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Vertical Farm Tier Yield Estimator

Estimate a vertical farm's annual output from plants per tray, tier count, turns (grow cycles) per year, and a yield-per-plant figure you supply from your own data.

Estimated annual yield96.0 kg/year

How to measure your inputs

  • Yield per plant: from your own harvest records or a specific variety's documented trial data — not a generic average.
  • Turns per year: usable growing days divided by (grow cycle days + any reset time between cycles).

Methodology

Direct multiplication: annual yield = plants per tray × tiers × turns per year × yield per plant. No preset yield-per-plant figures, since real-world values vary too much by variety and growing method to responsibly generalize.

Why this calculator asks for your own yield-per-plant figure

Yield per plant varies too much to preset reliably

Even within one crop, yield per plant swings enormously by variety, growing conditions, light levels, and training method — a "typical" figure from a generic table could be off by 2-3x for your specific setup. Rather than present a number likely to mislead, this calculator asks for a figure you actually trust: your own past harvest data, a specific variety’s supplier trial data, or a documented figure from your exact growing method.

What turns per year really means

This is how many full grow-to-harvest cycles a tray completes in a year — for a fast crop with a 4-week cycle, that could be 10-12 turns/year accounting for cleaning/reset time between cycles; for a slower crop, it might be 4-6. Getting this number right matters as much as yield per plant, since it directly multiplies your annual total.

Using this to compare scaling scenarios

Once you have a baseline estimate, this calculator is useful for quickly comparing "what if" scenarios — adding a tier, increasing plant density, or shortening the grow cycle — by changing one input at a time and seeing the proportional effect on annual yield.

Frequently asked questions

Where do I get a reliable yield-per-plant figure?

Your own past harvest records are the most trustworthy source since they reflect your actual setup. Failing that, a seed supplier’s documented trial data for your specific variety is a reasonable second choice — avoid generic "average yield" figures that don’t specify growing conditions.

Does this account for crop failures or lower germination?

No — this assumes every planted slot reaches harvest at your stated yield per plant. Build in your own realistic loss rate by reducing the plants-per-tray figure if failures are a regular part of your operation.

How many turns per year is realistic?

It depends entirely on your crop’s grow cycle plus any downtime between cycles for cleaning/reset — divide roughly 350 usable growing days by (grow cycle days + reset days) to estimate a realistic figure for your specific operation.

Can I use this for a single-tier setup, not a full vertical farm?

Yes — just set tiers to 1. The math works identically for a single grow table as for a multi-tier rack.