It’s a proven fact that gardening is more popular than ever this year and the world’s economy is playing a big part in this event. With many people loosing their jobs or afraid they might the popular hobby of gardening is returning full force. Many of you will be having gardens for the first time and there is much to learns and items will need to be purchased.

photo credit: inspector_81
With this in mind I decided to try and start a garden for Twenty dollars. There is a movement called Recession Gardening to promote organic gardening and for as many people to raise produce as possible. I have been gardening for many years but decided to look at this as if it’s my first year and attempt to buy all my supplies for twenty dollars. Since I know gardening cost shortcuts I will be sharing these as we go along.

Garden Space

First you need to decide how much space you have available for a garden and what your favorite or most used vegetables and fruits will be. Corn tomatoes peppers beans cucumbers, lettuce potatoes onions cabbage and beets are a few of the most popular vegetables. Melons, strawberries and blueberries are favorite garden fruits.

Cost saving gardening ideas

Next look for deals. I read that out local garden center have seeds on sale for 20 cents a packet. So I decided what I wanted in the garden this year and went down and selected five dollars worth of seeds. ( I grow a lot of leaf lettuce so need to plant lettuce every two weeks)There are a few more seeds I want but I will wait to see what my friends are buying and trade a few seeds with them. If I buy one packet of winter squash I do not need to plant the entire packet so trading seeds makes more sense. Wal-Mart usually has seeds for twenty cents a packet too.

Seeds can be one of your most expensive costs in a garden along with buying plants and tools for the garden. You may also need to have your garden tilled or buy gardening tools. I find most of my gardening tools at garage sales or at auctions for one to two dollars apiece. If you have not gardened before you will want a hoe or spade and a rake and a small hand spade. Check at garage sales for these tools.

Additional gardening  supplies you may need:

• String
• boards
• stakes
• plant markers
• soil
• compost
• fertilizer
• mulch
• insect control spray –organic of course!
• Water hose or rain barrel
• plastic jugs, plant ties and  pantyhose

As you go along you may find you want something more but the goal is to keep your garden around twenty dollars in cost.

During the summer I will be sharing this project and its results and I offer you the challenge of following me and sending in tips and photos. There will be winners at the end of the gardening season.

But the real reason for doing this is to help the economy, the community and to raise healthy food.

Recession Garden tips:

• For newer gardeners: If this is your first or second gardening experience buy your tomato and pepper plants. They are a little harder to start than some seeds. I would buy the larger individual plants for about 50 cents a piece.
• Grow at least one thing for fun. A garden should be fun so experiment. And grow a few flowers. It just adds to the fun.
• If possible garden with a family member or friend and share the produce. And if you have too much of one crop, give it to a food bank if you have one in your community
• You don’t have a lot of space? You can still have a garden. Just use containers, windowsills and any extra space available.

Next I will share what seed I have bought and what I am looking to share with another gardener.

Technorati Tags: gardening tips, recession garden, vegetables

During the Great Depression, people grew food for their families, even in small suburban lots. Many dubbed these vegetable-producing patches Depression gardens or Recession gardens. The term Victory Garden was popular in WWII. What ever the name, all these gardens have one thing in common, promoting growing food in your backyard to help with the budget and to supply healthier food for your family. Even if you think you have limited space you can grow a garden!
photo credit: kennymatic

Now that a recession is underway and many say we are heading into a depression: It’s time to start up the backyard gardens again. It’s a great way to improve your economic stability and that of the nation. You also can have fresh chemical free vegetables and fruits. No more worry about illegally used chemical sprays that have made the news over the last few years and many very ill.

How to Grow a Recession Garden

Make a list of vegetables and fruits to include in your depression garden. Choose vegetables that provide a good amount of nutrition and bulk. I recommend potatoes, onions, tomatoes, carrots, cabbage, lettuce and beans. Cucumbers are very good for you but are a bit more challenging to the beginning gardener. Strawberries, peppers, melons and herbs are also great choices for a garden. If you have a large backyard the addition of fruit trees or bushes are beneficial.

Purchase your seeds, seed potatoes and seed onions as early as possible to get the best selection. This also applies to purchasing fruit trees, berry bushes and strawberry plants. If you wait too long to select your seeds the best varieties may be sold out. This is particularly true for onion sets.

If you are a beginning gardener you will want to purchase you pepper and tomato plants. If you have had a garden before you may want to try starting your own plants. Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and herbs should be started in late winter. A few weeks later you can start seed broccoli, cantaloupe, spinach and lettuce. Peas, corn and potatoes will do best planted directly in the ground outdoors. Just make sure you wait to plant until after the last frost date. This information is available online or form you local Extension Office. .

Prepare the soil in your garden. You can either turn over the soil, adding compost and well-composted manure in small quantities or you can use one of the no dig methods. Straw bale gardening also works well. If you have small animals in you backyard you may want to fence your garden area.

You can also plant some of your garden in containers, on the windowsill or on the patio or balcony if you have limited space. An herb container garden in pots by the kitchen door is convenient and can be very decorative. I also like to grow tomatoes in hanging baskets on the porch or deck. A garden will thrive anywhere as long as you have healthy soil and sunlight.

Creative Organic Gardening methods (no chemicals and better use of gardening space) are best used in the recession garden.

If you have additional produce you may decide to freeze or can it. You can also trade the neighbors for produce that you do not grow. The Recession garden will help your income during these tough times ahead. It also provides exercise and time to spend with the family

Technorati Tags: Creative Organic Gardening, recession garden, victory garden