To manage expectations here, finding money in your backyard is not about digging and hoping that you find a chest of buried treasure. I’m sure you’re using your backyard for all of the usual activities; relaxing with family and friends, playing games, having a cook-out, maybe even for gardening (who knew?).
But have you ever thought about how else you could use your backyard, and in particular use it to make money? By using up the extra backyard space you can earn some extra cash, create a lucrative side hustle or even a full-time business. Let’s dive into several ways you can use this space as a new way to make money that you probably haven’t thought of before.
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Make money growing and selling produce
No matter how big your space is, you can turn your backyard into a profitable garden. If you don’t already have a garden, start by planting foods that you would normally buy at the store and work your way up from there.
Not only will you benefit from growing your own food by saving a ton of money, but you can plant way more than you need and sell the rest. Advertise around the neighborhood or get yourself a spot at a local farmer’s market. You’ll be able to sell your extra fruits and veggies to people all over your hometown.
Ten Easy Vegetables to Grow
If you want to grow veggies that are not only simple to grow but have multiple uses, this list will let you know where to get started. Everything other than the corn can easily be grown in any size backyard garden -whether you choose to grow a vertical garden, traditional rows, or raised beds.
Lettuce
It takes between 45 and 55 days for most types of lettuce to be ready to eat, which means (depending on where you live) that if you choose right and graduate when you plant, you may be able to harvest up to three times in one year. Lettuce grows best if it’s sown directly into the ground about 1/2 inch deep. You can start seedlings indoors to get a fast start, though.
Tomatoes
You can grow tomatoes in a pot if you want to. Choose from hearty beefcake tomatoes or cherry tomatoes (or both). Tomatoes need the warmth of late spring and early summer to grow well. They need up to eight hours of direct sun each day, so pick a sunny place. You can plant the seeds directly or you can start seedlings a little early if you want to baby them a bit.
Cucumbers
You can grow cucumbers vertically to save space and they do wonderfully. Just set up supports that are about six feet tall, plant three or four seeds about an inch deep and 12 inches apart in each row when the ground is about 60 degrees F, and maintain even soil moisture. Once they sprout you can train them to go up the trellis. You may need to get cloth strips to help maturing cucumbers continue to grow.
Carrots
Taking up to 80 days to mature, these easy-to-grow crops should be sown about three weeks prior to the last expected frost of the season. You can then plant a new crop every two weeks – the last being a couple weeks prior to the first frost of the season. That way you’ll have carrots well into fall. Weed often and keep the soil moist.
Turnips
Like most root vegetables, these almost grow themselves. If you use the right soil and keep it moist enough, you can grow turnips easily. They need full sun for the most part but some people do find luck with even partial shade. In fact, you can get more turnip greens if you grow in partial shade, making it a great two-for-one plant.
Radishes
Another lovely two-for-one plant, you can harvest the greens and the radish for use in all your cooking. They can be mature in as little as three weeks, so it’s a great plant to start with if you want to learn. They also have a different flavor raw versus cooked, so you can use them in so many ways.
Green Beans
Depending on the type you grow, you may need a trellis so that the vine can climb up. Some varieties get really tall – over 12 feet. They can grow all summer long, and you can sow them every two weeks from two weeks prior to the last frost to two weeks before the first frost.
Zucchini
You know that zucchini can be used in so many types of dishes, from savory to sweet. That makes it a very versatile and useable plant that can be enjoyed in salads, cooked, and added to other recipes. They are super-easy to grow and can be grown much like cucumbers, vertically or planted traditionally.
Corn
Yes, corn is really a grain, but you can grow it in your backyard garden if you plan right. First, consider using dwarf varieties since the stalk is shorter. Start when your soil reaches 60 degrees F, and sow seeds in eight inches of soil where they’ll get full sun. Corn only needs about an inch of water a week, so be sure not to overwater.
Onions
You can do far more with onions than you may think. They belong in almost every type of savory dish that you make and give flavor to everything. Onions are planted about four weeks before the last frost of the year. That way they’ll be enjoying the full sun during the time that they need it.
The best thing to do is pick one or two of the above and just get started. You can learn almost everything you need to know about planting and growing and harvesting your vegetables right on the seed packet, as well as in Facebook groups online consisting of gardening enthusiasts.
Adopt Chickens
Depending on your city’s zoning laws, raising chickens is a great way to make some extra side hustle cash simple because the overhead isn’t too steep. All you need to start is a basic understanding of chickens, a small but simple chicken coop and chicken feed (regular or organic, depending on which route you want to go). You can also feed them table scraps in moderation. Over time you’ll have a whole slew of farm fresh eggs that you can sell to family and friends and build your clientele from there. Although this won’t provide immediate cash flow, as you build your chicken family over time, your profit margins will see a noticeable increase. If you’re unsure about diving headfirst into this new venture, you can check with local farmers to see about renting a few chickens for a short time.
Raise Bees
Normally, bees are one of those things we try to avoid when spring and summer rolls around. We don’t actively seek them out and we definitely don’t dedicate a space for them in our own backyard. However, raising bees is another way you can earn some extra money if you choose to do so. There are a couple different ways to put money in your pocket – you can either rent out a space (making sure you’re far enough away from your house) to beekeepers for them to visit and maintain the hives from time to time. If you do the work yourself, you’ll be able to sell everything from the honey to wax to brand new bees for cash. Be sure to double check the laws and regulations where you live to ensure that you are allowed to keep bees in your area.
Yard Sales
Turn your clutter into cash by setting up a yard sale in your back yard. Not only will you get rid of all the stuff you no longer use, but it also gives others the chance to get a bargain by not having to pay full price for items. Yard sales are a great way to put some extra money in your pocket, although it does take some prep work ahead of time. Weather is also something you need to consider when scheduling one of these on your calendar.
Specialty crops
Much like growing fruits and vegetables to sell, you can also make a considerable amount of money by getting into the plant and flower business. Setting up a backyard nursery can be a pretty simple task without a ton of overhead. Some examples of what you might grow could be bamboo, mushrooms, flowers, ornamental grasses, herbs and landscaping trees and shrubs – all of which have a high demand year after year. The great thing about specialty crops is that they don’t require a huge time commitment, and all you need are a few basic gardening skills to kick off this backyard side hustle.
Final thoughts on making money from your yard
These are just a few unique ways that you can turn your backyard into cash. While they may not be immediate sources of money, with a little time and effort, your patience will turn into profit right from the comfort of your own backyard.
