A complete guide to modern container farms—what they are, how they work, the core equipment, crop choices, daily workflow, costs, and how to launch successfully.
AT A GLANCE
• Self-contained farms built inside 20’ or 40’ insulated shipping containers
• Year-round production of leafy greens, herbs, microgreens, strawberries, mushrooms (with tweaks)
• Controlled light, temperature, humidity, CO₂, and irrigation for consistent yields
• Scales from a backyard lot to parking lots, schools, hospitals, restaurants, and food deserts
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HOW A CONTAINER FARM WORKS
- Lighting delivers a target PPFD/DLI (plant-usable light per day).
- HVAC + dehumidification hold temperature and humidity for plant health.
- Irrigation/fertigation provides water and nutrients on a schedule.
- Sensors/controls automate setpoints and send alerts.
- A clean “wash/pack” corner preps and chills produce for delivery.
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CORE COMPONENTS (WHAT’S INSIDE)
• Structure: insulated container, interior liner, doors and seals
• Racking: single or multi-tier vertical shelving; trays or NFT gullies
• Lighting: high-efficiency LED bars/strips with dimming
• HVAC/Dehumidifier: sized to remove plant transpiration and heat from lights
• Irrigation/Fertigation: reservoir, pumps, filters, valves, pH/EC control
• Controls & Sensors: temp/RH, CO₂ (optional), water level, leak detection, data logging
• Sanitation: handwash sink, food-safe surfaces, cleaning tools and logs
• Power: 208–240 V service (3-phase preferred on larger builds), dedicated circuits
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CROP PROFILES (STARTER TARGETS)
Leafy Greens (lettuce, salad mix, kale): fast cycles, steady demand; high margin retail.
Herbs (basil, cilantro, parsley, mint): strong pricing, pair with restaurants and CSAs.
Microgreens: very fast turnover; great for cash flow and winter sales.
Strawberries/Small Fruits: higher complexity; zoning, high-PPFD, precise climate.
Mushrooms (oyster, lion’s mane): separate chamber; cool temps and high humidity.
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LAYOUTS & SIZING (TYPICAL)
20′ Container (starter)
• 1–2 tiers of racks; 4–6 LED bars; smaller HVAC/dehu package
• Best for microgreens, starts, or greens pilot
40′ Container (standard)
• 2–3 tiers; 8–16 LED bars; dedicated HVAC + dehu
• Leafy greens/herbs at commercial scale; optional fruiting zone
Rule of thumb: split equipment into zones for redundancy (e.g., two dehumidifiers instead of one large unit).
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ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL (PLAIN ENGLISH)
• Temperature: greens 60–70°F, herbs 65–75°F (crop dependent)
• Humidity: target VPD (vapor pressure deficit) sweet spot to avoid disease
• Dehumidification: remove plant transpiration + infiltration moisture
• Airflow: gentle, uniform circulation prevents microclimates
• CO₂ (optional): can boost growth when light and nutrients are optimized
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LIGHTING BASICS
• Use fixture efficacy ≥2.6 µmol/J; dim to hit targets, don’t blast 100% by default
• Leafy greens: PPFD 250–350, 16 h photoperiod (DLI ≈ 14–20)
• Herbs: PPFD 250–450, 14–18 h
• Fruiting crops: PPFD 500–900, 12–16 h
Formula: DLI = PPFD × hours × 3600 ÷ 1,000,000
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WATER & FERTIGATION
• Closed-loop hydro (NFT, DWC, or substrate) with filtered water
• Maintain pH and EC ranges by crop; calibrate probes weekly
• Replace/refresh solution on a schedule; sanitize lines and reservoirs
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WORKFLOW: SEED → HARVEST (WEEKLY RHYTHM)
• Monday: seed/propagate; check reservoirs; log temps/RH/PPFD/DLI
• Tuesday: transplant; adjust light height/dimmer; IPM scouting
• Wednesday: prune/clean; top off nutrients; verify dehu drains
• Thursday: harvest & wash/pack; pre-cool produce
• Friday: deliveries; invoice; sanitize tools and trays
• Weekend: review yields, losses, and kWh; order supplies
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COST SNAPSHOT (PLANNING RANGES)
• New turnkey 40′: $120k–$250k + site power/logistics
• Used turnkey 40′: $60k–$150k (verify hours and service logs)
• DIY retrofit 40′: $45k–$100k+ (skill and spec dependent)
• Monthly electricity (typical 40′): 5,000–15,000 kWh → cost depends on your $/kWh
• Labor: design for 15–30 hrs/week per 40′ (greens/herbs), then refine
Electricity estimate: kWh/month = (Total Watts × hours/day × 30) ÷ 1000
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REVENUE MODELS
• Restaurants & Cafés: weekly standing orders (greens, herbs, microgreens)
• CSA & Subscriptions: prepaid boxes; smooths cash flow
• Farmers’ Markets: best retail margins; great for brand building
• Grocers & Co-ops: steady wholesale volume; lower margin
• Institutions: schools/hospitals/hospitality; requires consistency and food-safety docs
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LAUNCH CHECKLIST (NO-EXCUSES START)
□ Site secured (power, water, drainage, delivery access)
□ Electrical plan (panel capacity, breakers, outlets, GFCI where required)
□ Dehumidification sized to plant load (not just room size)
□ LED layout with PPFD/DLI targets printed and posted
□ SOPs for seeding, transplant, fertigation, sanitation, and harvest
□ Food-safety basics (gloves, sanitizer, logs, cleanable surfaces)
□ Sales channel chosen (2–3 restaurants + 1 CSA or 1 market)
□ Weekly metrics sheet (lbs harvested, $/lb, kWh, losses)
□ Spare parts (filters, pumps, pH/EC probes, hoses, hose clamps)
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BUYING USED? INSPECTION POINTS
• Hours on dehumidifier, compressors, and LED drivers
• PAR/PPFD map (current), not just when it was new
• Reservoir integrity, pump head pressure, leak history
• Controller firmware; export access; alarm history
• Doors/seals/insulation; visible condensation or rust
• Service logs and any open recalls/warranty notes
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COMMON PITFALLS (AND FIXES)
• Running lights at 100%: dim to PPFD/DLI targets; save kWh and reduce stress
• Undersized dehumidification: ice on coils, disease pressure—right-size and improve airflow
• Poor sanitation flow: dedicate wash zone; maintain logs; sanitize trays and lines
• Over-complex recipes: standardize nutrients; change one variable at a time
• No redundancy: two smaller dehus > one large; backup pumps and a spare LED driver
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FOOD SAFETY BASICS
• Clean harvest tools and tables; separate dirty/clean zones
• Label dates/batches; keep cold chain for leafy greens
• Maintain handwash station and sanitizer logs
• Use materials rated for food contact where required
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SUSTAINABILITY & COMMUNITY
• Local greens reduce transport miles and food waste
• Reclaim condensate (where permitted), compost trims, choose efficient LEDs/HVAC
• Partner with schools, food banks, and culinary programs for impact
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Do I need 3-phase power?
Not always. Many 40′ builds can run single-phase with proper design, but 3-phase smooths loads and can reduce breaker trips.
How fast can I start?
Used turnkey: weeks. New turnkey: months. DIY: depends on skill and inspections.
Can I grow tomatoes in a 40′?
Yes, with high light, trellising, and strong dehumidification—more advanced than greens.
What about CO₂ enrichment?
Optional; add once light, nutrients, and climate are dialed in. Monitor carefully.
How do I price product?
Know all-in cost per unit (inputs + labor + overhead). Target retail margin 40–60%; wholesale 25–40%.
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SIMPLE ONE-PAGE PLAN (COPY THIS)
• Products: salad mix, basil, microgreens
• Channels: 2 restaurants + 1 CSA + 1 weekly market
• Weekly Targets: 200 lb greens, 40 lb herbs, 50 micro trays
• KPIs: $/lb, lbs/week, % loss, kWh/week, labor hours/week
• 90-Day Goals: hit consistent yields, reduce losses <5%, add 1 new restaurant
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READY-TO-SEND EMAIL TO RESTAURANTS (TEMPLATE)
Subject: Local container-grown greens every week – [Your Farm]
Hi [Chef Name],
We grow clean, consistent greens and herbs year-round in a controlled-environment container farm.
Weekly availability (delivered [Days]):
• Salad Mix – $[price]/lb (min 5 lb)
• Basil – $[price]/lb
• Microgreens (sunflower/pea/radish) – $[price]/lb
Happy to drop a sample and a spec sheet.
Thanks,
[Name], [Farm] – [Phone] | [Email]
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CONCLUSION
Container farming makes year-round production possible almost anywhere. Start with one or two core crops, hit your PPFD/VPD targets, keep a tight sanitation flow, and build 2–3 reliable sales channels. Track your numbers weekly and grow what sells.
© 2025 Container Farming Guide.