Books and Resources to Start Strong
Before you invest in equipment, you need a solid foundation in growing methods, business structure, and market strategy. These books will save you money by helping you avoid common mistakes and understand what you actually need to buy.
The Herb Gardening Book by Lewis and Nancy Hill
This practical guide covers soil preparation, propagation, harvesting, and drying techniques across dozens of herb varieties. It’s essential reading if you’re growing herbs at scale rather than in a kitchen windowsill. The book includes specific guidance on which herbs thrive indoors versus outdoors and how to time harvests for maximum yield and potency.
Shop The Herb Gardening Book on Amazon →
Starting an Herb Business by Maureen Rogers
This book focuses specifically on the commercial side—licensing, pricing, packaging, and selling dried herbs at farmers markets or online. You’ll learn realistic margins, storage requirements, and how to scale production without overwhelming your operation. It addresses the business structure questions that equipment decisions depend on.
Shop Starting an Herb Business on Amazon →
The Organic Farmer’s Business Handbook by Richard Wiswall
While focused on larger-scale farming, this book’s chapters on equipment investment, labor cost analysis, and profit margin calculations apply directly to herb businesses. It teaches you how to calculate whether buying a piece of equipment actually improves your bottom line or just adds complexity.
Shop The Organic Farmer’s Business Handbook on Amazon →
Indoor Herb Gardening by Jessica Walliser
If you’re starting indoors to control environment and extend your growing season, this book details lighting setups, hydration systems, and temperature management. It cuts through the marketing noise around expensive grow lights and tells you what actually works for commercial-scale indoor herb production.
Shop Indoor Herb Gardening on Amazon →
Equipment You Need
Your equipment needs depend on your growing method—outdoor beds, raised containers, or indoor hydroponic systems—and your production scale. Start by deciding if you’re growing seasonally outdoors or year-round indoors, then build your equipment list from there.
Growing Containers and Structures
- 5-gallon food-grade buckets: Inexpensive starter containers for individual herbs. Drill drainage holes and stack efficiently in limited space.
- Raised beds (4×8 or 4×4): For outdoor growing. Pre-made kits run $200–$400; building your own with untreated cedar costs $80–$150 per bed.
- Grow bags (3–7 gallon): Lightweight, portable, and stackable. Better drainage than pots, more durable than buckets for repeated harvests.
- Hydroponic or kratky system components: If growing indoors without soil, you’ll need reservoirs, net pots, and growing medium like expanded clay pellets.
Shop 5-gallon food-grade buckets on Amazon →
Shop raised bed kits on Amazon →
Lighting
- LED grow lights (4–8 bulbs): Full-spectrum LEDs cost $100–$300 but use 40% less electricity than fluorescents and last longer. Essential for indoor year-round production.
- T5 fluorescent fixtures: Cheaper upfront ($40–$80) but less efficient. Adequate for seedlings and low-light herbs, not ideal for mature plant production.
- Timers: Automate 14–16-hour light cycles. Digital timers cost $10–$25.
Shop LED grow lights on Amazon →
Shop digital timers on Amazon →
Watering and Irrigation
- Watering cans (2–3 gallon): Manual watering works for 50–100 plants. Drains quickly and gives you direct control.
- Drip irrigation kits: For larger operations (200+ plants), drip systems save water and time. Basic kits run $50–$150.
- Moisture meters: Inexpensive ($15–$30) and eliminate guessing about when to water. Overwatering kills more herbs than underwatering.
- Spray bottles: For misting seedlings and cuttings. Keep 2–3 on hand.
Shop drip irrigation kits on Amazon →
Shop moisture meters on Amazon →
Soil and Growing Medium
- Potting soil (bulk bags): Use quality, well-draining potting mix, not garden soil. Buy in 50-lb bags at landscape suppliers to save money.
- Perlite or vermiculite: Improves drainage. Mix 20–30% into potting soil for herbs that prefer drier conditions.
- Compost: Amend soil annually for nutrients. Make your own or buy in bulk.
Harvesting and Processing
- Pruning shears: Sharp, bypass pruners ($20–$40) cut cleanly and reduce disease spread. Don’t cheap out—dull tools bruise stems.
- Drying rack or dehydrator: Air-drying racks cost $30–$80. A dedicated dehydrator ($100–$300) accelerates drying and prevents mold in humid climates.
- Herb stripper or leaves-only harvester: Speeds up leaf removal from stems. $15–$25.
- Storage jars (glass, airtight): Keep dried herbs fresh. Dark glass with rubber seals prevents light degradation.
Shop pruning shears on Amazon →
Shop airtight storage jars on Amazon →
Climate Control
- Thermometer and humidity meter: Track growing conditions. Digital combo units cost $15–$30.
- Small fan: Improves air circulation indoors and outdoors, reducing mold and strengthening stems. $20–$50.
- Space heater or cooling mat: Necessary if your growing space drops below 60°F or exceeds 85°F regularly.
Shop thermometer/humidity meters on Amazon →
What to Buy First vs Later
Start lean. Buy only what you need to begin production, then reinvest profits into scaling equipment.
- Month 1 (First $300–$500): Seeds or starter plants, containers, potting soil, pruning shears, moisture meter, watering can.
- Month 2–3: Add drying racks or dehydrator, storage jars, additional lighting if growing indoors.
- Month 4+: Drip irrigation, thermometer/humidity monitor, additional growing space, scales for packaging.
- Year 2: Automated systems (timers, climate controllers), larger dehydrator, packaging equipment based on what you sell.
New vs Used Equipment
Buy new growing containers, soil, and anything that contacts plants. Used soil carries disease. Buy used for shelving units, tables, storage containers, and grow lights if they’re in working condition. Check used grow lights with a light meter before purchasing—LED efficiency degrades over years.
Seeds and starter plants are where you build quality in. Spend more on disease-free, vigorous plants from reputable growers rather than saving $2 on weak seedlings. Your labor cost per plant matters more than the plant’s cost. One weak basil plant might yield half the dried product of a strong one but requires the same water and attention.
Where to Buy
- Local landscape suppliers: Buy soil, mulch, and fertilizer in bulk at better per-unit prices than garden centers. Build relationships for seasonal discounts.
- Farmers markets and garden clubs: Source starter plants from local growers. They’re often healthier and acclimated to your climate.
- Seed companies: Territorial Seeds, Johnny’s Seeds, and Fedco offer business discounts at volume (50+ packets). Better genetics than big-box stores.
- Restaurant supply stores: Buy commercial-grade storage containers, prep tables, and scales here instead of retail versions.
- Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist: Find used shelving, grow lights, and dehydrators locally. Avoid shipping heavy items.
- Hydroponics shops: If you’re growing indoors, local hydro stores beat online for troubleshooting advice and bulk nutrient buying.