Software
Houzz Logo Print
herber_gw

Herbs....

18 years ago

Does anybody know???....?

How many pounds you'd get off of 10 basil plants or

10 Dill

10 Chives

10 Garlic

10 Marjoram

10 Peppermint

10 Chocolate Mint

10 Orange Mint

10 Spearmint

10 Oregano

10 Rosemary

10 Tyme

10 Terragon

10 Cilantro

I'm very new at herb farming and I'm struggleing with the business plan. Please let me know if you can help! Even if you only know a few of these herbs. I only need an average or an estimate... or if you know of a site that might help me out....

I've searched every where online for this information and have found nothing! Thank you soooo much!

I'm going to be useing all starter plants, no seeds. I just need an average estimate on how many pounds I should expect in the first year!!!!

THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!

Comments (6)

  • 18 years ago

    Some of the herbs you list are annual plants (plants that live for 1 growing season) and some are perennials (have a lifespan of more than a couple of years). Perennials need to become established plants before you can do any substantial harvesting from them without killing the plant. I note this because you probably won't harvest much at all from your perennials until the 2nd or 3rd year.

    I would suggest finding a good reference on starting and running an herb-based business. I have a book on medicinal herbs that include all aspects of harvesting, growing, amounts harvested per acre, time until harvest, business "stuff", and more. It is Medicinal Herbs in the Garden, Field, & Marketplace by Sturdivant and Blakely. It's a wonderful book full of information. It doesn't cover many of the herbs you list so this isn't the book for you but find something similar and it will be well worth your investment!

    FataMorgana

  • 18 years ago

    You are harvesting leaves not seeds, correct. Do you mean in a single harvest or for a whole season. Are you talking fresh or dried weight. Leaves have a large percentage of water and therefore would be heavier fresh than dried (I'm guessing 30-50% depending on type). Cilantro and dill are very short-lived so if you waited until they got full size , you would only get a single harvest per plant.
    With only ten plants you may not get more than a pound or two per harvest at most at peak production-which as has already been stated, may take a few years. The first year you might only be talking ounces per harvest. You should be able to harvest mint the first year. Figure out if you have a market and how much you'll need then figure out how many plants. Try growing a few this year, starting with well established plants. Harvest at the end of the season and weigh. This will give you a general feel for how much each plant will yield. Yields will vary from year to year obviously, but your level of experience and growing conditions will affect your harvest. Also take into account that you will undoubtedly need to replace plants as they become less productive, die, etc. You may have a hard time with French Tarragon, depending on your location in California, as it prefers to go through a freeze during the winter- it goes dormant as the days get shorter in 'anticipation' of the cold. I know Southern gardeners often have a difficult time with it since it never gets cold enough. Choosing the right cultivar will also influence your harvest in some cases.

  • 18 years ago

    Depends on the plant type, soil conditions, fertilizers, sunlight, water, mothernature and what your willing to plant. Basil alone has many dozens if not hundreds of strains. I have some that are small busy leaves, and some with leaves as big as my hand. There are all sizes, flavors, and colors too. Once dried, basil leaves weigh next to nothing. They do not keep well as fresh

  • 18 years ago

    According to the Big Book of Herbs, tarragon can be expected to yield:
    1,062.1 lbs per acre the first year,
    649.8 lbs the second year first harvest
    1162 lbs second year second harvest.
    Figures are dry weight and there were 1,000 plants per acre. Doing the math that is roughly 1 to less than 2 pounds per plant per year.
    The books lists expected yields per acre for other herbs as well. It is currently out of print, but you can probably find a copy with a little perseverance.

  • 18 years ago

    Also, if you go to www.Richters.com and then search their info center (look to the left on their main page)for commercial growers info, you will find lots of yield information. Also, ATTRA www.atra.ncta.org has lots of information for farmers and yields.

  • 11 years ago
    last modified: 11 years ago

    I currently have a farm in Hollister, CA (zone 9b). We have 23,000 chive plants planted. The fresh weight on our first cutting was about a pound per 17 plants. We just did the first wave of second cuttings (30 days after the first cutting) and we have 2.2 pounds per 15 plants. The yield is a little more than doubled. I look forward to see what the third harvest brings. We will be able to harvest every month but the yields will slow in November and pick up again late February. We are currently looking at another 9b location in mexico to expand to. Obvious labor costs for commercial productivity allow for a safer cushion to fend off market fluctuations, but the hotter weather in the winter will allow us to hit the winter markets that typically pay more per pound.

Sponsored
Snider & Metcalf Interior Design, LTD
Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars25 Reviews
Leading Interior Designers in Columbus, Ohio & Ponte Vedra, Florida