Ken asks…
have you ever grown vegetables for your own pleasure and well being and how did you find this experience?
GardenersCardiff answers:
Only tomatoes and herbs.
James asks…
How much can you cut off your grocery bill by “growing your own”?
To me the math seems simple. You can buy vegetable seeds for a few cents each and produce fresh home-grown produce, or you can buy tomatoes, peppers etc from the store for dollars a piece! I figure this could especially be useful in the current economic conditions.
So my question is… do you garden to save money, and if so, how much do you save?
My second question, do you think it’s possible that if someone converted their whole backyard into a carefully-planned garden, they could eliminate their need to buy fruits and vegetables from the store entirely?
GardenersCardiff answers:
I think you could but it will take some sacrifice, time and culinary skills. Like the previous poster said if the dirt your land is made of is good dirt then you should be able to start there.
If you plan to slowly expand to converting your whole backyard over a number of years that would be the most economical way of doing it.
The question is do you need to? How large is your family and how large is your yard?
The best idea is to 1) plant only vegetables you and your family would actually eat. 2) plant certain vegetables (salad mix for example) in rotations so you can harvest several times a month. For example plant them every few weeks.
Now for the culinary skills. As you harvest you will need to be able to store your produce so learning how to can would help. Having a large freezer would also work. If you can store your produce you can eat off of it in months where you can’t grow certain crop.
Now for fruit. I have several fruit trees and they produce fruit several times a year but it takes months to ripen. You will need to be able to store the fruit as frozen, canned, or jammed to enjoy them during off season.
Sacrifice will have to be made as well for vegetables which just can not be stored. Going back to the salad mix example. There is just no way to freeze or can salad mix. You could grow them indoors during the winter months if you the right amount space and light.
I myself think my garden does save us on some vegetables but mostly because I grow vegetables which 1) we eat frequently or 2) is expensive in the store.
We also use gray water and rain water to water our plants. Gray water is water you save from running water . You can place a bucket in your kitchen sink and every time you need to wash your hands, wash some vegetables or wash a dish place the faucet over the bucket. Once the bucket is full go out and water the garden. Or you can purchase a barrel and fill up the barrel.
Good Luck!
George asks…
home grown vegetables how to?
How easy is it to grow your own vegetables? I have just moved to a city apartment with my husband and we are looking to start growing small amounts of things like baby carrots, beans, cress, salad leaves etc etc, maybe strawberries also : ) but all we have is a brick yard now not a garden. I’ve seen grow bags that you can get and containers but is this still achievable given a lack of planting areas? an you grow them soley in tubs and bags?
Any additional info would be apreciated
GardenersCardiff answers:
There are two different types of garden vegetables: cool season vegetables and warm season vegetables.
Cool season vegetables require cool soil and air temperatures to grow, and most will survive a light frost. Cool season vegetables include: beets, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, lettuce, onions, peas, potatoes, radishes, and spinach.
The warm season vegetables require warm soil and air temperatures to grow, and most will not survive a light frost. Warm season vegetables include: beans, cantaloupe, corn, cucumbers, eggplant, melons, pumpkins, squash, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, watermelon, and zucchini.
Garden Vegetables – http://www.perennial-gardens.com/flower-articles/planting-times-for-garden-vegetables.php
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Richard asks…
Would it be a good idea to grow your own vegetables instead of flowers?
GardenersCardiff answers:
Yes, if you have a garden or allotment it’s a great way to supplement your diet. I shared a house with a friend for several years and in the garden, which wasn’t very big, we managed to grow runner beans, broad beans, onions, garlic, courgettes, rhubarb, peas, tomatoes and several varieties of herbs.
Home-grown vegetables always taste better and you have the satisfaction of getting something to show for the work you’ve put in. If you’re new to growing there are plenty of books on the subject which you can buy or borrow and when you buy seeds, the planting instructions are printed on the packet.
You need seed trays, a decent set of gardening tools, a greenhouse (or if that isn’t possible, a cold frame), flower pots, watering can, beanpoles, lots of twine, some bird netting (but you don’t want to discourage the birds completely – see below), some kind of insect repellent, a compost bin, a bit of muscle power and some patience.
One good thing to do is set up a bird table with plenty of seeds and vegetable scraps to encourage the birds, especially at this time of year when it’s nesting season and they’re raising their young. Not only will they be less likely to start feasting on your seedlings, they will also gobble up lots of creepy-crawlies that would otherwise attack your plants.
If you’re really lucky you might even find you have a resident hedgehog. These are called the gardener’s friend for a good reason – they eat slugs and other pests. So do slow worms. Slow worms like to hide under rocks – put down a few rocks on a patch of bare earth and who knows, you might find one.
Reward will come when you realise you have produced e.g. A year’s supply of garlic…
Ken asks…
Do you grow your own vegetables, South Africa?
.
I grow my own tomatoes, cucumbers, beans, peppadews and chillies.
GardenersCardiff answers:
Yes.
Tomatoes, chillies, onions, green beans and leeks.
Rosemary, garlic chives, thyme, parsley and basil.
It is so nice to go and get your vegetables and herbs fresh from the garden.
Donna asks…
Is it more expensive to grow your own vegetables ?
During World War Two, Americans grew their own vegetables in victory gardens . By the same token, in the early 1970s, the United States government recommended Americans grow their own vegetables in “inflation gardens” to deal with inflation . Every so often I’ll read a “How To Save Money” article that says “Grow your own vegetables in a graden . My mom had a garden and she claimed that it was much more expensive to grow your own vegetables . She just had a garden because she enjoyed gardening . I’ve often said “My mom had a garden, and she always said it’s more expensive to grow your own vegetables !” . There have been times when somebody’s said “No, it’s actually cheaper to grow your own vegetables !” .
Now I don’t know wehat to think . Who’s right ? Did my Mom turn a cheap hobby into an expensive one ? Is it cheaper or more expensive to grow your own vegetables ?
GardenersCardiff answers:
Heck no! I grow my own veggies and just bought red peppers to tide me over until I can harvest the ones on my plant. They were on sale for $1.99 a piece. I only paid $1.99 for each of the three plants I have and they each have about 8 peppers in various growth stages that I am waiting till maturity to harvest. Same goes for my tomato plants. I have romas, grape, beefeaters and Big Berthas. I don’t believe I paid over $3.00 for any of my plants but just paid $2.99 a pound for romas, 2 containers for $3 for grape tomatoes while I’m waiting for them to turn red. Even if I throw in the water and organic fertilizer growing my own veggies, citrus, avocado and herbs is saving me money. Besides nothing beats eating veggies right out of your own garden, sharing your harvest with friends and neighbors and controlling and knowing what chemicals, fertilizers and pesticides WEREN’T used on what you are eating.
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