GardenersCardiff answers:

It is a committment to time and physcial effort…not mentally difficult. Getting started, no you won’t save money. You have tools to assemble and physical effort to get the soil in shape for growing. If you container garden, then you have the expense of containers and soil, etc.

You save money when you are experienced, have enough growing to justify the time and put quality over quanitity. If you are not gun-ho…….don’t bother.

Time: couple of weekends to get the soil in shape, planting a tomato in May, it won’t bear until August. Green beans from sowing to harvest is 75 days or so. During the time you have to be on top of watering, weeding and pest control.

You don’t sound like a good candidate, instead spend the time searching out local growers at farmer’s markets.

GardenersCardiff answers:

A little bit of both. Many people enjoy tending their own garden and enjoying the fruits of their labor. I spent about 15.00 on seeds at Walmart and have already gotten it back in lettuce, carrots and summer squash. And sweet peas. I should be picking my cukes very soon and as always, I will need to give some away as there are more than I can ever use for my family. Now tomatos this year are a different story. Normally I alwaaaaaaays start by seed under lights, but decided it would be cheaper to get plants than spend the electric on my plants 12 hours a day. So, I went to Lowe’s and spent 45.00 on 26 tomato plants and 1 frying pepper and one salsa verde pepper plant. While the tomatos need more time to get red (some yellow types and 1 purple), there are literally too many to count any longer. With the price of tomatos on sale for 2.99 a pound, I will easily recoup my 45.00, plus some. These will be canned and stored for salsa and sauce all winter. So to answer your question completely, while vegetable gardening is pleasurable, it is also well worth it to plant your own as opposed to buying at the supermarket. Additionally, the veggies are fresher and if you are an organic person, you can buy your plants and seeds as organics and raise them and feed them organically. My question, is why wouldn’t someone plant their own veggies? Good luck and I hope you try it yourself next year.

GardenersCardiff answers:

Good gardening tips – Weeds, pull as soon as you see them, they are much easier to get rid of when small and your garden looks better without them. Planting, plant one type of flower in groups of uneven numbers as it is more pleasing to the eye. Planting in drifts is also pleasing to the eye. If you have Hostas, snails and slugs love them, so take egg shells and squish them into little pieces and put around each Hosta since they will not want to crawl over them. If you want to have continual color in your garden be sure and dead-head all of your flowers and they will flower again. Happy Gardening!

GardenersCardiff answers:

1.Tomato Garden tips:

1.
Prepare the Garden
*
A young tomato plant sprouting from the seed.

The first step in planting your garden is to purchase tomato plants or seed. Start seeds indoors six to eight weeks prior to the start of the growing season to allow them to begin producing fruit sooner, and for a longer duration. Choose leafy plants with thick, green stems if purchasing seedlings. Invest in diverse types of tomatoes for maximum success and various ripening times.
Tomato plants will fruit faster when placed in a sunny location. They adapt well to most soils, but prefer a well-draining, loamy soil. To help soil nutrients recover, rotate crops so tomatoes are planted in the same location only once every three years. Cover the planting area with black plastic two to four weeks before transplanting to help warm the soil and jump-start fruit production.
Planting
*
Cherry tomatoes.

Plants should be a minimum of 6 inches tall before transplanting. Soil temperatures should range from 55 to 60 degrees F, with regular daily air temps at least 60 degrees F. Transplant on a cloudy day, after rainfall or during the late afternoon to help the plants adjust and prevent shock. Handle delicate tomato seedlings gently to prevent breaking or bruising.
For extra nutrients, spread compost over the bed and work the soil until it is loose. Tomato plants will sprout more roots from the stem, and require protection in cooler climates. In the north, dig holes deep enough to accommodate the entire root system and most of the stem. In southern climates, simply plant the root.
Care
*

A tomato garden requires some care to produce a high-yield harvest of high-quality fruit. Water a minimum of twice a week, soaking the top 6 to 8 inches of the ground. Add a layer of mulch around the plants to help them retain moisture. Fertilize a week after planting, and as needed, with a liquid or granule containing equal amounts of nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium. Secure the tomato plants to stakes, cages or a trellis support with strips of soft cloth. Pick tomatoes when the flesh is firm and fully colored.

2.Greenbeas garden tips:

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10 Easy Tips For Growing Green Beans
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Growing green beans (sometimes referred to as pole beans, snap beans, string beans, or bush beans) is quickly becoming a very popular vegetable in the vegetable garden. There is a good reason why – green beans are very easy to grow and prolific producers. Most green beans are ready to pick 45 to 60 days after germination, making them a favorite for a quick and steady harvest. If you love green beans and are interested in growing them in your vegetable garden, here are a few tips for growing the best green beans in town.
Growing Great Green Beans

Pole Green Beans
* Green beans grow best in full soil and warm soil that has reached between 65°F and 70°F.

* You can soak most green bean seeds overnight in a small dish of warm water. This will help speed up the germination process.

* Plant your green beans in fertile, well-drained soil to suppress the chances of root rot.

* Choose disease resistant varieties of green beans to prevent diseases such as rust, powdery mildew, and curly top virus.

* Maintain good spacing around green beans to increase air circulation and decrease chances of powdery mildew. Pole beans can be planted at a spacing of 2-1/2 feet, while bush beans should be planted at 3 foot intervals.

* Water your green beans at ground level using a soaker hose or drip irrigation system. This helps to keep plant leaves dry and prevent diseases.

GardenersCardiff answers:

Vegetables seeds are fairly inexpensive. For about $1.50 you can buy a pack of green bean seeds and get about 50 plants. These 50 plants will produce about 20 pounds of green beans. Green beans sell for about $2 a pound right now. So you save about $40.

You can purchase a bell pepper plant and a single plant if watered and fertilized on a regular basis will produce about 30 to 40 peppers per plant. Using your math of $1 for 2, this would save you $15 to $20 per year. A pepper plant costs about $2 to purchase.

Strawberries cost about $15 for about 25 plants. This will generate about 20 to 30 pints of strawberries. Fresh strawberries sell for about $2.50 per pint. You can freeze fresh strawberries for recipes that you produce that you cannot eat. I buy only fresh in the winter when my plants are not producing and I use my frozen crop for deserts. So you can save anywhere from $50 to $60 in the summer and have left over for the winter. Strawberries are a perennial so they come back every year with minimal care. I have two patches in my yard.

GardenersCardiff answers:

They will eat fresh foods direct from their garden and won’t worry about the fertilizers used to grow them.They will save them time and money.It’s cheaper.