Kids can make money and learn many valuable life skills by starting a gardening business.

Gardening businesses are good ways for kids to earn money for several reasons:

• Most gardening businesses are inexpensive to start. Most gardening businesses can be started with a few simple tools and some seeds or young plants, which are generally cheap to purchase. In general, gardening businesses require more labor than money to start.
• Gardening businesses get kids out in the fresh air and sunshine. With childhood obesity on the rise around the world, a gardening business is a great way to motivate kids to get more exercise, fresh air, and sunshine.
• Gardening businesses teach kids valuable life skills. Not only can kids learn valuable money and business management skills, they will also learn gardening, one of the most useful life skills in the world. In the words of urban homesteader Jules Dervaes, "If you can grow food, it's empowering. In fact, i believe growing food is one of the most dangerous occupations on the face of this earth, because you're in danger of becoming free."

The disadvantage of gardening businesses is the uncertainty. A late frost can kill your carefully nurtured seedlings, a pest infestation take a bite out of your harvest. However, these too can provide valuable experience and skills for kids.

Here are some ideas for gardening businesses kids can start:

Although mechanical mowers should not be operated by children, mowing lawns is a classic money-making idea for teens, and raking autumn leaves is appropriate for both children and teenagers.

Many kids and teens will be able to develop a good clientele simply by going door-to-door; others can advertise (with parental permission and supervision) on Craigslist or similar sites.

A creative twist on the classic lemonade stand!

Kids can sell produce they've grown with nothing more than a folding chair, an old card table, and a hand-lettered sign advertising the day's produce. If they want, they can sell lemonade too.

Ambitious junior businessmen and women can visit local farmer's markets to get an idea about what's popular and what kind of prices to charge.

Some ideas:

• gourmet salad greens
  
• sweet corn
• watermelon
• heirloom tomatoes
• strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, or blueberries
• pumpkins

Organic produce not only commands a higher price, it is also safer for the young gardener to grow. Due to health concerns over chemical pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers, children should never be allowed to apply them themselves.

Flower arrangements, both fresh and dried, are ever popular. Kids can make money by selling them in a variety of ways, from a simple stand, to door-to-door sales, to taking orders for custom bouquets.

Flower arrangements are actually an example of a "value added product." Value added products are great for kids with gardening businesses because they allow kids to charge higher prices and increase their income. They also teach additional skills. For example, a young strawberry farmer can learn to make jam, or strawberry-rhubarb pie, and sell those for higher prices than simple strawberries. A young entrepreneur who enjoys crafts could grow Indian corn to create dried arrangements for fall decorations, or gourds to carve into bird houses. Even something as simple as a string of colorful dried peppers can fetch a higher price than the same peppers lying in a basket.

Be aware that some value-added products, such as certain baked goods, may require a license to sell if they become a serious, full-time business.

One of the first things any gardener learns is the importance of good soil. Good soil is key to improving the health of plants, and therefore their yield. Healthy soil also requires less watering, reducing overhead costs.

Young gardeners can make some extra money AND improve their soil by starting a worm bin. The worms will convert table scraps, weeds, and other yard waste into rich and beautiful soil that can be added to the garden, and some can be harvested periodically to sell as fishing bait, reptile food, or to other compost enthusiasts.