let's choose a greenhouse business on greenery. Let's make an approximate calculation for green onions. In the supermarket, a bunch of onions costs up to 30 rubles in the spring, about the same cost is 1 kg of onions at the base. From 100 to 120 bulbs are planned to be planted in a greenhouse per 1 m2. You can get from 100 to 120 bunches of onions from 1 m 2. So, 1 m 2 of a greenhouse will bring up to 3000 rubles. Subtract expenses from income and get profit. Suppose we have already incurred one-time costs. The remaining expenses for heating and watering the greenhouse and others, which amounted to 2,500 rubles per 1 m2:

3000 - 500 = 2500 rubles

We multiply the profit from 1 m 2 by the total area of ​​150 m 2:

2500 × 150 = 375 thousand rubles

After deducting the amount of taxes, we get a net profit, which will show how successful the greenhouse business is, whether it is profitable to invest your money, time and effort in it. Thus, the payback of a greenhouse business for growing greenery, with the right calculation, can be several months. The constant search for customers will allow the entrepreneur to make a profit in the first year of operation, so the profitability of the greenhouse business is quite acceptable.

Investment plan

The investment plan contains a scheme of investments or investments for all stages of business development, the amount of initial capital. The first investment will be a greenhouse. The businessman receives project documentation for it and all external networks. It is important to know how much each piece of equipment cost. It is necessary to plan funds for the construction of greenhouses, connection to networks (electricity, water supply), purchase of equipment and planting material. These investments are included in the ongoing costs that the businessman bears until the first profit from the greenhouses is received.

What greenhouse to choose?

Before purchasing a greenhouse, you have to decide on its type. The type of greenhouse depends on climatic conditions, assortment and specifics of the economy:

• Summer-lightweight greenhouses are simple and set up in a couple of hours. This type of building is built in a few hours. The summer version of greenhouses is used for the most part as protection against prolonged rains or pests.
• Winter-type greenhouses, which transmit sunlight well, will help create and maintain the necessary microclimate. Therefore, they are more suitable for growing any plants, including flowers.

Greenhouse materials

Creating a temperature regime suitable for plants is costly. A cheap greenhouse will not be able to maintain the desired temperature for a long time. It is important to consider the choice of material that will be used in its construction. Today, the following types of materials are popular:

• Glass. For a very long time, the greenhouse business at home was built on one of the main materials in this business - glass. It was used to create insulated greenhouses that could be successfully operated until late autumn. Glass transmits up to 90% of light. But for the cold winter months, it is not suitable, regardless of whether additional insulation is used. Glass has such a disadvantage as fragility, low temperatures can destroy it. And the cost of glazing will be rather big. In this regard, this material is suitable for temporary use.
• Polyethylene is a material used for a long time in many types of greenhouses. Its plus is its low price compared to other materials. But a significant drawback is the small throughput. Many plants will need additional light sources. The greenhouse will have to be opened in acceptable weather so that sunlight can reach the plants. The material is characterized by low strength and low heat capacity, therefore it is suitable exclusively for summer greenhouses.
• Home greenhouse business is unimaginable without polycarbonate. It is a product of modern technology, 250 times stronger and 8 times lighter than glass. Its heat capacity is several times higher than that of glass and polyethylene. Only polycarbonate is the ideal material for winter greenhouses. To ensure the greatest penetration of light allows the roof of the greenhouse made of polycarbonate with a thickness of not more than 9 mm. The walls can be thicker. When choosing a polycarbonate greenhouse, it is important to know that it comes in two types: monolithic and cellular. Cellular polycarbonate has more advantages, as it is much more transparent and warmer than monolithic. For greenhouse business, cellular polycarbonate is recommended.

Conclusion

Greenhouse farming is a business that must constantly develop and improve. High competition in industries reduces the rate of profit. New technologies are emerging, but at the same time, the cost of equipment is growing. Therefore, a businessman must be able not only to sell what he has grown, but to navigate the market, use innovations and expand the business.

Probably, many enterprising people came up with the idea to start growing vegetables or flowers in greenhouses, in other words, the greenhouse business. But not everyone knows where to start, how much it will cost and how to draw up a greenhouse business plan. We will talk about the features of the greenhouse business in our article.

Features of the greenhouse business: pros and cons

If you seriously decide to go into the greenhouse business, then you should know all its pros and cons.

What are the advantages of the greenhouse business:

The greenhouse business does not need a large area of ​​land. It can be organized on 2 - 3 acres away from the city, that is, you do not have to pay much for renting land;

The construction of greenhouses does not take much time; it is possible to create a greenhouse business from scratch within 1-2 months;

If everything is organized correctly, then such a business will pay off in 1.5-2 years.

What are the disadvantages of the greenhouse business:

A significant disadvantage of the greenhouse business is the high energy consumption, as well as growing in greenhouses requires a lot of water;

Prices for grown greenhouse products are seasonal, therefore, before starting a business, you need to study the local market well.

Download business - greenhouse plan for free

In order to make it easier for you to start your greenhouse business, we offer you a detailed greenhouse business plan, which you can download for free by clicking on the link below. It includes a description of greenhouse facilities, building structures and engineering and technological systems with illustrations, a calculation of the need for water, gas and heat, a financial and organizational plan, tax accounting features, and much more.