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Backyard Bazaars

Custom Terrarium Charcoal Drain Layer Producer

Crush and grade horticultural charcoal into sized drainage gravel kits for indoor terrarium building enthusiasts.

Startup Cost: £25 Location: Remote/Home Difficulty: Easy Useful side income A few hours a week

Earning and time figures are our broad estimates, not guarantees — actual results depend on your area, your effort and demand.

Why it's left-field

Craft lovers buy bags of meticulously crushed lumpwood charcoal prepared in your garden shed.

How it works

  1. 1Source additive-free lumpwood charcoal and crush it into 5mm gravel sizing.
  2. 2Bag the graded charcoal in branded kraft pouches with drainage instructions.
  3. 3List product packs on handmade craft platforms and plant community forums.

Official platforms

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Get the Selling Crafts & Natural Materials kit (£5)

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Backyard Bazaars

Homegrown Dried Herb Bundle Seller

Bundles of home-dried mint, rosemary, thyme and lavender — grown in a bed or pots — sell as kitchen and craft staples at markets and online.

Startup cost: Startup Cost: £10-£20Location: Location: Home/MarketsDifficulty: Difficulty: EasyEarning potential: Useful side incomeTime needed: A few hours a week

Why it's left-field

Supermarket herbs cost pennies but arrive damp and wilted; a beautiful dried bundle from a real garden looks generous and sells at craft-fair prices.

Backyard Bazaars

Upcycled Drawer Planter Maker

Old wooden drawers become charming herb and salad planters — salvaged free from skips and refits, then sold filled with plants at markets.

Startup cost: Startup Cost: £10-£20Location: Location: Home/MarketsDifficulty: Difficulty: EasyEarning potential: Useful side incomeTime needed: A few hours a week

Why it's left-field

The materials cost nothing and the finished piece looks deliberately rustic, which is precisely what garden buyers pay extra for.

Backyard Bazaars

Pet Memorial Stone Painter

Hand-painted stones with a pet's name and dates — made from free or cheap stone — sell steadily to grieving owners who want something personal.

Startup cost: Startup Cost: £10-£20Location: Location: Remote/HomeDifficulty: Difficulty: EasyEarning potential: Useful side incomeTime needed: A few hours a week

Why it's left-field

Grief doesn't check price lists, and a painted stone made to order feels irreplaceable in a way mass-produced plaques never do.