As a biotechnologist, people frequently ask me about profitable crops to cultivate in a greenhouse. In that case, I always try to advise them according to their geographical location, expected turnover, greenhouse size, and other factors.

While doing this, I thought it would be great if I write about it and share it with my fellow cultivators.

So, my in-depth analysis of how and what crop you should select to earn more from a greenhouse will help you for sure.

Factors need to consider to identify a profitable plant for the greenhouse:

Things to Consider Before Selecting the Profitable Greenhouse Crops

Here are some vital factors, that you should keep in mind before selecting crops for your greenhouse.

• Value of the product

Every business demand profit, so it’s true for plant cultivation in the greenhouse as well.

The most important thing you need to keep in mind is what value you will get in return? You must plant those plants which will add more value to your balance.

There are different types of plants you can grow in the greenhouse. Choosing a high-valued crop will generate a much bigger profit margin than a low-priced crop.

• Market demand

Just do a market analysis to see which type of product is in high demand in the market.

For example, strawberry is all time demandable, especially in the off-season. So if you can grow strawberries in the off-season, it will have high market demand.

So, you must know what your customers demand and how much you can supply before starting to harvest any plants.

This will help to have a good balance in market demand and your product supply.

• Plant growing cycle

You must choose a plant to grow in 3-4 cycles through the year, which doesn’t require much change in cultivating agents.

You know, the greenhouse has some cultivating agents like other cultivating fields like soil, solar panel, water, mulching, beds, fertilizers, spraying, and others.

In fewer words, you can grow different plants in a different season with one set.

If you maintain the plant growth cycle, it will reduce your cost as well as your labor. So why not choose something that gives more profit with less labor!

• Yielding potency

Yield potency means your cost-profit ratio per square foot of land.

Let me give you one scenario.

In the summer season, from the cost-profit analysis, the profit of tomatoes production comparing with the cost is more than the profit of mushroom cultivation from per square feet land.

So, which plant will you choose? I guess you will go for tomato cultivation. This is how the yielding potency factor works to select more profitable plants to grow in the greenhouse.

• Using vertical spaces of the greenhouse

If you have a small space in the greenhouse but have a plan for many plants, don’t be disappointed. Different technologies and arrangements have arrived at utilizing the vertical space. It will help to enlarge your greenhouse space.

Hanging baskets, roll-out carts, multi-shelves, stacked pots, etc. are an example of arrangements that can be used for vertical farming.

When you utilize horizontal spaces, you only use 50 percent of the space in the greenhouse. But vertical space using will let you use 100 percent space.

• Labor & investment

The different plant requires a different level of labor and investment in the greenhouse.

For example, you can cultivate tomatoes with less labor and investment rather than strawberries.

So you must choose plants that require less labor and investment but will generate a higher profit in return.

• Expected Turnover

If you have targeted a specific amount to earn in a year, you have to choose such a plant to cultivate accordingly. Then, you can easily calculate your estimated turnover by calculating your estimated yield per season.

That’s how, if you have a specific target, you need to shoot for crops accordingly.

8 Most profitable Plants to Grow in Your Greenhouse:

1. Tomato

Tomato is a shrub types plant that ruling greenhouse production as a classic crop.

Cost-profit analysis: Tomato is a versatile plant that you can grow throughout the year, and it is one of the most demandable products in the United States.
For your better understanding, I am showing you the cost-profit analysis.

Benefits: The best part of tomato cultivation in the greenhouse is that “You can do it yourself” without deploying external labor.

You can grow it with any other crops as it doesn’t require any extra preparation. And few varieties will give you fruit more than once a year.

A tomato plant can live more than three years in a Greenhouse if you take proper care of it. Brandywine is a disease-resistant and easy-growing variety that gets maturity within 92 days. You can have Stupice for early maturity within 52 days.

2. Strawberries

This herb-type plant is lucrative and profit-generating that you can grow in your greenhouse.

Benefit: Strawberries generate more profit in the offseason. So you can grow it in your greenhouse in the offseason and sell it with more profit.

Estimated revenue: 1 hectare can produce an estimated 10,000 kg of strawberries. And the estimated revenue you can get is around $15,00,000 in a year.

Growing time: You will get flowers and fruit as long as you can keep the temperature 35-85 degrees Celsius.

Which variety to select: Chandler-type strawberries are tolerant to any physical damages as well as viral attacks. You can also cultivate Tioga for fast maturity.

You can quickly produce strawberries as a greenhouse can make the environment suitable for strawberry production. The production process is more similar to tomato production.

So, as a greenhouse owner, this is your advantage. If you can provide them an ideal environment, you will enjoy an immense of profit year-round.

3. Peppers

Pepper is a spicy shrub that has immense demand all around the year.

Life span: Pepper plants give peppers for more than one season if they get the proper care. Species like Capsicum Baccatum, Capsicum Chinense, and Capsicum Frutescens can survive more than 5 years.

Yield: Surprisingly, you can harvest 18,00-45,000 plans in a single hectare space. And, you from each hectare, you will get an estimated 50 tons of pepper at the end.

Benefit: US market is always in high-demanding about spice. Peppers’ color variation makes it easier to get popular.
Pepper production needs less cost and labor. So, it ultimately generates profit at the end of the year.

4. Mushrooms

We know the umbrella-shaped fruiting body, which is commonly placed in group Fungi.

Market demand: In today’s market, the demand for medicinal and gourmet mushrooms has skyrocketed.

In the United States, over a million and a half gourmet mushrooms were farmed just last year.

Along with its high demand, you can grow it quickly with less effort.

Estimated earnings: In 1 square foot, you can generate 25 pounds of oyster mushroom every year. Each pound generates some revenues of $7.

So, if you can grow mushrooms in 500 square foot land, you can generate around $85,500

Harvesting cycle: You can harvest mushrooms 2-3 times in a year.

5. Ginseng

This Is commonly known as “Man-Root” due to its person-like shape. Plant growers call it “green gold.”

Benefit: Ginseng is a distinctive and small root vegetable.

As it is a medicinal herb that heals, its demand is very high in the market.

Harvesting cycle: The most important thing you need to remember is that you have to have a lot of patience. Growing Ginseng needs 6 years to reach its maturity.

But during these long periods, you can sell rootlets, seeds for gaining some return on investment.

6. Herbs

Generic: Herbs are the plants that remain with the ground with soft stems and roots.

Example: Basils, Oregano, Chives, Cilantro, and Parsley.

Benefits: Herbs are the primary plants that a greenhouse can produce easily with less effort.

The market demand is high as restaurants and groceries require more herbs. And the incredible fact of herb cultivation is that you can sell them in both raw and dried conditions.

Herbs in greenhouse gardens can help greenhouse producers make a lot of money, and you can cultivate herbs using your vertical space

7. Spinach

Generic: Spinach is a kind of herb plant and called leafy green vegetables.

Harvesting time: the main property of spinach production is its production cycle is short rather than other fruit plants. Only 40-45 days are required to achieve harvesting potential in spinach.

Benefit: Spinach is a winter vegetable. But with the help of a greenhouse, if you can produce in the off-season, you can generate more profit by grabbing market demand.

Generated cash: the good news is, half-acre is enough to cause a sufficient return on your investment. In 3 months, one acre of spinach can yield up to $50,000

Spinach cultivation requires less effort but gives a higher return on investment.

8. Bamboo

Generic: It is neither a tree nor a bush. Bamboo is the most extended grass in the world.

Maturity time: This is the most important feature of bamboo that quickly reaches the maturity stage. Over 24 hours, It can flourish for 2 feet.

In the growing season, bamboo takes 3-4 months to gain its full height.

Estimated profit: You can sell each bamboo for $30. In a quarter acre, you can plant 2400 plants. So, in the end, you can generate $72,000 if you sell 2400 plants for $30 each.

Market demand: Interior design or landscape décor, bamboo is the essential thing in both.

Besides, you can use bamboo as a shade, screens, or hedgerow plant, as well as a food ingredient. So, its high demand has made it incredibly profitable to cultivate in the greenhouse.

From 2019 to 2025, the bamboo market is predicted to develop at a compounded yearly growth rate of 5.0 percent, reaching USD 98.30 billion by 2027. So, cultivators have a huge chance to earn immense profit.

Final Thoughts

I hope you have enjoyed my experiences with the most profitable plants for a greenhouse. Don’t forget to share this with your peers, as it’s really crucial for every greenhouse owner.