GYOG (Grow Your Own Groceries)

**madhen** · 08-19-2008, 04:02 PM

I have found that the best way to cut back on my grocery bill was to think about what I use the most of, in terms of produce and, if possible, grow my own. I have spent several years planting fruit trees (three or four a year) with the fruits I eat the most, and also trying to account for ripening times (just harvested peaches and figs) so that I'll have fruit all year round. Many trees can also be propagated from soft-wood cuttings, so you can start one, then the next year, start several more from the same tree. I've had really good luck with figs and blackberries that way. Also, some fruit, like strawberries, propagates itself with runners.

Also, I spent the late winter poring over the gardening catalogues and really thinking about what I would eat and what I just wanted because it would be cool to grow. This spring, I planted just a few things, but they were all veggies and fruits that I knew I would use or could store (tomatoes, beans, etc.) The only thing I splurged on was ground cherries. They sounded cool, and they propogate from seed, so I took the gamble and bought some "pineapple ground cherries." I found I didn't like them all that much, but I will plant the remaining seeds on a slope this spring, as they make very pretty ground cover and the birds think the fruit is pretty good. Maybe it will divert the mockingbirds from my blackberries!!

**StaceyS** · 08-19-2008, 04:11 PM

Sounds like you have a great plan! I can't wait until I get my own land. Most fruits take a year or two to establish enough to produce, and I haven't been in one place long enough!

**hugxlaughxsmilexlove** · 08-19-2008, 08:35 PM

I am dying to have my own garden here next year. I have a lot of planning to do. We live on farm land so we have a lot of space! I want tomatoes, peppers, corn, beans, watermelon, pumpkins.. everything! Again, I have a lot of planning to do.. I don't know the first thing about gardening and I grew up in the country.. okay, maybe a little

**paperlady** · 08-19-2008, 08:56 PM

We've been growing our on groceries for years. This year, for the first time, we've been infested by white flies. Beautiful tomato plants, but fruit is no good. Have gotten some summer peas, but squash died from the infestation. Butterbeans are not making because of the flies. Even found the plague of them on our okra. Nothing county agent suggested has worked to rid us of them. One person said only winter will kill them. We have three freezers and two of them are full of veggies, fruits and meats. Also have about 40 quarts of tomatoes (before infestation) canned as well as few green beans and potatoes. Also put up lots of plum jam, apple jelly, strawberry fig preserves and applesauce and apple butter.(all fruits came from a neighbor). Now trying to get pears that friends are giving us to put up for fruit and preserves. Any other ideas on growing groceries??

**heartofmine** · 08-19-2008, 09:26 PM

A lot of folks have had trouble this year in their gardens here with not enough rain. Potatoes didn't do much at all and a lot of others just dried up.

Sounds like you had a lot of good luck. My mom and dad have always done this too. My mom has blackberries, grapes, peach trees, apple trees, cherry trees and more besides her big garden every year. She always had lots of canned food and a freezer full.

**peanut** · 08-19-2008, 11:13 PM

I'd love to do this. But our yard is infested with squirrels. We have a container garden, but this year I didn't plant anything. I transplanted some strawberries, but the squirrels eat the berries as soon as they form. They don't even bother to let them ripen. Sigh...

Jean

**mommyoffive** · 08-20-2008, 12:20 AM

We just planted our first vegetable garden this year. The weather has been wierd this summer, so we've had mixed results. The beginning was really cool, so my arugula and spinach went to seed before it did anything, but I planted a second round, and it's doing well. I didn't thin my pole beans, so now they are climbing on eachother. Have a lot of beans though now that we've been getting some really hot days- a pot every other day to eat with dinner. Next year we need to put the tomato plants in a sunnier spot. Lots of green tomatoes, but they are ripening too slow. Lessons learned for next year I guess.

I was reading an article the other night about the different veggies that you can plant now and harvest through the end of fall. That excited me, so I'm going to get busy cleaning out some of the tired stuff and replant.

**Laura2** · 08-20-2008, 12:42 AM

I planted a vegetable garden for the first time this year. I just picked my first zucchini tonight. I've also planted peas, carrots, cucumber, tomatoes, and green onions.

We also have an avocado tree in our backyard that has given us many avocados this year. I bought a small lemon tree this year, but haven't gotten any lemons yet.

I am considering planting a fig tree next year.

**qtkitty** · 08-20-2008, 06:08 AM

You might also want to try blueberries... they are a nice bush which makes them easy to pick and are full of antioxidents. Plus Peach Blueberry Pound cake is sooooo good ( i will have to get the recipe from my mom to post it here somewhere )

Rhubarb is also an easy plant to grow.. it spreads out and comes up year after year.. its a wonderfully tart and yummy!!

**Holly** · 08-20-2008, 06:46 AM

Don't forget your herb garden.
A garlic patch .
Asparagus patch ( will come up every year for many years )
Looking into that one myself.

**Parksfamily5** · 08-20-2008, 09:13 AM

Thanks for some great ideas. We didn't get to plant a garden this year because our tiller didn't come in until late. We are going to plan everything out over the winter. I can't wait to plant next year. We are also planning on planting fruit trees.

**pop goes the weasel** · 08-20-2008, 09:23 AM

I have been doing this for a few years alathough this year the gardens didn't do well around here. Too wet. I also have a few herbs and a blueberry bush I got for mothers day. We have thousands of blackberry and wild raspberry bushes, hopefully this year we will get some pears. And I can get all the apples I want from the neighbor. I also would like to plant asparagus but it takes a couple years to be able to use it. Space is limited since I only have 1/5 of an acre. If you plant marigolds around your garden and bushes the critters should stay away as will the bugs. Except of course for bears, you could plant ant hills and they'd still get the berries!! And we always share with the neighbors.

**nvmommyx6** · 08-20-2008, 09:29 AM

Originally Posted by paperlady

We've been growing our on groceries for years. This year, for the first time, we've been infested by white flies.

The recipe for natural pesticide and fertilizing is as follows

1 part DAWN original dish soap
1 part beer
1 part miracle grow
1 part ammonia

use one of those miracle grow sprayers (the one with the bucket that hooks to the end of the hose)
equal parts of each ingredient once a week
Thats it...I have used this for a few years now, after having found my grandmothers secret!! It breaks down the miracle grow so the plants can absorb through both the root and the leaves, it also kills all bugs naturally and their larvae by surrounding them in a soap bubble (if you will) then they fill the bubble up with their feces and drown in it!! If heavily infested use once a week for 2 weeks then cut to once a month!
P.S. I live in a desert where nothing grows but sage brush and I have a beautiful lawn, garden and tree's that are bigger than my house and only 3 years old! And I don't have an issue with bugs!!
Happy gardening

Originally Posted by peanut

I'd love to do this. But our yard is infested with squirrels. We have a container garden, but this year I didn't plant anything. I transplanted some strawberries, but the squirrels eat the berries as soon as they form. They don't even bother to let them ripen. Sigh...

Jean

Jean- throw them out a bunch of juicy fruit gum! I have had so many problems with the dang rodents and then my Mom shared my grandmothers garden journal with me and she said juicy fruit! They love the stuff and munch it right up, then they cannot poop, they go into their lil holes and die!
Happy gardening to you too!
Hope these help Y'all!
Mommy

**HandyMom** · 08-21-2008, 02:06 AM

I bought a big pot and planted one heirloom tomato plant in it with a tomato cage and put it in the only safe place where it will get plenty of sun, right on my front porch. It's huge now and sprouting many tomatoes, some of which have already ripened. I water it daily and give it miracle grow once a week only.

Although there are lots of squirrels, rabbits, cats and other animals around here all the time, nothing has touched my tomatoes, not even bugs and I don't have to weed. Next year, I will try planting more things in big pots right on my front porch where it will get lots of sunshine and is far enough away from the critters that live in the back yard and neighborhood that would otherwise eat all my plants. This year was a test to see if anything would bother the plants in containers on my front porch.

I figure I can grow most of what I normally buy in the summertime - lettuce, garlic and herbs, broccoli, cucumbers, tomatoes, radish and peppers and some swiss chard, zucchini and beans. All on my porch which is pretty big size - 8'X13' and all in big pots or containers! My neighbors might not like the looks of it but why not?

**Scattymum** · 08-21-2008, 03:42 AM

Im planning on growing more next year, because of the climate though im a bit limited lol, it has been raining non stop for most of the summer.

I have grown tomatoes this year in the conservatory, when they go slightly orange i pick them and place them on the sunniest windowsill and they ripen alot more quickly than on the plant.

I grow herbs, id like to try garlic and onions next year

I have strawberries, blackberries and raspberries and this year planted, pear,apple, plum and cherry trees - will be a few years before they fruit though!

the price of stuff has gone up so i really want to grow more of my own