Weekly Gardening Thread --- To grow or to buy

MSN Money ^ | May 28,2008 | Sally Herigstad

[Gabz]

5 foods it's cheaper to grow

If grocery prices have you thinking about cutting costs with a garden, you may be on the right track. But be careful what you plant; a garden could raise your food costs. Whether you save by gardening depends largely on where you live, what you grow and how well you resist slick gadgets and miracle solutions. If you're looking to save money rather than to start a hobby, here are five garden crops likely to give you the best return:

What about tomatoes? They require moderate care and vigilance, and in short-season climates, you can tend them all summer only to have them not quite ripen before the first frost. When they do ripen, everybody's selling them cheap.

But you can't put a price on everything. Home-grown, just-picked tomatoes are heavenly. Some foods you have to grow yourself to fully appreciate.

[Gabz]

GRRRRRRRR I hate excerpts.

In the rest of the article, which is a really good read, it also lists 5 foods that are best to leave to the farmers.

I reccommend you all go to the link and read the rest of the article.

[trisham]

We're growing tomatoes and herbs this year. Not much compared to previous years, but our schedule has become increasingly hectic. One thing I'll say about the article is that potatoes are fairly easy to grow, imho. The smaller varieties are delicious, and can't be beat in texture or taste when compared to those available commercially.

[Gabz]

Weekly Gardening Ping.

I really hate to post and run folks, but my husband and I are painting rental cabins over on Chincoteague and we’ll be leaving here shortly and so I won’t be near a computer all day.........but at least I’ll be outside all day!!!!

Several of you pinged me to some really great articles yesterday, that I haven’t gotten to pinging the list, so if you could link them to this thread I would really appreciate it!

[gardengirl]

Have a great day Gabz! Don’t work too hard!

[Sacajaweau]

I support my local farmers. He does his job and I do mine. We’re both happy.

[Gabz]

You have a great day, too!!!

Painting is not hard work, I actually enjoy it. We started the one cabin yesterday afternoon and should have it done by this afternoon, or Monday morning at the latest. The other one is smaller and we expect to knock it out by Monday, Tuesday morning at the latest.

I’ll be back later. TOODLES!

[mplsconservative]

Whoa! How did William Alexander spend over $16,000 creating a garden and why is he cited in an article about saving money?

The guy seems to be lacking the common sense gene. LOL

[Arrowhead1952]

Well, one thing about the article is that if you decide to plant vined veggies - cucumbers - squash or even cantaloupes and watermelons, you'd better have a LOT of room. I've been picking fresh cucumbers and tomatoes for the past few weeks.

He is correct about potatoes. I remember when we grew them on the farm. We used about 100 yds of a field terrace and had several rows. We could get a pickup load from about 50 lbs of seed potatoes.

We also used terraces for growing melons, cucumbers and cantaloupes. One row close to the top and let the vines grow down each side.

[alice_in_bubbaland]

Good Morning!

This year we are growing tomato's, cukes, radishes, lettuce, hot peppers, eggplant, carrots, bush beans and cantaloupes. Just few herbs, parsley, basil and oregano.

I joke to my friends that I'm growing a salad!

[Tuscaloosa Goldfinch]

bump

[gardengirl]

Me too! I just took three of my ceiling fans down and stenciled flowers on them. Hubby just shook his head. I’m getting ready to paint my daughter’s bedroom. She moved out and it’s empty. Have to do some patchwork first—hate that.

[AppyPappy]

If you plant Tansy and Mint, you better like it a lot because it is taking over.

[gardengirl]

The mint thing seems to work. We had some chocolate mint—think peppermint patty—escape in the greenhouse. As long as we leave it be around the pump, no fireants. Clean the greenhouse, pull the mint up, and in about 3 days we have fireants inside. The mint will grow back—it’s also escaped to the outside and grows all teh way down the side of the greenhouse and out into the grass. Smells great when teh guys mow!

[Red_Devil 232]

Good morning to All.

This is a picture (forgive the blur) of one of my fig trees, can I assume that this is a Fig? If it is then three of my fig trees have figs!

[Red_Devil 232]

I know why he shook his head! LOL

[Red_Devil 232]

I have mint confined to a planter. My wife likes fresh mint in her hot or iced tea. I told her the only way I was planting mint was if I could confine it! I watch it closely!

[Roses0508]

Good article. Planted 12 tomato plants, wrapped their little plot in wire to save it from the bunnies and the deer - so plants, fencing wire and posts have to be figured into the cost, although the fencing is reusable.

I was thinking of trying potatoes in one of those cloth sacks....one of the so called gourmet types that cost a fortune at the store. Anyone given that a try?

I have cucumbers and peppers in also. I plant loose leaf greens (lettuce?) in pots. They reseed every spring and every fall. I’m actually thinking of moving the pots into the sunroom - it may be cool enough to keep the production going over the summer.

We have a lot of herbs in pots, the herb garden is under construction. Not only does it save money, they taste so much better picked this minute fresh.