lavender Posted June 10, 2008 Share Posted June 10, 2008 Brian says his wife is getting into organic gardening and finds it expensive. I'm reading a book called The $64 Dollar Tomato and working on an article on whether vegetable gardening is more expensive than buying veggies. I've been growing all of our vegetables for 20 years now and have no real idea as to what it costs. So what to those of you who actually grow vegetables think? Is it cost effective? I'm too busy growing stuff to actually price it out and don't really care enough (not going to quit gardening anyway!) just your impressions. And can I quote you for my newsletter? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mosha Posted June 10, 2008 Share Posted June 10, 2008 Quick calculation for my 25'x60' garden: 60 tomato plants 5 doz. x $5 = $25 24 pepper plants 2 doz. x $5 = $10 Lime/Fertilizer 10 lbs x $0.50=$5 Fungicide/Insecticide 2 lbs x $8 =$16 Tilling-paid or amort. =$40 If result is 200 lbs tomatoes and 40 lbs peppers only (not including other crops in same space), cost would be $96/240 lbs, or $0.40 per lb. Big caveat is LABOR NOT INCLUDED! Good question and informative exercise... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klsm54 Posted June 10, 2008 Share Posted June 10, 2008 I guess it varies. I used to have a big garden, 40' x 60'. I bought plants in flats, started some of my own, and planted a lot of crops from seed. I used free manure for fertilizer, had a friend with a tiller, and kept my expenses low. At that time I know the return was well worth it. After I moved from that house, the hobby started getting the best of me. I downsized to 12' x 24' (two 12' x 12' raised beds) and started spending money. I was tired of weeds and hard soil. I built the beds from used railroad ties and manufactured the soil from clean sifted topsoil, peat moss, sand, vermiculite and pearlite. It was like a garden full of premium potting mix. No more manure, bought fertilzer and a PH test kit so I knew when to lime. I also got picky about plants and paid more since I had limited space. I had a great garden, fantastic yields but it became a passion more than a quest to save money on my food bills. I'm certain that I could have bought twice as much produce for the money I spent growing it, at least in the first couple years. But I just like having fresh veggies in the yard. Nothing like homegrown tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, onions, herbs, squash and more. Now I moved again and due to health problems I garden vicariously through my wife. Everything she grows is in a small raised bed or containers. Since I'm one of those gadget guys, always buying her a new self watering container or something, we probably still don't save any money. But we just have to have homegrown tomatoes, and those fried green tomatoes...mmmm. I think it can save you money, if that is your goal. But even if you are like me, always trying something new and "improved", a few new gadgets every year, it is still a worthwhile hobby and certainly helps you eat healthier.... 8).... even if it isn't a money saver. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gypsywannabe Posted June 11, 2008 Share Posted June 11, 2008 Red Sweet Bell peppers at store in town: 3-4 dollars per....that means EACH one pepper plant from Lowe's: 1.95 with a yield of 6-8 peppers . It saves to grow them and especially the huge tomatoes from a garden as opposed to the ones in the grocery store that have NO flavor and are full of seeds-YUCK! heck, I just talked myself into putting in vegetables this year. I was taking a year off.... Thanks, Lavender!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest snellma Posted June 11, 2008 Share Posted June 11, 2008 I think in the long run you save money with a garden. When I started canning there was a huge cost involved at the front. I had to buy the canner, the jars, the lids, and any equipment needed. Now that I have it all I have to purchase each year are the flat lids. I probably paid $1.50 (at the most) for my package of cucumber seeds. I am picking at least 4-5 cucumbers every day. Right now cucumbers are almost $1 a piece in the store so I pretty much already paid for my seeds when I picked 2 cucumbers. Of course I can't can cucumbers but I have been canning or freezing just about everything else. Whether you save money or not the exercise is good for you, homegrown stuff tastes better, and it is better for you so you can't go wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MSchmidt10 Posted June 11, 2008 Share Posted June 11, 2008 I think that home grown veggies taste better. That is the best part about them in my opinion. Also with the price of gas these days to get to the store and back for some ppl it is cheaper to plant a garden even if they do put expensive plants in the garden. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokefree Posted June 11, 2008 Share Posted June 11, 2008 I think fruits and vegetables grown at home are priceless. You get the joy of watching them grow and nothing compares to sitting on your deck, picking a tomato and having it with salt! I compare the price to buying annuals. You pay just as much or more for them and you don't get to eat anything! I can too and the last few weeks I have been eating bowl after bowl of cold home-canned tomatoes with onion and green pepper. MMMMMM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lavender Posted June 11, 2008 Author Share Posted June 11, 2008 As klsm pointed out and a number of others touched on it is the hidden cost that raises the tomato price to $64. When we moved to DuBois I had a small shed built with windows and lights for my plants. That cost about $500 but I had a truckload of house plants and no place for them while we waited for our house to be built. My veggie plants went in there. When we moved I started out raising my plants in the basement under lights. Price: seeds and two florescent lights. This graduated to a small greenhouse structure in the basement to keep the cat out and the plants from drying out. There was vinyl pipe and plastic involved. Then we build a 10' by 20' glass and steel greenhouse add-on to the house. You don't want to know what the kit cost! Hubby was willing to do anything at that point to get my plants out of the house. That was heated all winter by our household heating system and my transplants had to go outside fairly early due to room limitations so hubby found a big plastic and wood greenhouse for sale. That didn't cost much except in aggravation in tearing it down and reconstructing it. (He said if he ever mentions the words "greenhouse" and "buy" in the same sentence I should shoot him.) Since I'm a "dirt" gardener I don't put that much into actual gardening. We make our own compost and salvage materials to build beds. Of course, we have to have a tractor to move all that stone around! Animal control costs a bit too. We finally got rid of the ugly snow fencing but the stuff that replaced it wasn't high enough so we had to buy netting last year. It goes on and on. However, you should see my broccoli and cauliflower! Worth every penny of what it costs and I'm not going to figure it out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klsm54 Posted June 11, 2008 Share Posted June 11, 2008 Animal control....:sad: Another big issue. Did a fence once at the old house. Too cheap to do it right, so it looked like crap. Just plain gave up on some things. I love fresh picked broccoli but it seems to draw the animals in. I think if I was healthy I would spring for a 6' cyclone fence around at least part of a garden so I could grow everything I wanted. That would be another big expense, but those homegrown veggies are sooooo good..... 8) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steelnut Posted June 12, 2008 Share Posted June 12, 2008 There's nothing better than home grown veggies! There are costs, but it's sooo worth it all. We had an Amish gentleman build us a garden shed, I love it. We have to have an electric fence (solar powered) because of the critters. Hubby is going to build me a greenhouse add-on to the shed next year. That way I can go back to planting my own seeds, I can't wait! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lavender Posted June 13, 2008 Author Share Posted June 13, 2008 Animal control....:sad: Another big issue. Did a fence once at the old house. Too cheap to do it right, so it looked like crap. Just plain gave up on some things. I love fresh picked broccoli but it seems to draw the animals in. I think if I was healthy I would spring for a 6' cyclone fence around at least part of a garden so I could grow everything I wanted. That would be another big expense, but those homegrown veggies are sooooo good..... 8) Got the bottles of ammonia out this year before the groundhogs started on the cole plants. Haven't lost one yet.......knock on wood. Had to replace about two dozen last year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lavender Posted June 13, 2008 Author Share Posted June 13, 2008 There's nothing better than home grown veggies! There are costs, but it's sooo worth it all. We had an Amish gentleman build us a garden shed, I love it. We have to have an electric fence (solar powered) because of the critters. Hubby is going to build me a greenhouse add-on to the shed next year. That way I can go back to planting my own seeds, I can't wait! My little shed greenhouse was the best for growing from seed. I heated it with a kerosene heater so it didn't get as warm as the current one. The only problem was that I used it for house plants and kept the heater going all winter. This meant going out at 1 a.m. to put more fuel in. I used to do it in my bathrobe and a pair of rubber boots. Result: frostbitten toes. Ouch! Brian I pm'd you. No point in giving everyone a heart attack. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JenMc32 Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 Animal control....:sad: Another big issue. Did a fence once at the old house. Too cheap to do it right, so it looked like crap. Just plain gave up on some things. I love fresh picked broccoli but it seems to draw the animals in. I think if I was healthy I would spring for a 6' cyclone fence around at least part of a garden so I could grow everything I wanted. That would be another big expense, but those homegrown veggies are sooooo good..... 8) Have you tried putting out hair? It's supposed to work. If you tie a few handfulls out on stakes, in a mesh bag - it's supposed to keep the animals away. You can stop in at a salon and ask them to save some of their clippings for you. The problem with our blueberries - Japanese Beetles & birds. Even with the nets we cover them with. We got some beetle traps this year, hopefully that will help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petee Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 I got my 6x8 which is plenty of room when you build in shelves at Harbor Freight. I think it was about $300. They also had a 12 x 15 I think for about $500 which was tall enough to grow hanging baskets. It was way too big for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petee Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 Mine is some sort of a reinforced vinyl that is constructed something like cardboard. It comes with clips to assemble it, but we drilled and bolted it together because this thing is not coming down in my lifetime!! Here's a page that shows both the one I got and the larger one. We rasied ours by setting the base on one layer of 2x4s. I think we are going to raise it on two more layers because it will give me mopre room on the top shelves. I built twelve wood and wire shelves for the old greenohouse and this one is a little shorter so the top shelf is a little tight. My POlaroid died right when I wanted to get this and the Wisteria pictures and I haven't developed the throw away camera yet, but I will post a picture then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pheobe Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 I love your greenhouse! I'm going to bring my Mom out sometime to see it too - she's thinking of getting one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petee Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 Mine? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pheobe Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 Yep. Forget who I am? We have the Eagle guy in common Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klsm54 Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 Here you go Brian..... http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=47712 Sure would make a nice gift for your wife..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petee Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 Yep. Forget who I am? We have the Eagle guy in common Ohhhh, that's you! Come on out but let me clean first! I'll have home made ice cream and/or Tiramisu in a few days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steelnut Posted June 14, 2008 Share Posted June 14, 2008 Here you go Brian..... http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=47712 Sure would make a nice gift for your wife..... Thank you, that's what I want! Petee, is this the same one you have? Hubby wants to order one through Lowes for 1000.00! I said, "No way!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petee Posted June 14, 2008 Share Posted June 14, 2008 Yes, that is the one I have (6x8) from Harbor Freight. It's a beast to lug to wherever you want to assemble it, and then there's the directions which are not complete. However, they did e-mail me photos of the places where the directions left off. We drilled over 300 holes and bolted it together on a section of the deck that we built a couple of years ago specifically for the purpose of me having a little greenhouse some day. We are also going to add a sunroom to the basement for heat for the house and so I have a place for the indoor plants over the winter. The one from Lowes doesn't have roof windows to open when the heat gets too high. The one from Harbor Freight is much nicer. Friends gave us a remote digital thermometer from Radio Shack so I have it recording the temperature in the greenhouse. Right now I have the windows and door open to let the air flow through but this spring when it got cold at night and I put the electric heater out there, it made it so much easier to regulate. I could check it in the kitchen and then go out and raise or lower the temp. We made a base of pressure treated 2x4s for it but you could just level it on open ground if you were right on the mark. Otherwise I would pour a concrete apron to rest the sides on, or even a floor. We are going to add two levels of 2x4s under this one in the fall so it will be higher. With all of the base bolted together it will be heavy enough that I don't think anything other than a bona fide tornado will move it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lavender Posted June 17, 2008 Author Share Posted June 17, 2008 I got the article finished last night and will post it as soon as the newsletter goes out. Thanks all for your help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lavender Posted July 1, 2008 Author Share Posted July 1, 2008 The article is posted at www.downtoearthgardenclub.org if anyone wants to read it. Also check out http://www.chowhound.com/topics/441369 if you have a minute. One of our articles got quoted. We are now famous for eating cicadas. It was a joke! Really! Maybe we should open a restaurant and go for the tourist trade. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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