Growing Culinary Herbs for Market

Which herbs are the easiest to sell?

Basil, parsley, cilantro, chives, mint, dill, oregano, thyme and sage are common choices. Basil is popular in summer, while cool-season herbs fit spring and fall.

Extension crop guides describe herbs as small-acreage crops with strong local demand in some areas and weak demand in others. Ask buyers before you plant, not after.

Start with three or four herbs and learn their habits. Keep an eye on which herbs your own household uses. Crops you know how to cook and judge by taste are easier to grow well and to describe honestly to a buyer. Dill and cilantro are fast and need frequent sowing, while rosemary and sage are slow and long lived. Mixing fast and slow crops spreads your workload and your income across the season, and it protects you if one crop fails.

How do I find out if there is demand?

Talk to chefs, grocers, farmers market managers and your own customers. Ask what they buy now, how they want it packed and how often they would order.

Visit the market and see what is already sold. A glut of basil in July may mean a chance for something less common, such as sorrel or lemon balm.

Keep notes on price ranges you see, but do not assume a price. Set your own after you add up costs. A small written survey of five or six buyers, with questions about what they use, how often and what form they want, is worth more than guessing and is cheap to do.

How should I plan plantings?

Plan around your frost dates and soil temperature. Basil needs warm soil and is easily hurt by cold, while parsley and cilantro handle cooler weather. Cilantro bolts quickly in heat, so plant often in small batches.

Perennial herbs such as thyme, sage and chives save work year after year but need their own bed and some winter protection in cold zones.

Use drip or careful watering, since many herbs hate wet feet. Soil that drains well, fertility guided by a soil test and good air movement keep leaf diseases down. Raised beds suit many herbs, particularly those from dry regions such as thyme and oregano.

• Succession sow quick herbs
• Give perennials a permanent bed
• Group by water needs
• Leave room for harvest paths

How do I harvest and pack herbs?

Harvest in the cool of morning, cut above growing points so plants regrow, and move bunches into shade quickly. Many herbs wilt fast, so cooling and gentle handling matter.

Bunch, trim and pack in clean food-grade containers or sleeves. Do not wash basil in cold water unless you know your buyer wants it, since cold damages it.

Keep records of what you cut and what you sell. Consistent bunch size and neat trimming make your product look professional and help buyers plan. Pick a standard and stick to it, then label with your farm name and the herb.

What food safety and sales rules apply?

Rules for selling fresh herbs, dried herbs and value-added products such as blends, vinegars or oils are local and vary by state, county and town. Dried or processed herb products often have additional rules.

Ask your state department of agriculture, your county health department and your extension office what licenses or labels you need.

Do not sell preserved products, such as herbs in oil, without checking tested safe methods, since low-acid mixtures can carry botulism risk. Many sellers also need to follow rules about weights, labels and sales tax. These are local and vary, so ask rather than guess, and keep copies of whatever permits you are given.

Can small herb sales pay?

Add up seed, plants, soil, water, packaging, transport, market fees and labor. Compare that to what buyers will pay after you have a few weeks of sales data.

Many small growers find herbs work best as one part of a mixed market stand, not as a stand-alone business.

Start with one bed, sell it for a season and decide from your records. Track the time spent on each herb, not only the cost of materials. Some herbs, such as mint, need little labor, and others, like cilantro succession plantings, need steady attention.

What should I do first this season?

Pick three herbs, talk to three buyers and sketch a simple bed plan that includes planting dates by frost date. Start small enough that you can keep every plant harvested and clean.

Write down your costs and sales every week from the beginning. These records will tell you whether herbs deserve more space next year, and they are useful if a market manager or buyer asks about your practices.

Last reviewed: November 12, 2026. Written by the Homestead & Small Farm Editorial Team. See our editorial policy.