40 ft Vegetable Container Farm Loose-leaf Lettuce Programme
PRODUCT OVERVIEW
Leafy green prices swing mainly because harvest dates are uncontrollable. In the container, Loose-leaf Lettuce moves from transplant to harvest in 22 - 28 days, and with tiered lighting and CO2 control the harvest date can be fixed weeks ahead and orders fulfilled weekly.
CO2 is held at 800 - 1,200 ppm, enriched during the light period and ventilated at night to balance photosynthesis with humidity control.
Short cycle and fast turnaround, suited to high-frequency small-batch supply and salad mixes.
Urban and rooftop projects have little space; the unit occupies one container footprint yet delivers 13 - 15 Loose-leaf Lettuce cycles a year to a community distribution point.
CROP AND OUTPUT DATA
Variety | Loose-leaf Lettuce (Leafy green) |
Growing cycle (transplant to harvest) | 22 - 28 days |
Unit weight | 100 - 150 g |
Plants per cycle | approx. 3,300 - 5,800 |
Yield per cycle | 400 - 600 kg |
Cycles per year | 13 - 15 |
Annual output (estimate) | 5,200 - 9,000 kg |
Propagation | Plug seedlings or direct seeding |
Crop difficulty | Easy |
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.
· Batch records of temperature, EC, pH and light trace each harvest back to a specific tier.
· 3,300 - 5,800 plants per cycle and 400 - 600 kg per cycle make output plannable against contracts.
· The 40 ft ISO shell ships on a standard flatbed and is lifted into place on site.
· The unit can be shared with other leafy varieties on a weekly rotation for a more flexible product mix.
· Controlled cycle: Loose-leaf Lettuce reaches harvest 22 - 28 days after transplant, more than 50% faster than open-field production.
· 13 - 15 cycles a year keep the same unit producing continuously without a seasonal break.
· Seedlings account for roughly 5 - 12% of operating cost, keeping the cost structure transparent.
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
Planting density is held at 3,300 - 5,800 plants per cycle, with spacing and tier height matched to plant habit; harvest is graded to 100 - 150 g per head.
The standard schedule assumes a 40 ft unit with about five tiers: plant one batch and harvest one batch each week, giving 13 - 15 Loose-leaf Lettuce cycles a year. Adjust to order structure and harvest labour.
DELIVERY, TRAINING AND SERVICE
Commissioning covers nutrient mixing, EC and pH probe calibration, per-tier light measurement and climate interlock tests, confirmed item by item against the recipe.
Quarterly preventive maintenance covers filter changes, probe calibration, pump inspection, light-output measurement and alarm testing.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Can the operating data be exported?
The controller stores temperature, humidity, CO2, EC, pH and light by batch, exportable for order audits and origin documentation.
Where do the seedlings come from?
Either plug seedlings or direct seeding. Plugs arrive with intact roots and no transplant shock; direct seeding skips the nursery at lower cost but occupies the bed longer. Seedlings are about 5 - 12% of operating cost.
What is the typical energy consumption?
The industry reference for leafy greens is about 0.8 - 1.2 kWh per kilogram, with electricity around 60 - 70% of operating cost, varying with climate, tier count and light recipe.
How many units can one operator manage?
Under a standard schedule, one operator can cover daily rounds, nutrient top-up and harvest coordination for two to three units, with extra hands at harvest peaks.
CONTACT AND DATA NOTES
Hangzhou Hengyu Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd. designs, builds and delivers complete container farms. Share your site conditions, target varieties and daily volume, and we will return a layout, a crop schedule and an energy estimate. Figures in this document use the 40 ft standard container (about five growing tiers) as the baseline and are estimates; output varies with tier count, light recipe, CO2 level and crop management, and is not a performance guarantee.
