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Farm Economics

Crop Economics
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Analyze profitability, ROI, and market demand for 27 crops. Make data-driven decisions for your market garden.

Total Crops

27

High Demand

15

High+ ROI

20

Crop Profitability Rankings

Compare returns across different crops

#1

Lettuce

Very High Demand Very High ROI

Retail Value

$4-8/lb

Yield/sq ft

1.0 lb/sqft

Seed Cost $2.50
Seeds/Packet 500
Yield/Plant 0.5 lb
Labor hrs/100 sq ft 1.5

Cut-and-come-again; mixed salad greens command premium prices

#2

Kale

High Demand Very High ROI

Retail Value

$3-5/lb

Yield/sq ft

0.75 lb/sqft

Seed Cost $3.00
Seeds/Packet 150
Yield/Plant 1.5 lb
Labor hrs/100 sq ft 1.5

Cold-hardy, long harvest window, multiple cuttings; kale chips trend

#3

Tomato

Very High Demand Very High ROI

Retail Value

$3-6/lb

Yield/sq ft

6.0 lb/sqft

Seed Cost $3.50
Seeds/Packet 30
Yield/Plant 8-12 lb
Labor hrs/100 sq ft 5

Highest demand crop; heirloom varieties command $5+/lb at farmers markets

#4

Tomato

Very High Demand Very High ROI

Retail Value

$3-5/lb

Yield/sq ft

7.0 lb/sqft

Seed Cost $3.50
Seeds/Packet 30
Yield/Plant 10-15 lb
Labor hrs/100 sq ft 5

Cherry/grape types: very high yield, popular for snacking

#5

Tomato

High Demand Very High ROI

Retail Value

$4-7/lb

Yield/sq ft

5.0 lb/sqft

Seed Cost $4.00
Seeds/Packet 25
Yield/Plant 6-10 lb
Labor hrs/100 sq ft 5

Paste/sauce type: excellent for value-added products

#6

Cucumber

High Demand Very High ROI

Retail Value

$2-4/lb

Yield/sq ft

4.0 lb/sqft

Seed Cost $3.00
Seeds/Packet 30
Yield/Plant 15-20 fruits
Labor hrs/100 sq ft 3

Pickling type; excellent for value-added pickles and relishes

#7

Spinach

High Demand High ROI

Retail Value

$4-6/lb

Yield/sq ft

0.5 lb/sqft

Seed Cost $3.00
Seeds/Packet 200
Yield/Plant 0.25 lb
Labor hrs/100 sq ft 2

Quick turnaround 40-50 days, multiple succession plantings per season

#8

Collards

Medium Demand High ROI

Retail Value

$3-4/lb

Yield/sq ft

1.0 lb/sqft

Seed Cost $2.50
Seeds/Packet 200
Yield/Plant 2.0 lb
Labor hrs/100 sq ft 1.5

Extremely cold-hardy, harvest through winter in many zones

#9

Radish

Medium Demand High ROI

Retail Value

$2-4/lb

Yield/sq ft

0.5 lb/sqft

Seed Cost $2.00
Seeds/Packet 300
Yield/Plant 0.1 lb
Labor hrs/100 sq ft 1

Fastest crop 25-35 days; excellent succession crop, French breakfast varieties popular

#10

Carrot

High Demand High ROI

Retail Value

$2-4/lb

Yield/sq ft

1.5 lb/sqft

Seed Cost $2.50
Seeds/Packet 1000
Yield/Plant 0.25 lb
Labor hrs/100 sq ft 3

Good storage crop 4-6 months; rainbow carrots command higher prices

#11

Turnip

Low Demand High ROI

Retail Value

$2-3/lb

Yield/sq ft

2.0 lb/sqft

Seed Cost $2.00
Seeds/Packet 500
Yield/Plant 1.0 lb
Labor hrs/100 sq ft 1.5

Fast growth, edible greens and roots; niche market for turnip greens

#12

Mustard Greens

Medium Demand High ROI

Retail Value

$3-5/lb

Yield/sq ft

0.75 lb/sqft

Seed Cost $2.00
Seeds/Packet 500
Yield/Plant 0.5 lb
Labor hrs/100 sq ft 1

Fast growing, multiple cuts; Southern cooking staple

#13

Pak Choi

Medium Demand High ROI

Retail Value

$3-5/lb

Yield/sq ft

0.75 lb/sqft

Seed Cost $3.00
Seeds/Packet 200
Yield/Plant 0.75 lb
Labor hrs/100 sq ft 1.5

Popular in Asian cooking; restaurant demand growing

#14

Pepper

High Demand High ROI

Retail Value

$4-8/lb

Yield/sq ft

3.0 lb/sqft

Seed Cost $3.50
Seeds/Packet 25
Yield/Plant 3-5 lb
Labor hrs/100 sq ft 4

Specialty hot peppers command premium; dried peppers add revenue

#15

Pepper

High Demand High ROI

Retail Value

$3-6/lb

Yield/sq ft

3.5 lb/sqft

Seed Cost $3.50
Seeds/Packet 25
Yield/Plant 4-6 lb
Labor hrs/100 sq ft 4

Sweet peppers: colored varieties (red, orange) worth 2x green

#16

Okra

Medium Demand High ROI

Retail Value

$3-5/lb

Yield/sq ft

1.5 lb/sqft

Seed Cost $2.50
Seeds/Packet 50
Yield/Plant 2-3 lb
Labor hrs/100 sq ft 2

Heat-tolerant summer producer; popular in Southern cuisine

#17

Okra

Medium Demand High ROI

Retail Value

$3-5/lb

Yield/sq ft

1.5 lb/sqft

Seed Cost $2.50
Seeds/Packet 50
Yield/Plant 2-3 lb
Labor hrs/100 sq ft 2

Red Burgundy and specialty varieties popular at markets

#18

Cucumber

High Demand High ROI

Retail Value

$1.50-3/lb

Yield/sq ft

3.0 lb/sqft

Seed Cost $3.00
Seeds/Packet 30
Yield/Plant 10-15 fruits
Labor hrs/100 sq ft 3

Slicing type; very productive, good fresh market demand

#19

Zucchini

High Demand High ROI

Retail Value

$1.50-3/lb

Yield/sq ft

3.0 lb/sqft

Seed Cost $2.50
Seeds/Packet 30
Yield/Plant 6-10 fruits
Labor hrs/100 sq ft 2

Very prolific; harvest small for best quality and continuous production

#20

Melon

High Demand High ROI

Retail Value

$2-5/each

Yield/sq ft

1.5 lb/sqft

Seed Cost $3.50
Seeds/Packet 20
Yield/Plant 2-4 fruits
Labor hrs/100 sq ft 3

Specialty melons command premium; Charentais and heirloom varieties popular

#21

Beet

Medium Demand Medium ROI

Retail Value

$2-3/lb

Yield/sq ft

1.0 lb/sqft

Seed Cost $3.00
Seeds/Packet 200
Yield/Plant 0.5 lb
Labor hrs/100 sq ft 2.5

Good storage crop; golden and Chioggia varieties popular at markets

#22

Eggplant

Medium Demand Medium ROI

Retail Value

$3-5/lb

Yield/sq ft

2.5 lb/sqft

Seed Cost $3.00
Seeds/Packet 30
Yield/Plant 4-6 lb
Labor hrs/100 sq ft 4

Italian and Asian varieties popular; grilled eggplant trending

#23

Eggplant

Medium Demand Medium ROI

Retail Value

$3-5/lb

Yield/sq ft

2.0 lb/sqft

Seed Cost $3.00
Seeds/Packet 30
Yield/Plant 3-5 lb
Labor hrs/100 sq ft 4

Japanese/Asian varieties popular in specialty markets

#24

Squash

Medium Demand Medium ROI

Retail Value

$1-2/lb

Yield/sq ft

2.0 lb/sqft

Seed Cost $3.00
Seeds/Packet 20
Yield/Plant 3-5 fruits
Labor hrs/100 sq ft 2.5

Winter squash stores 3-6 months; butternut most popular variety

#25

Pumpkin

Medium Demand Medium ROI

Retail Value

$0.50-2/each

Yield/sq ft

1.0 lb/sqft

Seed Cost $3.00
Seeds/Packet 15
Yield/Plant 2-3 fruits
Labor hrs/100 sq ft 2

Seasonal demand peaks October; pie pumpkins more profitable than jack-o-lanterns

#26

Watermelon

High Demand Medium ROI

Retail Value

$3-8/each

Yield/sq ft

1.0 lb/sqft

Seed Cost $3.00
Seeds/Packet 20
Yield/Plant 1-2 fruits
Labor hrs/100 sq ft 3

Seasonal summer demand; seedless varieties most popular

#27

Corn

High Demand Medium ROI

Retail Value

$0.50-1/ear

Yield/sq ft

1.5 lb/sqft

Seed Cost $3.00
Seeds/Packet 100
Yield/Plant 1-2 ears
Labor hrs/100 sq ft 2.5

Sweet corn has strong demand; needs large planting for pollination

Input Cost Reference

Track your farming input costs

Tomato Seeds (Heirloom)

Seeds

Organic
$3.50 per packet

Lettuce Seeds (Mixed)

Seeds

Organic
$8.00 per oz

Basil Seeds

Seeds

Organic
$2.50 per packet

Compost (Bulk)

Soil Amendment

Organic
$35.00 per cubic yard

Worm Castings

Soil Amendment

Organic
$1.50 per lb

Fish Emulsion

Fertilizer

Organic
$18.00 per gallon

Bone Meal

Fertilizer

Organic
$2.00 per lb

Neem Oil

Pest Control

Organic
$15.00 per quart

Diatomaceous Earth

Pest Control

Organic
$8.00 per lb

Row Cover (Lightweight)

Pest Control

Organic
$45.00 per roll

Drip Tape

Infrastructure

$12.00 per 100ft

Tomato Cages

Infrastructure

$4.50 per each

Landscape Fabric

Infrastructure

$65.00 per roll

Straw Bale

Mulch

Organic
$8.00 per bale

Wood Chips

Mulch

$25.00 per cubic yard

Maximizing Farm Profitability

Key strategies for improving your crop economics

Focus on High-Value

Prioritize crops with high ROI and consistent market demand.

Succession Planting

Maximize bed usage with continuous harvests throughout the season.

Direct Sales

Sell directly to capture full retail value through farmers markets and CSAs.

Track Everything

Record labor, inputs, and yields to identify your true profit margins.

Plan Your Profitable Garden

Plant Database

Browse growing requirements for profitable crops.

Browse plants

Companion Planting

Maximize yields with strategic plant combinations.

Find companions

Season Planning

Schedule plantings for continuous harvest.

Start planning