How economic is growing your own?

[mommyofshmoo]

Hiya,

We live in the city, but have a little yard. For the past couple years I've grown some fruits, veggies and herbs (not a lot, just enough to spice up our meals on occasion, though we had a bumper of strawberries this summer.)

Anyway- I find that produce requires a ridiculous amount of watering. It's very dry here in the summer, so there's no rain to count on or collect. Water costs $$, especially in summer, and I wonder if it's worth it.

On one hand I find growing produce to be economical because I often have produce on hand rather than having to go to the store. Lettuce is especially good to grow because otherwise I buy at the store and it often melts before we can use it. I only shop once a week and some produce does not stay fresh that long.

I'm also not good at doing the farmer's market thing. I like my fruit hard, and all the fruit there is too soft for my taste. I also spend a bunch on unecessary stuff at the market. Regardless- I'm just not a farmer's market person.

Anyway- has anyone done a cost analysis of the kitchen garden? I'd like to expand mine, but then I feel guilty about the water.

(BTW- I do use drip hoses, I water out of my kids' baby pool if we fill it. I'm not FANTASTIC with water preservation, but I do try.)

Looking forward to hearing replies!

[Rhiannon Feimorgan]

I live in a dry area and have found that mulching realy cuts down on how much water I have to use.

[annethcz]

Mulching helps. I'd also suggest using greywater (used water from around the house) to water your garden. Used cooking water, washing water, etc. can be used to water your produce, although it can be a PITA to carry it out to the garden.

[TiredX2]

"growing your own"

:

[mommyofshmoo]

Originally Posted by TiredX2

:

Yeah, I realized the double entendre after posting. Tried to add the word "produce" but couldn't edit title.

[Amys1st]

I have had a garden for 10 years now and its well worth it. But its a dedication of at least 1 hour daily or 7 hours weekly. That includes: mulching, weeding, picking, watering, you name it! But its so awesome and the reward is amazing.

Also some fun things:

I bought a pumpkin plant for a dollar in May. I picked four 15 lb pumpkins this fall. Not a bad return.

[mommyofshmoo]

Originally Posted by Amys1st

I have had a garden for 10 years now and its well worth it. But its a dedication of at least 1 hour daily or 7 hours weekly. That includes: mulching, weeding, picking, watering, you name it! But its so awesome and the reward is amazing.

Also some fun things:

I bought a pumpkin plant for a dollar in May. I picked four 15 lb pumpkins this fall. Not a bad return.

Hmm. I'm sure I'm not puttng in enough time then.

I need to get the kids involved more. This would help, also laying out the beds sot they are easier to reach.

Thanks

[annethcz]

I had a very prolific garden this summer, and I didn't spend an hour a day in the garden. During the planting season and harvesting season, I probably spent an hour a day, but not when the plants were simply growing and I was doing maintenance/weeding.

Just for reference, this year I planted over 30 tomato plants (and had about a dozen more volunteers), a couple hundred carrots, tons of green beans (I have an entire shelf of canned green beans in my pantry), plus a large number of greens (lettuce, spinach, kale), brassicas, rhubarb, squash, corn, etc. I use a combination of square foot gardening and biointensive gardening techniques.

[Amys1st]

Originally Posted by annethcz

I had a very prolific garden this summer, and I didn't spend an hour a day in the garden. During the planting season and harvesting season, I probably spent an hour a day, but not when the plants were simply growing and I was doing maintenance/weeding.

Just for reference, this year I planted over 30 tomato plants (and had about a dozen more volunteers), a couple hundred carrots, tons of green beans (I have an entire shelf of canned green beans in my pantry), plus a large number of greens (lettuce, spinach, kale), brassicas, rhubarb, squash, corn, etc. I use a combination of square foot gardening and biointensive gardening techniques.

I should add it averages out. At first, getting the soiled prepared etc and then the actaul planting is about 10 hours. The first few weeks following, its mainly pulling an occasional weed and watering. As the summer continues, we start getting lettuce greens and herbs so that needs everyday maintaining in my zoon (5). We also have strawberries that start early and get prolific quite quickly.

During mid July we start getting zucs and cucumbers. Then in August we average 50-100 tomatoes a day. We usually plant about 25 plants and yes we also get volunteers, new comers etc so then we get more. Some varieties we never even planted. We leave the green peppers as long as possible to let them color to yellow or red.

[mommyofshmoo]

so here's another question...

If a plant takes over an area, is it a terrible thing to let it?

Our strawberries from the summer before last proliferated and started taking over almost the whole (4*5 ish) bed this past summer. I'm considering just giving the strawberries free reign since we really like strawberries, and starting a new bed for other fruit and veg.

It's OK to let that happen right? I still need to care for them- fertilize, cut away dead stuff, etc., but I can let the runners run, right?

[Rant n Raven]

Our water bill is !
Quite shocking.

And we live in the Pacific NW!

I often wonder about the cost analysis of home gardening.
I think it was worth it.

I would love to get a water catch system. The complaints that I hear is that the barrells are not enough. However for a back yard city garden one barrell might make the difference?

I collected some seeds for next year. I don't know how well this will work. There is so much to do and to learn I must admit feeling discouraged about doing it, doing it right, saving water, saving money, saving the planet (sigh)

Though my radishes failed everything else went well. I used squarefoot gardening quasi-permaculture method for the busy/lazy. Plant everything close together. Once they get established they block out the sun so the weeds can't get going. I harvest stuff really early so it throws out lots of babies. Then I replant mid-summer and late summer to winter over.

I try to never have all the weeds gone, just 80%. Also (much to the annoyance of my husband who tends the pretty flower garden) I am into production not pretty. When the squash is crawling up the raspberries, so be it. If the sage is overlapping the green onions, that's ok because I don't have to weed. So at least I am with you MommyOfShmoo!

[mommyofshmoo]

Originally Posted by Rant n Raven

Our water bill is !
Quite shocking.

And we live in the Pacific NW!

I often wonder about the cost analysis of home gardening.
I think it was worth it.

I would love to get a water catch system. The complaints that I hear is that the barrells are not enough. However for a back yard city garden one barrell might make the difference?

I collected some seeds for next year. I don't know how well this will work. There is so much to do and to learn I must admit feeling discouraged about doing it, doing it right, saving water, saving money, saving the planet (sigh)

Though my radishes failed everything else went well. I used squarefoot gardening quasi-permaculture method for the busy/lazy. Plant everything close together. Once they get established they block out the sun so the weeds can't get going. I harvest stuff really early so it throws out lots of babies. Then I replant mid-summer and late summer to winter over.

I try to never have all the weeds gone, just 80%. Also (much to the annoyance of my husband who tends the pretty flower garden) I am into production not pretty. When the squash is crawling up the raspberries, so be it. If the sage is overlapping the green onions, that's ok because I don't have to weed. So at least I am with you MommyOfShmoo!

If the lack of rain keeps up I don't like to imagine what water will cost next summer!

[twentyalmonds]

The one thing I find that we always save money on is tomatoes. Most of the other stuff in our garden we come out even on, but growing our own organic tomatoes definitely saves us $$!