Can a beginner at gardening really save money?

[applestar]

I've always thought that "saving money" can be a lifestyle in and of itself, if you are so inclined, and no reason not to apply it when gardening. Some people include not buying organic though I personally don't agree -- well I GROW organically so I get to compare prices against organic prices as someone else said. After harvesting gallons of organic strawberries this season, it's fun to snicker at the lame organic strawberries sold in stores.

Tools -- second hand, Carigslist, Freecycle, or sale and other promos.
Soil Amendments -- home made compost from recycled household waste, collected waste like used coffee grounds, spoiled vegs, etc., free manure, leaves, grass clippings, etc.
Containers -- a couple of sticky threads about using recycled materials in seed starting and container gardening.

As with any project, more your own Time and Labor used, the less money spent, though not necessarily saved. I prefer to not waste time over spending money sometimes, and to do plenty of preliminary research before starting a new project.

[Gary350]

Not counting the cost of your tools I think you can save some money but with a small garden you will not notice a big savings. You will notice the food is many times better than some things you buy in the grocery store.

It is a little bit like making your own wine or beer. I can make excellent wine equal to $50 a bottle wine if I age it 3 to 5 years. I never buy $50 wine at the store. There is a BIG difference between cheap wine and good wine just like the difference between grocery store tomatoes and garden tomatoes.

[DoubleDogFarm]

because he was totally organic and refused to use a tiller

The person in the story may have felt this way, but it is simply not true. Equipment is allowed in organic farming. This is the second time this spring I have heard this.

Eric

[rainbowgardener]

Equipment is certainly allowed for certified organic farmers.

On the other hand a lot of people who are trying to garden naturally a la Ruth Stout and others do not believe in tilling since it is so disruptive to soil biologies. But Ruth Stout's no-till methods, she calls "no work" gardening; it is less work not more and doesn't require shoveling.

So this guy either made the whole thing up or he totally had no idea what he was doing and ruined his health for nothing.

[TZ -OH6]

He wasn't trying to follow the "Organic" rule book. He just didn't want to use petrolium for his garden. I'm at the other end of the organic spectrum. "Organic" to me is keeping poisons off of the produce, everything else is equivalent to wearing clothes with a designer label as a status symbol, IMO. Personally I see no difference (when trying to save the world) between using synthetic fertilizers and driving into the big city to buy organic fertilizer (or using a gas stove to can the produce, -- natural gas is used to make nitrogen fertilizer).

[garden5]

It's hard to say as an absolute since there are so many variables. I mean, you may have many or all of the tools that you will need, or you may have too buy them (and spend variable amounts of money).

I won't even consider seeds because you will certainly make up for one pack of seeds with just one fruit.

You may rent a tiller, you may dig it yourself.

You could also spend money on fencing, lights, irrigation, etc, but these are really investments, so when you break down their costs over their life-span, the costs per season dramatically decrease.

Lastly, it depends on the value of what you are growing and how much of it you are growing and how much you harvest. A pesky rabbit could come through and cut down all your tomatoes or lettuce etc.

So, I suppose it depends on many factors.

Is it possible, I think so. Will a beginner save money the first year, he may or may not depending on what he does.

[gardenbean]

Being a newbie here I want to believe that I am saving money by gardening my own. I guess in the long run time will time. In the meantime, I am suprised no one has mentiond the Canning and passing the abudance on to others.

I am in the process of learning how to can this summer, which ought to be fun and challeging at the same time. Will I save my family money from this? I sure hope so. There isn't anything better than homemade canned picklers, relish, etc. But more importantly, besides helping my family out with a full pantry, I can also help out others who may not be as lucky as I as to have a garden.

In the process of becoming a "gardener" I have become wealthy in knowledge of what I can grow and can and in also sharing with others.

[jstrausss]

more importantly, besides helping my family out with a full pantry, I can also help out others who may not be as lucky as I as to have a garden.

Very good point

[gixxerific]

In the end does it really matter?

I would rather pay $64 for my own tomato than a $1 for those so-called tomatoes they sell at the grocery store. That goes for everything else coming out of my garden.

By the way in the off season my wife has strict orders NOT to buy tomatoes. I would rather do without.

[jstrausss]

in the off season my wife has strict orders NOT to buy tomatoes. I would rather do without.

My Wife & I do the same thing. It was never said but we just do it subconsciously. We do not like the store Tomatos and we only eat our own tomatos in the summer.

[DoubleDogFarm]

Organic" to me is keeping poisons off of the produce, everything else is equivalent to wearing clothes with a designer label as a status symbol, IMO. Personally I see no difference (when trying to save the world) between using synthetic fertilizers and driving into the big city to buy organic fertilizer (or using a gas stove to can the produce, -- natural gas is used to make nitrogen fertilizer).

Yes, We have to make choices. I burn gasoline in my truck and equipment. I cook and heat with propane.

I do not wear designer clothing, in fact I don't wear anything with a company logo on it.

What ever feels right / good.

Eric

[pickupguy07]

You may have many or all of the tools that you will need, or you may have too buy them (and spend variable amounts of money).
.

First of all this is a great discussion with varying positions
I wanted to mention tools also..
DEPENDING on how long you plan on gardening, it will help determine what kind of tools you purchase.

IMO I thinking spending a little extra money pays off in the long run. If it is something you are just "trying out" and may not do it but a year or so... then spending a lot of money on tools you only use for the garden (tiller, etc) - thats probably not a godo idea. Might get by borrowing or renting one for a little bit

However if you think this is something you'll do for many years, then your tools are an investment. As for me personally I'd rather buy a good used tiller, than dig up a pretty good sized garden spot every year... then you also need a tiller to work in amendments over the winter and maybe in the spring... especially if you compost. To me, the investment is well worth all the effort involved.
Even tools such as a hoe, pitch fork, shovel, etc make a big difference. Quality products usually have some type of softened grips on the end of the handles, and usually have a nice length to the handles so it is easier on your back, and gives you better leverage, even the way the shovel or potchfork heads are attached makes a difference.
Quality tools heads are ribbited or screwed to the handle so they stay permanently. Cheaper tools the head just 'sticks' on the end of the handle, and is a short time the wood shrinks, and the head falls off.

[gixxerific]

Bingo pickupguy quality tools will last forever and it is so hard to tell the difference these day's without knowing what you are looking for. The consumer has to be careful. Everything looks super hard core but.........

Like gramps used to say "they don't make things like they used to".

[TheWaterbug]

Compare that to the guy who wrote the book "The $64 Tomato".

Heh. I can sympathize. Last year's pumpkin patch probably produced the world's most expensive pumpkins.

But I didn't do it to save money. I did it so my suburban-born 7-yr old could watch something grow.

There are lots of good life lessons to be learned by gardening.

[mbaker410]

Great Discussion!

My thoughts are this...

First thing is you can save a ton of money by being crafty and planning ahead. For example like many others have posted you can get free manure and soil. I know that my local dump has soil that is made from the yard waste that is brought into the dump. It's not soil coming from the landfill with all the other wast but simple organic soil/compost. You take your truck and take what you want.

Seed starting can be as simple or as complicated as you like. People have grown seeds in solo cups, newspaper cups and other recycled containers. My first year gardening on my own I bought two fluorescent lights from home depot for $20 each. Got a few starter trays $5 - $10 each. Took two jack stands and a 2x4 and zip tied it together and used that to raise and lower my lights. Started it in my kitchen on a little folding table I had. We all know seeds cost next to nothing. 1 bottle of Safer Soap from the store cost me a couple $$ and lasted me all year to help battle the pests.

When I planted my 8 x 12 garden I borrowed a tiller and bought some garden soil from Home Depot $3/bag @ 5 bags = $15. A couple days of soil prep and the plants went in. I borrowed some rebar from a friend and got a $25 roll of chicken wire and made a fence that kept out the critters.

My total investment was around $120 and could have been lower if I would have gone the route of paper cups and free soil.

Most on this board are very dedicated to their gardens and want to create the best possible growing situation for their crops. But lets face it most of us are doing way more than what is necessary. These are plants that will grow in nature with or without us manipulating the earth. They may not produce as much, be as healthy and may fall victim to pests or disease but at the end of the day they often find a way to survive.

It can be as complicated or as simple as a beginner would like. It will cost as much as you are willing to pay. I think at the end of the day it depends on how much time you spend on finding ways to do it cheaper. This is not always easier but hey if you are on budget and want to start a hobby like gardening you will have to decide what size project you want to take on and how you plan to get there and still save $$.

[DoubleDogFarm]

But lets face it most of us are doing way more than what is necessary. These are plants that will grow in nature with or without us manipulating the earth. They may not produce as much, be as healthy and may fall victim to pests or disease but at the end of the day they often find a way to survive.

If we grow only natives, this would be mostly true. Seeds are from all over the world. We have to manipulate to become more like the origin of the seed. Hybrids, I believe, are developed to over come these difficulties. I'm pretty sure even open pollinated seed, does not resemble exact original specimen.

Grow vegetables meant for your climate, it makes life easier.

Eric

[TZ -OH6]

Here's another direction to take


https://www.mnn.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/blogs/jk-rowling-to-flatten-16m-home

[soil]

I have to add that growing in different seasons will relate to cost as well. in the winter I can toss out some lettuce seeds, kale, broccoli, etc... not have to do a damn thing and ill end up with more food than I can eat. the winter rains water the plants and the soil feeds.

summer farming takes a little more effort.

[jal_ut]

When I go into the local garden store, I am amazed at the variety of "stuff" that they have to sell. Of course if you gotta have one of all those, you can spend a bundle of money. I buy seed and a couple dozen of the nursery plants in the small size. That's it. If they depended on me to buy all that other "stuff", they would go broke quickly. My point is what others have said too, you can garden with very little outlay of money, or spend a bundle if that is your wish.

Well, OK, I have some tools that cost money, but good tools last a long time. At the end of their life, they haven't cost you much per season.

[garden5]

It's so true what Gix said about modern-day tools. Not only are some of them flimsy/unreliable, but it hard to tell sometimes which ones are good and which ones are junk. Forget what the packaging says: everything uses heavy duty/built to last/etc. You really have to just experience junk and then experience quality and then you'll see what's good and what's not and then You'll know what to look for.

[pickupguy07]

Just yesterday my dad and I spent 5 or 6 hours canning stuff I grew myself in my garden.
This is tuff I just harvested in the last week or so, and just a FRACTION fo what I will harvest this year. We canned 16 quarts of tomatoes, 12 pints of bread & Butter pickles, and 12 pints of sweet relish.
I have already frozen 12 gallon freezer bags of squash, and have much more to harvest.. Not to mention all the lettuce and cabbage we grew and have eaten as they came in...

Now I am getting ... well lots and lots of other stuff.
I have already canned more (dollar wise) than I spent growing my garden this year (that even included buying my canning sypplies). And I have LOTS to come in yet...

OH.. NOT to mention.. the quality time I got to spend with my dad. That's priceless.