Is it profitable to grow onions on a feather in a greenhouse in winter

• Monthly profit (from): 500 $
• Payback period (from): 3 months
• Starting capital (from): 2000 $

Business relevance

Green onions are not only a source of valuable vitamins, but also a wonderful way to start your own business. This product is produced annually in large batches for sale. In 3-4 months, you can set up a small business by studying the market and mastering the cultivation technology and distribution channels.

Sales organization is a key issue. You should not believe the articles that state that "the main thing is to grow a good harvest, and there will be a buyer himself."

Experienced businessmen grow onions all year round: in the warm season - in the field, in a greenhouse - in winter. The profitability of this business depends on organizational issues and averages 30% in winter and 50% in summer. To grow green onions for sale, you need to take into account a number of additional factors and pitfalls, which will be discussed in the article.

The subtleties of the organization

This business idea has many advantages and features that every aspiring businessman should take into account:

1. A relatively short production cycle - in a month you can get the first harvest of green onions.
2. Low labor costs - on average about 1 hour of working time is spent on processing 10 m². This means that one worker can cultivate about 80 m² of land per day.
3. The personnel for planting seeds, soil cultivation and harvesting can be unskilled.
4. Some technologies allow growing onions using racks of 3-4 tiers, which significantly increases productivity from the site.
5. There are special conditions for growing onions: lighting from 12 to 15 hours a day, temperature - 15-18 ° C, watering (peak need 4 liters per 1 m²).

The choice of varieties for growing green onions

High yields can be achieved through the use of multi-primordial species. For industrial cultivation, the following varieties of onions are often used for greens:

• Leek - characterized by a wide feather, rich rich taste. Productivity - 20 kg / 9 m².
• Batun - oblong leaves of light green color, bright rich taste. The plant can be cut up to three times. Productivity - 25-35 kg / 9 m².
• Shallot - characterized by resistance to bad weather conditions, has long feathers that do not fade for a long time. Productivity - 45 kg / 9 m².
• Egyptian is a resistant variety, it can grow and develop even in a slight frost. Productivity - 35-40 kg / 9 m².

Growing technologies

There are several main ways to grow onions:

1. Planting in the open field with daily watering. The first planting is carried out in the spring after frost. Seeds (preferably from Dutch or Japanese producers) can be used instead of bulbs.

The advantages of this method:

• low costs for organizing a business;
• simplicity.

Flaws:

• dependence on the season (no more than three harvests per year, depending on weather conditions and varieties);
• use of large land plots.

2. Greenhouse method. Its advantages:

• simplicity;
• maximum profitability;
• use of a small area due to tiers;
• independence from weather conditions.

Flaws:

• high cost of the project (for building a greenhouse, installing racks, organizing watering, etc.).

3. Hydroponics Is a method of growing plants in artificial gardens without soil. The home hydroponic plant is an advanced agricultural growing technology that gives high yields. Remember how in childhood, at school, a teacher wrapped a bulb with wet cotton wool, and after two weeks it sprouted. This is the essence of hydroponics in a primitive form.

Technology advantages:

• maximum profitability;
• use of small areas;
• there is no need to spend money on soil fertilization;
• you can grow onions on shelves;
• independence from weather conditions;
• reduction of the period for forcing feathers to a presentation (about 16 days).

The disadvantage of hydroponics is the high cost. But this method is one of the most promising, suitable for those who wish to build a reliable and stable business.

Demand

Onions contain almost all vitamins and microelements necessary for humans, and enhances immunity. Therefore, green onions are in demand all year round. Only the price of the product changes - in summer it is cheap, in the cold season the price increases several times.

Business registration

The industrial cultivation of feather onions as a business requires mandatory registration with state authorities. Without proper registration, no wholesale buyer will cooperate with you. First, you need to choose the form of doing business - LLC or individual entrepreneur. Each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages. You can register yourself by contacting the tax office at your place of residence. If there is not enough time to collect documents, a specialized law firm can do this for a fee.

Financial calculations

If you want to build a serious business with big profits, choose high-tech methods. Despite the need for large investments, you will get a profitable business that will quickly recoup your investment.

Consider the approximate costs for setting up a hydroponic plant. They largely depend on the level of automation, materials, grades. The onions will be grown in their own 50 m² building using the shelving method - which will increase the total area to 80 m².

Financial business plan: start-up investments:

• purchase of lamps - $ 150;
• purchase of wires (100 meters) - $ 50;
• lighting installation - $ 50;
• racks (2 floors) - $ 200;
• bathtubs for shelving - $ 500;
• installation of a working surface (for the preparation of planting material) - $ 150;
• hydroponic technologies (without automation): compressors, hoses, pumps - $ 400;
• additional hydroponic plants - $ 300

As you can see from the calculations, the initial cost is $ 1,800.

Monthly costs for 1 cycle of green onion cultivation:

• purchase of sedimentary material - $ 150;
• lighting costs - $ 10;
• heating costs (in cold weather) - $ 40;
• watering costs - $ 20

Total - $ 220 per month.

Profit calculation and ways of implementation

Based on the example, at the output in one cycle, you can get about 550 kg of finished product - green onions. For further implementation, you can choose one of the methods:

1. self-sale;
2. wholesale

By organizing several points of sale, for 1 kg of onion feathers, you can set the price of $ 4. This will add the cost of organizing a sales place and additional personnel. If you plan to wholesale the product, the price will drop to $ 2.

Each of the proposed options has its own pros and cons. If you find a wholesale buyer, then in 16-22 days you can earn $ 1100 (550 kg x $ 2). In this case, the net profit will be $ 880 (1100-220).

At home

If at the start of your activity you are not ready to invest a lot of money, you can organize the cultivation of onions at home for the purpose of a little part-time job. The technology is absolutely simple. In the warm season, you can plant onions in your garden plot, in winter you can install small racks in the apartment or arrange a place on the windowsill. In this case, the start-up investment is needed for the installation of small racks and the purchase of seed ($ 100-200).

Forcing green onions in the basement:

Download for free a business plan for growing onions (feathers) using hydroponics (.rar file):

Example 1

Commercial offers

If you are a manufacturer or supplier of equipment, an expert or provide a franchise in this area, then write to us through the Contact page.
Below we will post information about your offer and your contacts.

Bookmark the article. It will come in handy;)
Follow the updates on Facebook:
Keep for updates : →  28.03.2016

Attention!

The page publishes only reviews that are useful to others, which indicate that the person had experience in this matter.

Thank you very much in advance if you share your precious experience with our readers! :)

Nature itself has taken care to rid us of spring beriberi, calling for help from green onions. Housewives appreciate him for the benefits that he brings to each member of the family; culinary specialists - for an unobtrusive taste that will not drown out the taste of the dish, but at the same time will serve as a worthy decoration for it. The unpretentiousness of green onions allows you to grow them in any conditions. Therefore, we see these greens on the tables all year round. So why not use all of these qualities to make a profit? It's time to turn the green onion tray on your windowsill into a profitable business.

Green onions all year round - a million dollar idea

Greens of onions are valued for their composition of vitamins, pleasant taste and availability. It is especially popular and in demand in the period from October to May, when the active gardening season has already ended and has not yet begun. During this period, the human body especially needs fresh greens. And the price of an onion feather during this period is significantly higher than its cost in summer. Recently, there has been a particular trend towards the development of the principles of healthy eating, so the demand for greens, including green onions, is only growing every year.

Until recently, green onions could only be purchased from small entrepreneurs in the markets or from grandmothers from their hands. Now more and more large farms are redirecting their efforts to growing greenery, especially if the conditions for this are available all year round. This is possible thanks to the use of greenhouses. By organizing the cultivation of feather onions in the greenhouse so that the cycle is continuous, you can turn this activity into a highly profitable business.

Growing onions on a feather can be done at home and in the presence of small areas. However, in this case, it will be just a part-time job for the family. In order for the green business to quickly pay off and start generating income, it is necessary to take care of more expanded production volumes. But even here it is not necessary to go to extremes and invest millions in the construction of huge greenhouses. The high profitability of feather onion cultivation will begin with a 50 sq. M greenhouse.In the presence of two-, three-tier shelving in the greenhouse, you can maximize the volume of cultivated products.

Implementation

The profitability of the business is due to the low price of planting material. These are onions, often of substandard sizes, which can be bought at the end of summer from farms at a fairly low price. The price of onion starts to grow already in October, and by December it reaches 250-300 rubles / kg. During this period, you can make good money.

However, it is impossible to make money only on growing onions for feathers in a greenhouse; to make a profit, its implementation is necessary. Retail green onions are not bought in kilograms or hundreds of kilograms. Therefore, if an entrepreneur relies solely on his own strength in its implementation, he is very much mistaken. The sale of greenery from the manufacturer takes place mainly through wholesale channels. This can be a supermarket chain, or retail outlets in the market. You can conclude an agreement with the wholesale market, as with a legal entity, and all products will be sold exclusively through its channels.

Market analysis and marketing plan

When starting a business for growing greenhouse greens, do not forget about the specifics of the production and sale of such a product. In order to decide what volumes the company plans to produce, whether there is a prospect for business development, a preliminary analysis of the market should be carried out. This will help to find out if there are competitors in the market with the same product, to assess the nuances of selling greenery and take into account possible risks. Taking into account the information received, a marketing strategy is developed. The marketing strategy of a feather onion business includes the following points:

• The scheme of the sale of goods. How the product will be sold - retail or wholesale, own stores or points in the market, public organizations, etc.
• Pricing methods. How the price will be determined and what discounts are expected for its implementation. During pricing, you should consider your current production costs and the market price of a product in a particular season. This should also include the costs associated with the possible loss of a part of the goods - onions spoil quite quickly. Additional discounts can be envisaged for goods for which the delivery time is critical.
• Sales promotion methods. What needs to be done to increase sales is the expansion of sales markets and other forms of attracting buyers.
• Types and methods of advertising. can be carried out using traditional methods, through distribution in local newspapers and on the Internet. In addition, participation in all kinds of agricultural festivals and fairs is an excellent advertising stunt. Partnerships with catering establishments, local food producers, or farmers.
• Additional service. This can be a service in the form of packaging and packaging of goods. Also, in the case of feather onions, an unsold merchandise return scheme is offered to the retailer as an additional service.

Green business registration

But for the conclusion of contracts, the performance of wholesales, the official registration of the entrepreneur is required. Without this, cooperation with any serious wholesale buyer is impossible. In order to choose the form of the enterprise and the type of activity according to which the future enterprise will operate, you can contact your local tax office or a private law firm. You should not immediately open an LLC, for a start, the usual form of IP is suitable, although each of these forms has its own advantages and disadvantages.

The advantages of doing business by registering an individual entrepreneur:

• Simple state registration procedure;
• Lack of statutory capital;
• Under certain conditions, the individual entrepreneur has the right to receive cash from clients without a limit and a cash order;
• A simplified or preferential taxation system can be used, subject to certain conditions;
• The ability to engage in entrepreneurial activities without printing and opening a bank account.

After the official registration of the entrepreneurial activity, the owner opens up expanded opportunities in the marketing policy of the enterprise and the sale of the final product.

Technologies for growing onions on feathers in greenhouse conditions

The idea of ​​growing onions on feathers in greenhouses is attractive not only because of its prospects, but also because of the use of relatively simple production technologies and available planting material.

Greenhouse

Growing onions all year round or in the cold season requires a specially equipped greenhouse. Given that onions are cold-resistant crops, in regions with favorable climatic conditions, it is possible to grow green onions in unheated greenhouses. For this, it is only necessary to organize additional shelter in case of prolonged or severe frosts.

For forcing onions on a feather, the most budgetary greenhouse is suitable. It is a wooden frame with a frost-resistant film. It is advisable to use a two-layer film. In the greenhouse, additional arches can be arranged above each rack as a second cover. In this way, additional heat can be achieved without losing the main sunlight.

Neither the design of the greenhouse, nor the materials from which it is made, does not greatly affect the yield. Only the occupied area is important, the possibility of increasing production volumes depends on it. If you additionally equip the greenhouse with racks, this will allow you to grow green onions in stages with a difference of 1-2 weeks in order to have time to sell the grown onions and always receive fresh products.

The choice of planting material

The profitability of growing onions on a feather is directly dependent on the planting material. The purchase should take place at the end of summer or September - at this time its cost is minimal. The purchase can be carried out at wholesale vegetable stores or directly from the manufacturer's fields. It is a mistake to think that it is enough to purchase a substandard bow and plant it. Not every bulb is suitable for planting onions on a feather. It is important to pay attention to the number of ears inside the bulb.

For this, several copies are taken from a batch of onions, cut them in half. If there is one ear in the bulbs, then it is better to refuse to buy it. Bulbs with three or more cobs are used for forcing.

Technologies and equipment

In the race to maximize production with minimal waste, feather onion growing technologies are advancing every day. Among all their diversity, the following can be distinguished:

• Onions in sawdust;
• Using the hydroponics method;
• Growing onions on multi-tiered racks;

The most practical way to grow green onions is on shelves. The distance between the racks is at least 60 cm. The lighting of each rack should also be provided. The racks can be arranged so as not to use additional containers, but to make a fill of soil immediately on the shelf, where you need to lay polyethylene in advance. The soil is used in the form of a soil mixture in equal parts of black soil and sand. The prepared soil is poured onto the racks in a layer of 3-5 cm.

After planting the bulbs, the soil is moistened. As it grows, watering is necessary, but not abundant, so that the bulbs do not rot ahead of time. Depending on the temperature regime in the greenhouse, the timing of forcing onion feathers depends.

• 25 degrees - 17 days;
• 22 degrees - 22 days;
• 20 degrees - 20 days;
• 17 degrees - 26 days;
• 15 degrees - 28 days.

When the feather of the onion reaches 25 cm, it can already be collected and prepared for further implementation. Preparation consists in freeing the feather from the bulb and forming bundles of greens. Traditionally, it is customary to form bundles weighing 70-80 grams.Additionally, packing in trays or cling film is possible.

Main items of expenditure

Start-up capital is needed to start a greenhouse forcing onion feathers business. Even if an entrepreneur already has a greenhouse, the following starting cost items must be taken into account per 20 sq. M. useful area:

• Organization of lighting (wires, lamps) - 7,000 rubles.
• Planting material at the rate of 25 kg / 2 sq.m. - 6000 rubles.
• Utilities - 5000 rubles.
• Shelves in two tiers - 6000 rubles.
• Transport, containers - 1000 rubles.

Total: 25,000 rubles.

It is very easy to calculate how much you can earn by forcing onions for a feather in a greenhouse. For the convenience of calculations, average values ​​are taken. The average yield of green onions is 3 kg / sq.m. for the whole season. The maturity period is defined as 25 days. In our case, we have 20 sq.m. useful area. Those. we can harvest 60 kg of onions in one cycle. Up to 4 crops can be harvested from one planting, thereby increasing profitability.

The cost of green onions is defined as 200 rubles / kg, i.e. RUB 12,000 in one cycle with one collection. And if we harvested from one planting 2 times, respectively, and the profit will be twice as high. For the calculation period, we take only those months in which the sale of green onions is most relevant. This is the period from October to April - 7 months. During this time, you can earn at least 84,000 rubles.

Now let's look at profitability. From the profit received for the season, we deduct the costs associated with starting a business. RUB 84,000 - RUB 25,000 = RUB 59,000 This is the lowest possible profit when growing onions on a feather. Consequently, the profitability of the business already in the first year, taking into account the start-up costs, will be more than 50%.

Of course, these calculations are for small retail sales. When forcing onions on a feather, it is necessary to take into account that in this case the enterprise that uses large volumes of production and sales will have the highest profitability.

In addition, it is advisable to diversify such a business with the cultivation of other types of greenery and with this help turn into a wholesale supplier of greenery to local markets. The business idea of ​​growing green onions in a greenhouse offers great opportunities with minimal start-up capital.

Making early spring year-round is real. A technology that involves growing green onions in a greenhouse in winter will help in this. Information about the peculiarities of the process, from the necessary technical equipment to the sale of the grown product, is a good help for the implementation of the conceived business. Study the instructions for variety selection, planting and care to provide your family with vitamins and supplement your household budget by selling greenery.

Growing up for sale

How to grow greens all year round in a greenhouse

Growing green onions on a feather continuously throughout the year is certainly profitable - a properly planned planting in a greenhouse makes it easy to implement an idea. Especially it makes sense to take care of the availability of greenery for sale on the days before the holidays.

Industrial greenhouse

Greenhouse requirements

It is advisable to increase production volumes most actively from October to April, when the cultivation of onion feathers in the open field is practically absent. To do this, the greenhouse provides for:

1. Lighting. After all, a natural sunny day is extremely insufficient. If there is little light, the onion will still reach for the source of minimal light (the stems will become thin, elongated, pale, brittle).
2. Heating. Of course, low temperatures are contraindicated for growing greenery. It should be possible to adjust the heat so that the air is at the right temperature.
3. Watering. Drip irrigation effectively provides the required amount of water to the moisture-loving plant.
4. The presence of special shelving. Allows you to get more harvest using the available area.

Backlit shelving

A durable polycarbonate greenhouse is needed for year-round operation. Film greenhouses are not suitable, since it is unrealistic to organize heating in them. Glass buildings can be used, but they are more difficult and expensive to build.

The question of whether it is possible to plant onions in a greenhouse without observing the above conditions is controversial. At first, it is permissible to skip only the item on installing shelving. And the implementation of agrotechnical moments to get a good harvest is a must.

Excellent yield and appearance of vitamin greens

Onion variety selection

Onions for forcing for greens is a classic option. But there are other varieties that are gaining popularity, purposefully designed to grow a "green storehouse of vitamins."

• Slime onion. Due to the fact that it does not have a dormant period, such a variety is grown all year round. The moderate aftertaste of garlic gives a special taste originality. It grows rapidly, greens of the required size appear very quickly, and are unpretentious in care. Greens are cut up to five times per season. An excellent option for growing for sale.
• Schnitt. Its visual distinguishing feature is its thin stems. The first crop is harvested at least 3-4 weeks after planting. This look is also quite attractive to customers.
• Bow-Batun. Such onions for feathers in the greenhouse are grown starting in November, as they have a small dormant period (about 45 days). The variety is intended only for producing green feathers.
• Shallot. The longest sleep period. Therefore, planting is carried out in December.
• Multi-tiered bow. High-yielding, frost-resistant. The taste is spicier than other varieties. Instead of flowers, small bulbs grow in rows or tiers, which is what its name deserves.

The final decision on the choice of a variety or varieties is made on the basis of a study of the product sales market, an analysis of the available growing conditions, and personal preferences.

Seed preparation

Of the possible options for planting onions on a feather in a greenhouse (with bulbs, seeds, seedlings), the most popular, requiring less time and labor to get a good result, is the first. The main tips on how to plant onions on greens in a greenhouse boil down to the goal of "waking up" it, to activate growth. For this:

1. Selected onion heads without damage, small in size (on average 3-4 cm in diameter) are cleaned of excess husk.
2. Placed in warm water (water temperature 38 ° C, soaking duration - 12 hours);
3. Wet vegetables are dried.
4. Cut off the top of the seed bulb. In contact with oxygen, they stimulate growth.

The final stage of preparation of planting material

If they decide to plant with seeds, then in order to prevent the seedlings from getting sick, they do the following:

1. The seeds are kept in water at room temperature for about 20 hours (change of water - three times).
2. Then soaked in a weakly concentrated solution of potassium permanganate and washed with water.
3. For the final soaking, use a special means "epina" (a few drops per 100 g of water).

The technology of growing onions on a feather

To get a harvest in winter, they decide how to plant onions in a greenhouse in the fall. To do this, prepare everything necessary for winter growth (equipped greenhouse, fertilized soil) and acquire high-quality planting specimens. More details about the conditions and stages of the growing process:

1. Preparation of high-quality soil. The soil should not be sandy. Wood shavings are added to retain moisture. Enriched with mineral fertilizers.
2. Required temperature. In the daytime - 20 ° C, at night 13-14 ° C is enough.
3. Additional illumination. Provide 12 hours of daylight for growing onions.
4. Correct watering. Warm water for about three days once.
5. Top dressing with fertilizers for the future harvest.A week after planting, they are fed with such a mixture: ammonium nitrate and potassium chloride in equal proportions (20 g each), slightly more superphosphate (30 g).
6. One of the best bulb planting methods is paving. When doing the work, they try not to press the seed vegetables into the soil too much, most of the head remains on top, and the bulbs are in close contact with each other. Tape method: the distance between the rows is about 10-15 cm, between the bulbs - 5 cm maximum.

Bridge-planted bulbs

The technology of growing onions on a feather in a greenhouse, as you can see, is not difficult. If an equipped greenhouse is the owner's way of earning money, then it is quite acceptable to start with the cultivation of greenery.

Features of growing for sale

If in winter green onions in a greenhouse are able to provide family members with vitamins in small quantities, then, of course, when it comes to growing for sale, they expect to produce increased volumes of greens. More profitable sales - in winter, this is natural. If planted in the fall, then given the fact that forcing takes place quite quickly, there will be guaranteed goods by winter.

Rapid growth and quick profits

Benefits of the greenhouse method

Growing onions in a greenhouse in winter has definitely beneficial points:

1. The yield is higher compared to growing outdoors. They get more products, and profit, respectively, too.
2. Production of goods 365 days a year. They are sold at a higher price in popular periods.
3. The possibility of installing racks helps to increase the planting area. There is a receipt of large volumes of products, with the use of a minimum land plot.
4. The risk of infection with diseases and insects is low.

Pleasant-looking process all year round

Planting material

A responsible approach to the quality of seeds precedes the fact that growing onions in a greenhouse will be effective, the plants will be healthy and correspond to the declared variety, and the resulting products will be good and competitive on the market. To do this, pay attention:

• for multi-primordial onion varieties. To convince yourself of this, cut several onions from a potential purchase lot and look at the vegetable in the cut;
• early maturing and mid-maturing species. They have a shorter rest period (in comparison with the later ones). Such varieties try to sell faster and are less likely to be treated with chemicals to extend shelf life;
• onions that grow well in the region where they plan to plant them;
• pay attention to the neck of the bulbs. If it is not completely closed, it means that the harvest is prematurely harvested. Through a half-open neck, the likelihood of decay is very high.

Multi-bud onions suitable for forcing feathers

However, the best guarantor of quality seed bulbs is a conscientious, reliable, experienced supplier. Then quality checks tend to the minimum, and a good result to the maximum.

Greenhouse onion care

Thanks to the knowledge of the simple rules of care, the question of how to grow onions on a feather in a greenhouse in winter does not arise. This culture is unpretentious and easy to grow. For effective growth, a number of basic principles are observed:

• timely and moderate watering;
• the absence of weeds in the soil, its loosening for a full flow of oxygen;
• airing the greenhouse without creating drafts (even a small through breeze can be harmful);
• applying the required amount of fertilizer to the soil before planting and during the growth of the crop;
• ensuring optimal air humidity (within 75-80%).

Plant condition that is best avoided

In the event of diseases or pests, due to the short period of feather rearing, the use of chemicals is prohibited. Therefore, they carry out some preventive measures, since the defeat of the greenery by the disease can nullify the whole business idea.

Disinfection is carried out in the greenhouse before planting.During growth, if a bush is found with the slightest suspicious damage, it is removed, the place of growth is treated with wood ash, and the soil under it is completely replaced.

Sale and sale of onions

In the planning of most business projects, the main component is not only to produce a product, but, most importantly, to sell it profitably. The onion feather situation is no exception in this sense. Vegetable growers who grow green onions in a greenhouse for sale in winter can go two ways as to which variety is more profitable and faster to sell.

Market research will show the specific type or types of green onion that is in demand in the region. Then they are engaged in the cultivation of this variety and find their customers. Or another way, opposite to the first - they grow varieties of feathers that are not widespread in the vicinity, creating a demand for it. This option is more risky and long-term, but ultimately more profitable, exclusive, and interesting.

The fabulously unreal expression "grows by leaps and bounds" has a very real relationship to green onions. After all, approximately in just 3-4 weeks, the stems are cut with a length of 25-35 cm! Therefore, they worry about points of sale and distribution in advance, even before landing. The options are:

1. Wholesale bases. The disadvantage of this method is low and sometimes very low prices. But large sales volumes.
2. Workshops that pack greens for delivery to supermarkets, hypermarkets.
3. Opening of a personal point of sale for greenery. Then they expand the range of products and take into account additional costs (payment for rented premises, seller's salary, and others).
4. Selling on the market using our own resources. It takes a long time, the volumes are not large, but the profit is high.

A good and budget option for packaging goods

In the case of the last two points, they try to pack the onions neatly. A good rule of thumb here is to put yourself in the shoes of the other. In what form do potential buyers want the onion?

Video: onions in the greenhouse all year round

Of course, having mastered and established a successful mini-enterprise for growing onion greens, they do not always stop at the achieved level. Growing onion feathers goes well with other types of greens. When the assortment of goods is expanded, new customers appear and existing ones are also satisfied with fresh additional offers.

It would seem that you can come up with a supernova in a long-studied and successfully applied business? Watching this video will help you find new faces.

Video: Surprisingly unconventional approach to the work of an active enthusiast

Video: Green Onion Business

Video: Feather onions for sale in winter

The simplicity of arranging a greenhouse for growing onions, quick harvesting, year-round availability of products makes this crop an attractive tool for organizing a business, even for beginners. Beginning entrepreneurs are still recommended to consult with more experienced and professional gardeners regarding the correct choice of planting material, planting method and other important points. Then there is no need to regret any possible mistakes.

Growing green onions is a public activity and possible even with minimal investment. The profitability of a business directly depends on the volume of the plant produced, and onions can be grown almost anywhere: on a windowsill in a residential building, in a greenhouse, in a garage, in a basement.

Green onion growing technology - what kind of room should there be for growing green onions?

Growing onions, like growing strawberries, in closed equipped rooms guarantees a year-round income. At the same time, human participation in the process is reduced to the simplest actions: primary processing of raw materials and collection of greens.

Despite the unpretentiousness of the plant, you should still follow the general recommendations for growing.This will reduce time costs and get a good harvest.

Three characteristics can be distinguished that determine the ideal conditions for the growth of green onions:

• Comfortable air temperature.
• Adequate lighting of the room.
• High-quality soil irrigation.

The size of the premises for doing business is also important, which affects the volume of production.

The room must be dry, not infected with mold or fungi and, if possible, light.

Here are the possible options for a room for growing green onions:

• Greenhouse

The simplest summer greenhouse is made of a wooden frame, which is covered with a thick plastic wrap on top. You can assemble such a structure yourself, using available materials and tools.

In the warm season, greenhouses and greenhouses do not require additional lighting or heating. The natural air temperature and sunlight will be sufficient for plant growth.

Growing green onions in a greenhouse is the most environmentally friendly way, since these conditions are as close to natural as possible.

• Basement and garage

An alternative to a greenhouse can be a basement or garage. However, these premises require additional preparation. The first step is to insulate them. Safe heat insulators are used as materials, for example, based on polyethylene foam or polystyrene foam.

The next stage is the installation of shelving. They can be purchased ready-made or made yourself, for example, from wood. If necessary, these racks are disassembled and transported to a new location.

A solid structure for long-term use should be metal, for example, welded from a profile or pipes. Naturally, it will require more significant investments.

Growing green onions in a basement or garage involves creating the following favorable conditions:

1. Heating... For maximum onion growth, it is necessary to observe the temperature regime in the range from +18 to +22 ° C. Any devices can be used as heaters, but it is worth remembering that electrical devices will require serious energy costs;
2. Lighting... The brighter the light in the room, the richer the color of the onion feather. Therefore, if possible, you should equip the room with fluorescent lamps;
3. Ventilation... The air in the basement or garage must be constantly circulated. It is advisable not just to install internal fans, but to organize the supply of fresh air from the street. This will give the plants a more comfortable environment and prevent the growth of mold and mildew indoors.

• Windowsill

The easiest way to grow onions is on a windowsill. A loggia is well suited for this. In the summer, no additional tweaks are needed, but for the winter, the loggia should be insulated and glazed. If the windows face the north side, artificial lighting can be arranged.

With good lighting and air temperatures from +23 to +27, green onions will grow by 30 cm in about 2-2.5 weeks.

How to properly grow green onions for sale - features of planting material for growing green onions

Almost anything can be used as planting material: soil, sand, sawdust. There are options in which the onion grows without soil and feeds exclusively on water. This is called hydroponics.

• Earth and sand

This is the standard planting base for a plant. If you grow onions in a greenhouse on a plot of land, it is recommended to fertilize and loosen the soil.

Flaw: In all other cases, you will need to purchase special mixtures. The soil should be versatile and have an acidity of 6 to 7 ph.

• Sawdust

Sawdust is a cheap material. Their main property is looseness and the ability to retain moisture. However, this ecological material does not contain nutrients, therefore additional mineral fertilizers will be needed.

Plants planted in sawdust will not require too much watering. When pruned, ripe green onion feathers will remain clean (as opposed to those growing on an earthen mixture).

Sawdust has one drawback. - with prolonged use, they begin to rot, and mixed with the remnants of onion roots turn into compost and require replacement.

• Hydroponics

Growing chives hydroponically assumes that the plant will not feed from the soil, but thanks to a circulating medium flowing to the roots. This medium can be based on water or a solid porous substance that retains moisture well and is good for air permeability.

Coconut fiber is ideal as a substrate. It is absolutely natural, capable of swelling strongly and accumulating water, while allowing air to pass through.

The onion planting system should contain channels filled with a solid substrate or blown with an air-nutrient mixture. Bulbs are placed in these channels. As required, an aqueous solution rich in minerals is launched through the channels.

The order of placing the layers of hydroponics is as follows:

1. Onion roots.
2. Organic substrate.
3. Grid.
4. Nutrient solution.

The most important aspect of this growing method is good aeration (air saturation) of the roots. Therefore, the mesh and the nutrient solution should be about 5 cm apart.

The yield of hydroponically grown onions will be higher, and the cost of purchasing planting materials will be lower.

Equipment and devices for growing green onions indoors

Growing onions for greens can be made as simple and convenient as possible using various devices. For example, use professional phyto-lamps that stimulate plant growth as a source of artificial light.

Drip irrigation systems are great for watering onions in greenhouses. With their help, water consumption is noticeably reduced, and the liquid itself is evenly distributed over the entire planted area.

There are entire installations designed as racks with built-in light sources and soil containers. Such equipment is already ready for use, all that remains is to place onions in it and water it until the harvest is obtained.

There are hydroponic systems commercially available that work as follows:

1. On the water.
2. On the substrate.
3. Aeroponics (air).

This equipment can be used immediately, all that is needed is to purchase the raw materials and prepare the nutritional mixture.

Planting and growing green onions on a feather - how to grow green onions in winter?

Green onions can be successfully produced at any time of the year. However, this will entail considerable additional investments - at least you will need to organize heating and lighting. Even using a garage or basement for a business, in which it is already necessary to install artificial light sources, heating devices will be needed.

If you are growing relatively small amounts of greens in the ground, you can pretreat the onions before planting. This will speed up the germination process several times.

The procedure is as follows:

• The bulbs are placed in a container and completely filled with cold water.
• After one hour, all the water is drained off.
• Disembarkation is carried out in a day.

To grow green onions in a greenhouse in winter, you should pay attention to the quality of the structure and organize favorable conditions inside it.

If you plan to do business for the long term, it is advisable to build a greenhouse thoroughly:

• The frame is made of metal or a durable wooden profile.
• Make the base of the greenhouse.
• Cover all floors and structures with paint or primer.
• Cover the greenhouse with a durable polycarbonate wrap.

The growth rate of green onions directly depends on the ambient or room temperature:

• At 12C ° onions ripen for about four weeks.
• At 17C ° - about 26 days.
• At 20C ° - about 22 days.
• At 22C ° - about 20 days.
• At 25C ° - about 2.5 weeks.

Growing green onions in the cold season is best done using winter and frost-resistant plant varieties. They adapt better to colder temperatures and will be able to produce higher yields under less favorable conditions.

Is winter and summer growing green onions profitable - the real reasons for selling an onion growing business

This business is considered to be quite profitable, but there are always parameters that can greatly affect profitability. Naturally, due to the unequal amount of compulsory costs, summer and winter onion cultivation has significant differences.

Summer:

• In the greenhouse - Plants develop only due to sunlight. Auxiliary sources of heat and light are not needed.
• In the basement and garage - heating devices are either not required at all, or must operate at minimum power (for example, in a cold basement).
• On the windowsill - green onions grow on their own using sunlight. The room temperature does not need to be adjusted.

In winter:

• In the greenhouse - the structure itself should be made of more expensive and durable materials. Inside the greenhouse, you need to create a comfortable microclimate using additional sources of heat, and sometimes light.
• In the basement and garage - higher quality thermal insulation materials may be required. Also, you can not do without heating devices.
• On the windowsill - if you use a loggia for growing onions, it will need to be glazed, insulated and, possibly, heated.

In the cold season, the market value of green onions increases, which compensates for the forced costs. An undoubted advantage is the possibility of longer storage of already cut greens. Not every activity is necessarily successful.

There are a number of reasons that can hinder the development of the business and give the owner the idea of ​​selling the business:

1. Lack of personal vehicles... If onions are grown in a greenhouse outside the city, and for sale they need to be transported, one car is not enough. In this case, the use of a small freight transport is appropriate, since the volume of the harvest can be impressive, and the greens must retain their presentation and not wrinkle. If there is no opportunity to purchase a vehicle, doing business can be very difficult.
2. Unprofitable... Growing onions in winter entails another cost item - lighting and heating. If your greenhouse, garage or basement is located in inconvenient locations or areas with high electricity rates, the cost of maintaining the right temperature can greatly affect your bottom line.
3. Rise in price of raw materials... In a lean year, the price of onions increases dramatically, which adversely affects the cost of green products.
4. Lack of sales market... Not every green onion grower has its own outlet for the sale of the grown product. Very often, finished products are sold in bulk at prices 1.5-2 times lower than retail prices. If supply exceeds demand, the purchase price can be reduced to an unacceptable minimum, making the business unprofitable.

The Real Business Plan for Green Onion Growing For Sale

All initial potential costs can be divided into three categories:

• Purchase or lease of premises / land.
• Improvement of the premises (construction, insulation).
• Technical equipment (racks, devices, installations, containers).

To these costs are added regular costs:

• For the purchase of raw materials (bulbs, mineral fertilizers, water).
• For the transportation of finished products.
• To maintain the required microclimate (lighting, heating, ventilation).
• For workers' wages.

Not all points are mandatory, since the premises for growing onions can be owned, and you will not need to attract additional labor.

Business pros:

• Unpretentiousness to conditions and rapid plant growth.
• Minimum financial investment.
• Fast payback with small volumes.

An example of a business plan for growing onions in a greenhouse:

Name	Parameters
Land area	100 sq. m.
Effective area	75 sq.m.
Average growth time of green onions	3 weeks (21 days)
Volume of products grown for 1 month	350 - 550 kg green feather
Wholesale cost of planting material	8 rub / 1 kg
Cost of 1 kg of green feather	from 10 to 60 rubles
Potential loss of greens yield (due to climate, weather, etc.)	30%
Wholesale cost of selling 1 kg of onion in summer	30 - 50 rubles.
Wholesale cost of selling 1 kg of onions in winter	RUB 200
The number of onions sold per day by large producers	1000 - 3000 kg
The number of onions sold per month by average producers	1,500 kg
The amount of start-up capital required to start a business	100 - 150 thousand rubles.
The size of the monthly profit at the very beginning of the business when using an area of ​​75 sq.m.	20 thousand rubles
The size of the monthly profit when growing 3000 kg of onions per month	150 thousand rubles.

The profitability of the business of growing onions in a greenhouse is about 30% in winter and more than 50% in the warm season.

This difference is explained by the costs of heating and renting the greenhouse. Depending on the scope of the activity, the business can pay off in a period from several months to several years.

Even at the stage of business planning, it is necessary to take care of the sales market for finished products. This point can be decisive in assessing the profitability of the entire case. Even with the most modest investments, the amount of profit depends on the ability to profitably sell the grown green onions.