Growing food to save money

**ClairS** · 06-01-2008, 10:53 AM

I am just astonished at the price of fresh vegetables lately.. it is ridiculous that a pound of tomatoes is close to $4 and squash is at $2 a pound. Vegetables are now more expensive than meat here.

My solution was to start a garden. At least I can eat cheaply during the summer! Is anyone else doing this?

Clair

**Mamaof2rugrats** · 06-01-2008, 11:02 AM

Yep, we're doing a garden over at my folk's house since we live in an apartment.

**ClairS** · 06-01-2008, 11:10 AM

What are you growing?

**coup** · 06-01-2008, 11:14 AM

Count us in!

We even expanded it this year!

We are growing pumpkins, tomatoes, peppers, green beans, zuchini, summer squash, and cukes. I thinkthe frost got the melon plant...I'm not sure we'll replace it.

My goal is to expand it each year and to add perrinials, like asparagus, strawberries, and rhubarb.

Good luck to all gardeners!

**ClairS** · 06-01-2008, 11:30 AM

same here.. we started out last year, and it did so well even out in our wild Wyoming weather, we built 3 greenhouses. We've already had salads from our greenhouse lettuce for the past month, and my tomato plants are a foot high, which is pretty amazing, considering last year, it SNOWED here on June 7. I'm hoping to extend our growing season by about two months with these greenhouses. Our overall goal is to be able to grow at least the cole crops (lettuce, radishes, etc..) in the winter time..

**latierra84** · 06-01-2008, 11:33 AM

lots of tomatoes growing here, some radish, lettuce, greenbeans (best growers yet) and various herbs. a few carrots and melons but they are taking a long long time.

**Mamaof2rugrats** · 06-01-2008, 11:41 AM

Tomatoes,Peppers,Carrots,Strawberries,Lettuce,Herbs

**larabelle** · 06-01-2008, 11:43 AM

Yep, I am growing swiss chard on my patio in containers.
I plan use it in salads and make meals of salads and potatos. At least potatos are still reasonably priced.

**The Muse** · 06-01-2008, 11:51 AM

This is my first gardening year! I have 4 SFG beds with 5 types of tomatoes, summer squash, zucchini, pole beans, strawberries, spring greens, romaine, red peppers, green peppers, radishes, carrots, cucumbers, sage, basil, oregano, chives, and parsley. I think that's it, might've forgotten an herb or two.

DH and I are vegetarians and those are the things we use most, so hopefully we'll save some money!

**PrairieRose** · 06-01-2008, 12:58 PM

The savings factor is actually secondary for us...the flavor factor ranks #1. It does save a goodly amount of money too.

**ironmaiden** · 06-01-2008, 01:00 PM

strawberries
pole green beans
cukes
tomatoes
basil (I make pesto and freeze it)
green and red peppers
chives

**Drgnfly423** · 06-01-2008, 01:04 PM

I've never had a garden before, and we have a very small yard. This year I think I'm planting a tomato in a pot and some herbs, just for a start. We have two dogs, and we don't have a huge budget to separate out a section of the yard so they don't trample it. Maybe we can do more next year. Does anyone have suggestions for veggies that can be planted in larger pots?

**shoiji** · 06-01-2008, 01:56 PM

Growing lettuce, spinach, strawberries and herbs on patio. There are times I really wish I had a nice plot of land!!

Drgnfly423 you might want to try lettuce. It is so easy to grow in pots. I am planning on planting lettuce again in the fall.

**IntlMom** · 06-01-2008, 02:00 PM

This is my first year to garden in our new home....the dirt is JUNK, so I am trying to amend it best I can. My veggies and fruits are going to take a few years to really do well, but at least I've got some in the ground, and some in better than none. I have squash (green and yellow), potatoes, tomatoes, yellow peppers(YUM!!), strawberries started, watermelon, cantelope, and other berries started.

**knotme** · 06-01-2008, 06:03 PM

I have peach trees, pear trees, apple trees, blackberries, raspberries, grapes, cherries, and blueberries in my yard. They are producing a lot. This year looks like a bumper crop for me. I did get tomatoes in the ground, but no other veggies yet. (funky weather here and i haven't had a chance to put anything else in yet.) I've had great success with potatoes (enough so that I haven't had to buy potatoes from the store in over 4 years. when I did finally go in to buy potatoes....... Sticker shock) had great success with cukes, squash, green beans and corn too. Not good luck with peas or melons of any sort. It took me several years to get good soil, but it is worth the effort amending it.

We compost everything back into the garden that we can. veggie peels, egg shells, corn husks, tomatoe skins, bean ends from snapping beans for canning etc. Onion skins, carrot peels, potato peels etc. all great to compost back into the garden.