Plant Cultivation Containers:40 ft Vegetable Container Farm Basil, Mint and Culinary Herbs Programme
PRODUCT OVERVIEW
The container breaks Basil, Mint and Culinary Herbs production into manageable steps: nursery or direct seeding, transplant, light recipe, nutrient control and harvest. Each step has a defined zone and record, so a new operator can follow the process card.
The controller stores a recipe per variety - photoperiod, intensity, nutrient concentration, irrigation frequency and climate - so a crop change is a recipe call, not a rebuild.
Multi-cut herbs with low yield per cycle but high unit value, well suited to direct restaurant supply.
Commercial farms run the unit as a standard production module: plant weekly, harvest weekly, with 10 - 14 Basil, Mint and Culinary Herbs cycles a year delivered to wholesale markets and processors.
CROP AND OUTPUT DATA
Variety | Basil, Mint and Culinary Herbs (Specialty green) |
Growing cycle (transplant to harvest) | 25 - 35 days |
Unit weight | marketable weight |
Plants per cycle | approx. 3,300 - 5,800 |
Yield per cycle | 100 - 180 kg |
Cycles per year | 10 - 14 |
Annual output (estimate) | 1,000 - 2,520 kg |
Propagation | Seed or cuttings |
Crop difficulty | Moderate |
Figures follow the 40 ft standard container baseline with about five growing tiers. Yield per cycle and annual output are estimates; actual results vary with tier count, light recipe, CO2 level and crop management.
KEY ADVANTAGES
· CO2 held at 800 - 1,200 ppm keeps photosynthetic efficiency stable.
· The 40 ft ISO shell ships on a standard flatbed and is lifted into place on site.
· 3,300 - 5,800 plants per cycle and 100 - 180 kg per cycle make output plannable against contracts.
· The insulated envelope with fresh air and dehumidification holds recipe conditions all year.
· At 15 - 30 kg of fresh greens a day, one unit matches a mid-sized restaurant or community scheme.
· 10 - 14 cycles a year keep the same unit producing continuously without a seasonal break.
· Controlled cycle: Basil, Mint and Culinary Herbs reaches harvest 25 - 35 days after transplant, more than 50% faster than open-field production.
· Per-tier LED recipes give more uniform leaf colour, plant shape and head weight.
CONTAINER CONFIGURATION
Footprint | 12.19 x 2.44 x 2.90 m (40 ft ISO container) |
Growing system | Approx. 5 tiers, hydroponic or aeroponic |
Scale per cycle | 3,300 - 5,800 plants |
Temperature | 18 - 24 °C, set per variety |
Relative humidity | 60 - 75% |
CO2 concentration | 800 - 1,200 ppm |
Lighting | LED recipe, dimmable per tier |
Nutrient solution | Closed loop with automatic EC and pH control |
Energy reference | 0.8 - 1.2 kWh per kg of fresh greens; electricity about 60 - 70% of operating cost |
Control and monitoring | PLC, touchscreen HMI, remote monitoring and alarms |
Delivery | Pre-commissioned at the factory, set and connected on site |
CLIMATE AND CONTROL
CO2 control interlocks with ventilation: enrichment during the light period lifts photosynthesis, while night ventilation controls humidity and prevents leaf-surface condensation.
The controller stores recipes by variety - temperature, humidity, photoperiod, irrigation frequency and nutrient targets - called up as a set. Changing crops loads a new recipe while batch history is retained.
CULTIVATION AND SCHEDULING
The nutrient recipe shifts by stage: lower EC after transplant to encourage rooting, higher potassium and calcium later, and tighter water before harvest to improve shelf life.
The standard schedule assumes a 40 ft unit with about five tiers: plant one batch and harvest one batch each week, giving 10 - 14 Basil, Mint and Culinary Herbs cycles a year. Adjust to order structure and harvest labour.
DELIVERY, TRAINING AND SERVICE
Training centres on four tasks: planting and harvest, nutrient maintenance, recipe calls and common alarms. Most teams run shifts independently within a week.
Consumables are stocked regionally - filters, nutrient salts, plug trays and channel parts - with standard items shipped within five working days.
