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33 Comments
Luke, what about Green beans, Peas ,second plantings, winter crops in same beds etc.
Good stuff to think about! I just started my porch garden this year and I have gone a little crazy with it and even crazier when my pea seedlings get chomped down by rabbits and who knows what else.
Even if I were to only break even I would still plant my garden. The freshness and flavours are so much better than store bought. Plus the enjoyment factor tilts the balance. But I am so happy that you have proven the cost effectiveness for me. I have a lot of herbs, garlic, asparagus, tomatoes, zucchini’s, beets, some eggplants…. All organic. I make my own compost and leaf mold, so upkeep cost is gone.
This deserves a part 2 on offsetting garden costs. At least, there is were i see the most benefit. By that i mean, things like getting free compost if your city has it, free woodchips, using your or the neighbors gras clippings, trading and saving seeds, guerilla gardening(that would be an entire subject all on its own).
Every year after Halloween i make it a point to pick up all of the jack o lantern pumpkins from the neighborhood. I get about 2-3 truck beds full. People are happy to give them away before it becomes a rotten mess on their porches. I take them and compost them. Usually, that’s enough compost for the entire year.
The answer is: not a lot, unless you just want to spend a lot of money.
I'd recommend Chip Drop plus mushrooms. Low end mulch costs about $45 per cubic yard, so if you get the full 20 cubic yards, you're saving $900. Then you can get some mushroom spawn, like wine caps, which break down the woodchips fast. It will turn into good soil in about a year.
For potting soil, go with leaf mold. Gather your neighbors' leaves in the fall and grind them up with your lawnmower, then compost them. Mix this with cheap topsoil and you've got perfectly good potting mix.
I live in San Antonio and it's been 100 degrees for the past two weeks. Nothing much is flowering 😢
Good video but you’ve highlighted the yearly fertilizer and compost you add in which is another huge expense
Wow that's a huge amount of possibilities. Ground or raised beds how many veggies. Seeds..plants..add ins ..fertilizer ect.
You talk about what it cost to build the garden and what the value of the vegetables that you grow in the garden is worth. But what about Seed and fertilizer cost?
I l8ve on Florida. I'm on vacation year around. ( neener neener) but lettuce and cool weather crops croak out fast here. Peppers love the heat…tomatoes can take some heat. Herbs and everything else I keep in partial shade…its too dang hot. Lately here on the panhandle we have had some really nasty wind storms that took out some crops. Like you say..no crystal balls here. The winds are drying the heck out of my coffee plants I have so lovingly cared for for years now. Sigh!
I have never done any cost analysis but good to hear it’s worth the money put in! But the cost also adds up for fertilizer though I try to use my homemade compost too. I have 3 raised beds which are tall ones ( helps my back) but added fabric pots all around which can add to cost. But still worth it. I have okra, eggplants & beans, bell peppers & all can be expensive at grocery store, totally worth it. Thanks for your videos very explanatory.
I spent $247 to rebuild a bed with cinder blocks, soil, compost and seeds. So far this season I've comped $65 just in greens/lettuces and onion greens. I expect to "make" money by season's end. The therapy is priceless 🥰
Look for free or low-cost resources in your area. I rent from my next-door neighbor who remodeled and gave me free the deck boards he had left over so no bed cost. He also had delivered 30 yards of garden mix for his grass and gave me 3 yards for helping him spread some of it, so no soil cost. I pick up Christmas mulch from the city for free for the walking baths and one year convinced them to bring me 8 yards when they were doing brush pick up in my area since they were coming out here with empty trucks anyway.
I apparently bought BAD potting mix for my GreenStalks and grow bags. NOTHING in the herbs and lettuce got beyond the 2 leaf stage…..the peas and beans turned yellow and died. NOTHING has produced ANYTHING. I spent over $330 for the potting soil plus seeds, and soil amendments. I’m VERY unhappy with what has happened. All was organic….I’m convinced the soil was bad but I can’t prove it and I’m sure the company won’t reimburse me for the seeds, soil, etc. There has been NO return on my money……nothing has lived. What am I supposed to do? I’m now in the position that to replace the dirt will be a LOT of money. Plus the seeds, amendments. It’s not been worth it so far! I’m getting cheaper potting soil and it has done wonderful so far. So much for Espoma…I’m so sad and upset. I can’t afford to replace all the potting soil I have…..I’m over 70…..I have a bad feeling that I won’t be reimbursed in any way. I’m ready to give up and am dehydrating frozen veggies because none have grown. ANY SUGGESTIONS????
"Deal or no deal, if the price is right" Payday Monsanto
oddly enough, I don't really care if my garden is cost effective. It brings me joy. Any food I grow is just bonus. Any extra food I can put up for off season enjoyment is a double bonus.
I grow because I hardly ever get to buy fresh fruits and veggies. I also put in American Hazelnuts this year after trying to find them at Christmas time last year. That was nearly impossible. I won't get a crop this year, but they should start producing next year.
Gardening is great exercise too. A lot of people spend hundreds of dollars every year on gym memberships, and then never go to the gym. I would much rather my efforts go into something useful, like moving compost and spreading mulch, rather than sitting inside lifting weights.
So glad you mentioned herbs. YUGE ROI.
For me it’s about growing fruit and vegetables that I know are organic and safe to eat. It’s also my therapy. Weeding, getting in the dirt and growing things has truly helped me through depression. I love it and will garden for the rest of my life.
Great video Luke! When you mention using some of the garlic heads for next year's garden (which I do as well) it may appear as wasted space compared to the cost of the garden since you're not eating them but you are saving on next year's seed crop – and as a bonus you know that the seeds were organically grown if you're an organic grower.
When i started planting a vegetable garden almost 40 years ago you couldn't get the varieties and the quality at the store you could from seeds. Its still that way on some things but they do offer more now.
I got purple cauliflower growing again, first time in years, it was one of the firsts I grew back then along with broccoli and Brussels sprouts.
I saw the butterneck squash in the MIGardener store and decided to take a chance and go for it since I love butternut squash! I can't wait for it to grow up my trellis and produce a good harvest along with the regular butternut and acorn squashes I got!
Money spent on gardening is cheaper than therapy or tuition. It makes me happy, lessens stress, and I’m always learning something new. We also get food😁
Awesome video Luke. One thing gardeners need to remember is that it's advisable to grow their garden over time or they might get overwhelmed when the produce starts filling their fridge and kitchen counters. I have been growing my garden by 5 yards of compost (approximately $275) a year over the past 20 years. I am fortunate that space is not an issue and I presently have over 14,000 square feet of gardening space. Without the experience and knowledge I have acquired over the time I would become overwhelmed and most likely wouldn't have planted the following year. I must admit your videos have been very important to getting to this point in gardening.
Whoa, this is a fascinating approach. Thank you for sharing!
What’s that about a free trip?! Lol got my attention! Glad I stayed till the end! 😂 Great video, though! Really informative! Wish it came out before I spent a bunch of money on raised beds, soil, mulch, and seeds! Lol. But, I’ve got a grand plan for a place that has very rocky soil and it’s just going to take time to get it where it needs to be. 😊
Great episode. I don’t mean to nitpick. I get your point, but I have no interest in going to Florida. Ever. Very, very hostile state.
Saving $$ is awesome, however… watching my 2 year old grandson pick and eat "newnumbers" (cucumbers) and tomatoes in the greenhouse — priceless. This morning he was picking and eating lettuce and he's all excited about the baby zucchinis.
I'm growing in Florida – thanks for all your tips and spending your savings with us!😊
Most of my garden is up cycled recycle bins we found on the curb, mostly filled with homemade compost or compost we pick up for free locally. Many of my supports for my tomatoes, beans, pease, etc. were also free or in expensive (I try to spend about $1-2 per tomato stake).
I just got another green stalk (my third) and those are pricey, but I only get them on sale and I plant a variety of stuff to off set it.
I can't wait for all the tomatoes this year, and my son is enjoying the fresh strawberries, green beans, and herbs. I was pulling out garlic the other day and he started using the freshly cleaned bulb as a teething toy 😅. You can't put a price on that imo.
Peppercorn (commercial black pepper) is a high dollar commodity. I want to grow that.