The organic vegetable business is one of the promising agribusiness options. This is because several people are starting to realize the importance of adopting a healthy lifestyle, one of which is by starting to consume high quality organic food and drinks.

Ideas and opportunities for this organic vegetable business can come from anywhere. You can also carry out this business practice just at home by utilizing the available land. How to create an organic vegetable garden at home is not too complicated if the businessman understands his business map thoroughly.

The home business of organic vegetables is starting to attract a lot of attention from business people. Because with land capital in your home area, it can be an opportunity for a promising organic vegetable home business . The prospects for an organic vegetable home business are still wide open. Because the demand for organic vegetables is increasing. This may happen because people are becoming more aware of their own health by consuming fresh vegetables, especially organic vegetables. Organic vegetables are also very popular with vegetarians. Apart from being tastier, it turns out it has more nutrients than ordinary vegetables, so it is good for your health. Based on research, organic vegetables are healthier than regular vegetables because they have higher nutrition and are safer than vegetables in general.

Organic Vegetables VS Regular Vegetables

What's the difference between fresh regular vegetables and fresh organic vegetables? There are ways you can differentiate between the two. The way to differentiate them can be seen from their physical appearance, where organic vegetables are smaller in size than regular vegetables. The characteristic of organic vegetables is that there are small holes in the leaves which are traces of being eaten by caterpillars, which indicates that these vegetables do not use chemical fertilizers and drugs.

Fresh organic vegetables have a higher economic value than regular vegetables. Because there are still few competitors and demand is increasing, the price is more expensive. The method of planting and care is also different. Care for organic vegetable plants is more detailed and extra by using compost and natural anti-pest medicines. So the vegetables are healthier and tastier. Organic vegetables are usually sold in special places such as supermarkets and shops specializing in organic vegetables.

Requirements for Starting an Organic Vegetable Home Business

Before you start this business there are several things you need to pay attention to. Especially regarding the preparation and knowledge you have to build to start an organic vegetable home business. 

1. Planting Land

Planting land is the main requirement for running this business even if you use limited land. With only a small amount of land, you can start this business without taking up space. One way is to use the vertical planting method. With this method you can save space in growing organic vegetables. Vertical farming is often applied in urban areas, which is often also called urban farming, namely farming in urban areas with limited land. So, from these conditions, you can use your backyard as planting land for your organic fresh vegetable business.

2. Planting Media

Planting media for organic plants can vary, as does soil, which is a medium that is often used for planting. If you choose soil media to grow organic vegetables, make sure the soil is fertile and contains nutrients. The method is to mix the soil with manure or compost so that the soil can provide nutrients for the plants. The next medium is husk media which is usually used for growing ornamental flowers, but husks can also be used as a medium for growing organic vegetables. Can be mixed with compost. Then finally, water media or also known as hydroponic media.

3. Planting

Planting can be done in two ways, namely the direct method and the seeding method first. The direct method is usually used for plants or vegetables that have leaves or vines. For example mustard greens, lettuce, spinach and so on. Vegetable seeds can be planted directly to a depth of 2-3 cm in soil media. Meanwhile, the seeding method is specifically for fruit-bearing plants such as tomatoes or eggplants. The purpose of seeding is so that plants can grow optimally. The seeding method is by sowing the seeds first and then moving them to the plant growing area.

4. Treatment

Caring for organic vegetables requires special care compared to conventional planting. Because organic plants are easily affected by pests such as caterpillars because organic vegetables do not use chemical drugs. How to reduce pests on organic plants can be using anti-pest drugs with natural ingredients. How to make this concoction using several natural ingredients such as ground ginger and chilies. It can be used by spraying it on plants.

5. Harvesting

Harvesting can be done twice a week or more depending on plant growth. Usually plants that are quickly harvested or have a short lifespan are green vegetables or leafy vegetables. Such as spinach or mustard greens which have a faster harvest time compared to fruit-bearing plants such as tomatoes or eggplant.

Various Organic Vegetable Growing Media

After knowing the requirements for an organic vegetable home business, you also have to understand what media or techniques can be used to grow organic vegetables. Here are some planting media that you can choose!

– Polybag or Pot Organic Vegetable Planting Media

The first media that can be applied is polybag media or you can also use pot media which you can get at agricultural shops. Apart from being easy to obtain, polybag and pot media are also media that can be used in narrow areas or limited land. This is done by using a shelf or by hanging it.

Of course, polybags or pots must use soil or husk media to plant them. The method is to mix soil and compost, then put it in a polybag or pot and it is ready to be planted with various types of vegetables.

– Hydroponic Organic Vegetable Growing Media

Hydroponic media or water media is a modern farming technique using water as a planting medium. Usually by using paralon media which is arranged like a vertical shelf. So the mechanism in hydroponic farming is that vegetables that have been sown are transferred to a perforated pipe. It contains water as an intermediary medium for plants to obtain nutrients, namely nutrients, and foam media as a planting medium for their roots.

– Verticulture Media

Verticulture media is very suitable for use in narrow areas such as home gardens. Verticulture comes from the word vertical which means straight up. So verticulture means the technique of cultivating plants in upward layers. The function of verticulture is cultivating plants that do not take up space. Verticulture models have several types, namely shelf, hanging, upright and attached models. Media or verticulture models are available on the market and can be purchased directly and applied directly in your yard. But you can also make it yourself to make it cheaper by using paralon media.

– Aeroponic Media

Aeroponic media may still rarely be used in plant cultivation because this technique is still new. So aeroponics comes from the words aero, which means air, and ponik, which means cultivation, so aeroponics is a technique for growing plants using air as a growing medium. The mechanism is by using styrofoam or cork media perforated with foam media as a medium for planting the roots.

These are some of the things you have to prepare to start this organic vegetable home business. As a start, you can market it independently by using social media. The marketing area can be started in the nearest area so that you can take advantage of a delivery order system that does not require an expedition agent. You can also offer your organic vegetables to restaurants or restaurants that provide vegetarian menus. Once your business becomes more stable, the chances of your organic vegetables entering modern retail will increase.

So that the quality of your organic vegetables is maintained properly, make sure you choose packaging that suits the type of product. Because product packaging is not just for branding but also focuses on product quality and safety. Continue to develop to make your business.Sumber