Comments on: Set Up Your Kitchen Garden—and Save! http://greenbabyguide.com/2009/04/08/set-up-your-kitchen-garden%e2%80%94and-save/ Earth Friendly, Budget Friendly Tue, 22 May 2012 03:15:20 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Paige http://greenbabyguide.com/2009/04/08/set-up-your-kitchen-garden%e2%80%94and-save/comment-page-1/#comment-2544 Paige Fri, 10 Apr 2009 03:17:50 +0000 http://greenbabyguide.com/?p=2560#comment-2544 I am in my third year of having a kitchen garden and I LOVE IT! I feel so much satisfaction from the whole process, financially as well as from a stress-reduction perspective. This year my son (5 years) has really gotten into the process and requested me to plant grapes, blood oranges and strawberries. We've planted all three and I can't wait to see how they produce in the years to come. I am in my third year of having a kitchen garden and I LOVE IT! I feel so much satisfaction from the whole process, financially as well as from a stress-reduction perspective. This year my son (5 years) has really gotten into the process and requested me to plant grapes, blood oranges and strawberries. We’ve planted all three and I can’t wait to see how they produce in the years to come.

]]> By: rebecca http://greenbabyguide.com/2009/04/08/set-up-your-kitchen-garden%e2%80%94and-save/comment-page-1/#comment-2543 rebecca Thu, 09 Apr 2009 23:52:24 +0000 http://greenbabyguide.com/?p=2560#comment-2543 Thanks, Bob! I was just thinking that I could plant the vegetables that cost the most in the store. I may even fill one whole garden box with tomatoes and basil. Zucchini might not be the best use of my garden real estate, since you can usually buy it for really cheap in the summer. I just ordered the soil for my garden beds and it will cost over $100! Of course in years to come I will not need new soil and tending to the garden will be less work. That's the idea, anyway! Thanks, Bob! I was just thinking that I could plant the vegetables that cost the most in the store. I may even fill one whole garden box with tomatoes and basil. Zucchini might not be the best use of my garden real estate, since you can usually buy it for really cheap in the summer.

I just ordered the soil for my garden beds and it will cost over $100! Of course in years to come I will not need new soil and tending to the garden will be less work. That’s the idea, anyway!

]]> By: Bob http://greenbabyguide.com/2009/04/08/set-up-your-kitchen-garden%e2%80%94and-save/comment-page-1/#comment-2542 Bob Thu, 09 Apr 2009 19:57:38 +0000 http://greenbabyguide.com/?p=2560#comment-2542 It's great that so many people are interested in home vegetable gardening. I have had a garden for most of my adult life, and love it. I grow 45 different tomato varieties. Growing Gardens is such a wonderful organization, putting in 600+ gardens for lower income families and working with them of 3 years. It is inspiring to check their website. Note to #2 rebbeca: The value per square foot depends on what you grow. One foot could grow 20 lbs. of delicious tomatoes worth $20-$40. It’s great that so many people are interested in home vegetable gardening. I have had a garden for most of my adult life, and love it. I grow 45 different tomato varieties.

Growing Gardens is such a wonderful organization, putting in 600+ gardens for lower income families and working with them of 3 years. It is inspiring to check their website. Note to #2 rebbeca: The value per square foot depends on what you grow. One foot could grow 20 lbs. of delicious tomatoes worth $20-$40.

]]> By: Larisa http://greenbabyguide.com/2009/04/08/set-up-your-kitchen-garden%e2%80%94and-save/comment-page-1/#comment-2541 Larisa Thu, 09 Apr 2009 16:52:23 +0000 http://greenbabyguide.com/?p=2560#comment-2541 I love my kitchen garden, even though it's small. I've found that potatoes grow spontaneously out of the compost I put in my veggie beds, so I set aside a section for them and it costs me exactly nothing. I find that one or two zucchini plants usually give me all the squash I can use, so one $2 packet of seeds will last me at least three years. You can't beat the great feeling of wandering outside, pulling some things out of the dirt, and having a truly fresh salad just a few minutes later! Speaking of salad, here's a great tip for growing lettuce that I picked up from a gardening book: Just sow one row of lettuce seeds every 2 weeks for a couple of months. This will insure that you spread out your harvest, instead of being overrun with lettuce for a couple of weeks and then having the rest of it bolt. (That said, I always let one or two bolt and then collect the seeds at the end of summer to use next year--another cost savings.) I love my kitchen garden, even though it’s small. I’ve found that potatoes grow spontaneously out of the compost I put in my veggie beds, so I set aside a section for them and it costs me exactly nothing. I find that one or two zucchini plants usually give me all the squash I can use, so one $2 packet of seeds will last me at least three years.

You can’t beat the great feeling of wandering outside, pulling some things out of the dirt, and having a truly fresh salad just a few minutes later! Speaking of salad, here’s a great tip for growing lettuce that I picked up from a gardening book: Just sow one row of lettuce seeds every 2 weeks for a couple of months. This will insure that you spread out your harvest, instead of being overrun with lettuce for a couple of weeks and then having the rest of it bolt. (That said, I always let one or two bolt and then collect the seeds at the end of summer to use next year–another cost savings.)

]]> By: Condo Blues http://greenbabyguide.com/2009/04/08/set-up-your-kitchen-garden%e2%80%94and-save/comment-page-1/#comment-2540 Condo Blues Thu, 09 Apr 2009 16:13:04 +0000 http://greenbabyguide.com/?p=2560#comment-2540 Oh, I forgot to ask. Where can I get seeds for dollar bill plants like the photo? I could really use a real money tree! :) Oh, I forgot to ask. Where can I get seeds for dollar bill plants like the photo? I could really use a real money tree! :)

]]> By: Condo Blues http://greenbabyguide.com/2009/04/08/set-up-your-kitchen-garden%e2%80%94and-save/comment-page-1/#comment-2539 Condo Blues Thu, 09 Apr 2009 16:12:22 +0000 http://greenbabyguide.com/?p=2560#comment-2539 This year's garden will be at a loss becuase I have to start over from scratch. We have absoluately no topsoil and even though we compost, will need to spend the bulk of this year's gardening budget on good soil and soil amendments. But if we do it right this year, then next year our garden expenses and output should be in the black. This year’s garden will be at a loss becuase I have to start over from scratch. We have absoluately no topsoil and even though we compost, will need to spend the bulk of this year’s gardening budget on good soil and soil amendments. But if we do it right this year, then next year our garden expenses and output should be in the black.

]]> By: Cathy http://greenbabyguide.com/2009/04/08/set-up-your-kitchen-garden%e2%80%94and-save/comment-page-1/#comment-2537 Cathy Thu, 09 Apr 2009 14:21:03 +0000 http://greenbabyguide.com/?p=2560#comment-2537 that cost analysis is interesting. we probably don't save a ton, either, but we really enjoy it and love all the fresh produce! Last year we tried to make the most of produce at the end of the year by canning and storing green tomatoes in the basement--I got that tip here and it really worked! that cost analysis is interesting. we probably don’t save a ton, either, but we really enjoy it and love all the fresh produce! Last year we tried to make the most of produce at the end of the year by canning and storing green tomatoes in the basement–I got that tip here and it really worked!

]]> By: rebecca http://greenbabyguide.com/2009/04/08/set-up-your-kitchen-garden%e2%80%94and-save/comment-page-1/#comment-2536 rebecca Thu, 09 Apr 2009 06:33:13 +0000 http://greenbabyguide.com/?p=2560#comment-2536 Wow, that little equation ($1.50 per square foot) is rather discouraging. According to that, I'll be able to grow just $96 of produce in my two 8' x 4' raised beds. I'll probably end up with a net loss this year, considering the price of the beds and dirt, the cost of plants/seeds, and the expense of a couple new tools I needed. On the bright side, I am not necessarily growing a garden to save money. I do love vegetables straight from the garden, and it's nice to feel self-sufficient. Wow, that little equation ($1.50 per square foot) is rather discouraging. According to that, I’ll be able to grow just $96 of produce in my two 8′ x 4′ raised beds. I’ll probably end up with a net loss this year, considering the price of the beds and dirt, the cost of plants/seeds, and the expense of a couple new tools I needed.

On the bright side, I am not necessarily growing a garden to save money. I do love vegetables straight from the garden, and it’s nice to feel self-sufficient.

]]> By: Gina http://greenbabyguide.com/2009/04/08/set-up-your-kitchen-garden%e2%80%94and-save/comment-page-1/#comment-2534 Gina Thu, 09 Apr 2009 04:42:48 +0000 http://greenbabyguide.com/?p=2560#comment-2534 I just started my home garden. I put quite a bit of money and effort into it last year, but this year I think my money spent will be minimal. I have a lot of compost to use for fertilizer, so I mostly just need seeds, some of which I still had from last fall. I think this year's garden will be pure savings! I just started my home garden. I put quite a bit of money and effort into it last year, but this year I think my money spent will be minimal. I have a lot of compost to use for fertilizer, so I mostly just need seeds, some of which I still had from last fall. I think this year’s garden will be pure savings!

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