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.

[JustaDumbBlonde]

Yes, that is a fig. Looks like that little tree is happy and healthy!

[Ditter]

I envy you gardeners out there. I was a HUGE gardener when we lived in the country with lots of sunshine and rich soil. I had a rose garden, vegetable garden, green house and azalea beds. Now I live in the city with huge shade trees and sandy very poor soil. Of course the arthritis in my hands and shoulders doesn't help much either.

[trisham]

We had them in our garden for a few years, but I haven't seen them yet this season. The leaves are kind of feathery, and at the top are the seeds. Both can be used in cooking.

From Wiki:

All parts of the plant are edible, but the fresh leaves and the dried seeds are the most commonly used in cooking. Coriander is commonly used in Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, Indian, South Asian, Latin American, Chinese, African and Southeast Asian cuisine.

The leaves are variously referred to as coriander leaves in Britain; cilantro (from the Spanish name for the plant) in the United States, and dhania in the Indian subcontinent. The leaves, and especially the stems, have a very different taste from the seeds, similar to parsley but "juicier" and with citrus-like overtones. Some people instead perceive an unpleasant "soapy" taste and/or a rank smell. This is believed to be a result of an enzyme that changes the way they taste coriander leaves, a genetic trait, but has yet to be fully researched.[3]

The fresh leaves and stems are an essential ingredient in many Vietnamese foods, Asian chutneys, Mexican salsas and guacamole, and occasionally is used in sushi rolls. Chopped coriander leaves are also used as a garnish on cooked dishes such as dal and many curries. As heat diminishes their flavor quickly, coriander leaves are often used raw or added to the dish right before serving. In some Indian and Central Asian recipes, coriander leaves are used in huge amounts and cooked till they dissolve into sauce and their flavour mellows.[1] Another factor that dictates the quality of flavor is the time when coriander is harvested. If its roots consistently stay at a temperature above 75 degrees Fahrenheit, the herb will quickly bolt, causing its leaves and stems to yield a bitter flavor and become quite chewy. At this point, made evident by the thinner and finer leaves, it is practical to harvest only the coriander seeds, since the stems and leaves are no longer usable as food.

[penowa]

"...in short-season climates, you can tend them all summer only to have them not quite ripen before the first frost."

Only if you aren't smart enough to choose tomatoes that can be grown in short-season climates. DUH!

[Roses0508]

I have 5 kinds of mints in big pots. I dump the pots, hack the plant in half, add compost, put one half back in the pot, give away or trashcan the other half every spring. That covers maintenance. Lovely stuff for tea and for cooking.

Let it out of the pots though and its a thug.

[Red_Devil 232]

Yes they are all happy. Gardengirl's fig is doing great and the one I thought was not going to make it is doing great. It is behind in leaf growth but it has a fig!

My Sugar Baby Watermelon patch is thriving also. These pictures were taken this morning. To see how much it grew in the past two weeks check out my "about page".

[goodnesswins]

Interesting article.....I am soooo envious of some of you...we here in the Pacific NW (Seattle area)....need some global WARMING!

[Cudjo]

Everyone says mint will take over, I have never been able to get it to grow, always dies on me in a few weeks.

[gardengirl]

**great big stalks it used to go to seed. **

Cilantro doesn’t like heat, so try it earlier or later in the season.

I can’t stand the smell of it although I will eat it in salsa and such. It’s the only thing in the greenhouse that I hate watering—the smell is so intense, guess the heat and humidity make it worse.

[gardengirl]

Houston, we have a fig! Congrats, Red!

[Red_Devil 232]

Just plant it where you don't want an invasive plant and watch out! LOL

[gardengirl]

Sorry! Maybe you could do container gardening? I feel for you. When I was about 10 we moved from an 80 acre farm in Ohio in the middle of no where to a trailer park in NC. Talk about culture shock!

Hear you on the arthur. I’ve been going to the chiropracter and have done yoga. it helps alot.

[Red_Devil 232]

Do you know what? I am amazed! Fruit trees that were just sticks in the ground a few months ago and they are producing fruit! Not knowing a thing about figs when my wife asked me to plant some, I told her I would, but that it might take a few years before we see figs. What a hoot!

[gardengirl]

The fruit trees will take longer to bear quantities. Try to remember next year to spray them in Feb with a dormant oil spray. It will kill any insects/diseases that have overwintered in teh bark. Then follow up with a good fruit tree spray, starting when the buds swell. You’ll have to do it about once a week/every ten days.

I’m assuming here—since your climate is so similiar to here. :)

[gardengirl]

I got choked on it one day when I was watering. Sneezed and coughed —violently—for about half an hour. Very few plants affect me that way.

Sensitive to perfumes, bug sprays, etc and I avoid them as much as possible. Aerosol seems to be the worst culprit as dusts and granular don’t seem to bother me unless I really get a big dose.

[Red_Devil 232]

Every thing you see that makes up my garden (see my "about page") including the fencing and the poles came out of my storage shed. The fencing was bought years ago to make a large enclosure for our dogs. The 1x12's for the raised beds were just hanging around and almost thrown out.

My father had bought a small tiller many years ago (it had never been taken out of the boxes) and he just stored it. We had put it in our yard sale last year because I thought it was to small to be of any use to me. It did not sell. Boy am I glad! That little thing can dig up some tough ground!

Point is - my garden has not cost me a lot. I did till in about $100 of composted manure into the tomato patch, raised beds and watermelon patch and may be used a gallon of gas for the tiller. But I also had a great big ol' pile of home made compost (mostly grass clipping from last year) that helped the soil. Other costs were minimal seeds, fish emulsion for the seedlings and that is about it! I did spend on average about $15 each for the fruit trees.

[Red_Devil 232]

I will be getting back to you later on the sprays you mention. You have been so helpful. What ever small amount of fruit is produced this year will still be amazing to me.