Yesterday I had a play date with Mrs. Farmer and her two boys, the kids played while we picked out seeds for the coming garden. The initial goal was to buy seeds together in order to cut the cost and waste. Some packets of seeds have so many you will never use in a season (not that you can't save them, if stored properly) so it makes sense to share with another person. While we were going through the catalog I mentioned that a goal of mine this year was to get most of my vegetables from my garden and not the store, then added, "because I'm going to use the money I save for a trip to Europe". Her response....laughter and "you can't save that much money from a garden". Granted my statement was meant as a joke, but then I started thinking, there has got to be ways to really save money with all this.
It seems pretty basic, dirt, seeds and water equals a garden. Unfortunately, there is more t to it than that. My goal is to have a nice garden that produces vegetables my family will use and do it with minimal amount of money. Do I think I'm going to be able to save so much money my family will be traveling to Europe on it, no, not even close.
Share Seeds:
Even though Mrs. Farmer and I ended up not sharing seeds it really is a good way to save money. Tomatoes, peas, beans, pumpkins, zucchini or a few that would be good to share. There's usually more seeds than any one person is going to use. If you are ordering them and they don't offer free shipping or you haven't met the required amount for it then you will save money by sharing that cost as well.
Grow From Seed:
For a few dollars you get a packet of seeds that will yield many plants. Take tomatoes for instance, they are usually five or so dollars for a plant ready to go in the ground with a few flowers already on it, but the packet of seeds will give you many more. Yes, you have to put in the work, but it's all about saving some money.
Use What You Have:
Look around your yard for items that work in your garden. Have lots of trees, use their branches to make a trellis for your peas. People are always complaining about how invasive bamboo can be, well did you know the stalks make excellent trellises, offer to cut some down for said complainer. Rocks, don't overlook rocks, they make great boarders, especially if you have the big ones.
Raid Your Kitchen:
Food containers make excellent seed starting containers. They are food safe, only need a few holes in the bottom to be ready and you are doing something other than tossing more garbage into the trash. Yogurt containers are plentiful in my home so those are my go to seed starter. I have tried using egg cartons but find they mold and become unstable way before the seedling is ready to be transplanted. The only mild success I've had with them is with peas, but maybe it's just me. Also, be keeping those fruit and vegetable scraps for your compost. I know this isn't always possible for people that live in apartments or a term I read on someone's blog "high maintenance suburbia" but if you can it is a great way to amend your soil on the cheap.
Don't Get Sucked In:
I love going to garden shows, all the fancy nurseries, flipping through gardening magazines, however, all those fancy and flashy gardens come at a cost. Use them as ideas then go home and recreate a similar look on the cheap. One item that always cracks me up are the plant markers. Yes, they are super cute at the end of the rows standing there all pretty letting everyone know what is growing, but those things can be expensive. I was looking at some that were $14.95 for one, not a pack, ONE. There were no diamonds on it, no Swarovski crystals dangling, no, it was a little stick with a decorated piece of wood that said "basil". Um, no thanks.... Pinterest can be your friend, after an hour (or six), you will have garden ideas for days. Get the kids involved, call it an art project because we all know they love those.
Most of all, have fun. Being outside, enjoying the sun, getting some exercise (gardening counts, just ask my doctor), spending time with the kids and getting some home grown vegetables, that's what it's all about. I use gardening as math lessons with my kids as well, we count seeds, rows, plants, etc... It's good cheap fun I tell ya!
Now that the chickens are confined to their area my garden stands a chance this year. Crossing my fingers I have updates and pictures to share as the season progresses.
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