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I recently decided to put in my garden for the family for Twenty dollars in cost this year. It’s easy to get carried away with garden gadgets, tools and soil mixes. And with many people creating their first garden I thought this was the time to see about putting in a garden at a reasonable cost. Many gardens can cost between $50 to 100 to create.
photo credit: iLoveButter

So I saw an ad in the newspaper for garden seeds on sale at the local hardware store. The price 5 for $1. I thought I would purchase my seeds there and pick up any additional seeds or trade for what else I wanted for the garden. I also decided to buy my tomato and pepper plants as transplants. Many first gardeners may not be prepared to start seeds early so by buying a larger plant and giving it special attention my goal it to harvest 30 pounds of tomatoes off each plant. I am not sure what I will get with the pepper plants.

Seeds I have purchased for the Recession Garden

• Scarlet Globe Radish -2 packs
• Beets – Detroit Dark Red and Early Wonder
• Cucumbers – 3 packs Wisconsin SMR 58 (pickling)
• Carrots – 2 packs Danvers Half Long
• Beans -Yellow Top Notch Golden Wax Kentucky Wonder Blue Lake bush
• Summer Squash – Early Crookneck
• Swiss Chard – Fordhook
• Lettuce, 4 packs – Buttercrunch, Black seeded Simpson, Dark Green Cos Endive
• Herbs – sweet basil, oregano, borage
• Flowers – Marigolds, Nasturtiums, Calendula, Sunflowers.

These were all purchased for $5. Cucumbers, carrots beans and the lettuce varieties all have enough seeds available for multiple plantings for the entire season.
photo credit: iLoveButter

I also purchased Vegetable Squash (winter Squash) and a large packet of Peas for $1 a packet. I have made plans to trade some of my Vegetable Spaghetti seeds for Butternut and Buttercup squash. I will also trade some of my yellow Summer Squash for Zucchini. I picked up onion sets and paid $3 for three pounds. So far my garden costs are $10

My tomato plants and pepper plants I will pick up in two weeks and plan to spend 50 cents plant. If I had to purchase garden tools I can get them at the auction for $1 a piece but I have what I need.

As for potatoes, I had potatoes that were starting to sprout so I will use them. I cut up my first batch for planting today and have them healing. This will take about two days. If you haven’t cut potatoes for seeding leave two eyes per section of potato. If you live in an area that has potato blight you may wish to purchase potatoes for seeding. They will cost about 4 to 5 dollars. Note: I plant my potatoes in baskets and use a straw method for planting. It increases the harvest and you have clean potatoes.

You may have to pay to have a garden spot plowed or you can grow in containers or use the no-dig method for gardening. And remember, you can plant a garden in a small space.

The rest of the money I have left will probably go for any additional seeds, composting materials or supplies for homemade insecticides. All of which ideas and tips will be posted at The Gardener’s Rake on the Recession Garden Garden Plan page.

Also check out the Free Seeds and Plants page for more garden saving ideas.

Technorati Tags: free seeds and plants, lasagna gardening, recession garden, recession garden garden plan, small space garden, vegetables, victory garden

Flowers are known for beauty and conveying relaxation and harmony to the backyard and landscape. They fill in bare spots in the lawn and help to blend sections of the yard and home together. They also have another purpose often overlooked, many are edible.
photo credit: ZeePack

Flowers add to any meal with taste, beauty and they are high in vitamins and minerals you can use both annual and perennial flowers. There are over 100 different flowers that can be eaten but as with any plant you must know which ones are edible and which ones are not.

If you are going to eat your flowers first you must know which ones are safe to use and second, don’t use any chemicals on the plants. The chemical residue will remain behind in the petals and this will be dangerous to your health. Also people with allergies will have to see what flowers they could eat and watch for any allergic reaction.

There are many non-edible flowers that can be quite toxic to humans, such as Azaleas, Clematis and Daffodils. Other flower you can eat the petals but not the leaves, so before trying flowers do research. What’s Cooking America has an excellent breakdown on edible flowers along with links to recipes

A few edible flowers that you can grow in your garden, enjoy their beauty, and eat later include: Alliums, Borage, Cattails, Pansies, Lilacs, Dandelions, Nasturtiums, squash blossoms, Calendula, Impatiens, Roses, Mint, and Chrysanthemums. This publication from IA State will provide you with more information

Edible flowers can be used for salads, soups, drinks, syrups, jellies, and main dishes.  They are often used as decoration on cakes and pies. Borage and violets that have been candied have been a favorite for cake decorating for years. And this year at the Kitchen garden or Victory garden the Obamas are growing on the White House lawn, there are edible flowers in the garden.

Edible flowers are very delicate and need to be handled carefully to maintain their beauty. Harvest the flowers early in the morning before the sun has warmed them.  The flowers have more taste in the moring. Gently clean off the petals, then let dry. Flowers should be used the same day or next day for the best flavor.  
photo credit: la fattina

Each edible flower has it own unique flavor that you may or may not like. So pick a few and see if they are something you want to add to your prepared dishes. I remember my first taste of the nasturtium. It has a peppery taste so took me buy surprise but it’s a great addition to salads.

With the renewed interest in gardens and recession gardens you may want to add a few flowers to your meals.

Technorati Tags: Backyard Flower Garden, edible flowers, flowers, recession garden, victory garden

The Obamas Vegetable Garden at the White House

Michele Obama, along with help from twenty-three fifth graders from Bancroft Elementary School in Washington, started to dig up the new 1,100-square-foot Victory garden plot in the White House Lawn on Friday March 20. The gardens location is near the Obama girls’ swing set and will be visible to people passing by the White House if using E Street.  
photo credit: Super Is Sunny

There has not been a vegetable garden on the White House lawn since Eleanor Roosevelt’s victory garden in World War II. With the tough economic times facing Americans and other countries this is the perfect time to realize the importance of growing your own fresh organic vegetables and fruit in you own backyard. And for a small amount of money spent you save hundreds or thousands of dollars on your food bill.

The organic garden will help provide food for the first family’s meals and formal dinners, but its most important role, according to Mrs. Obama, will be to educate children about healthful, locally grown fruit and vegetables at a time when obesity and diabetes have become a national concern.

“My hope,” the first lady said in an interview in her East Wing office and as reported originally in the New York Times, “is that through children, they will begin to educate their families and that will, in turn, begin to educate our communities.”

There have been many successful school community gardens in the last few years and the students from Bancroft Elementary have had such a garden since 2001. These student will be helping through the growing season to plant, harvest, and cook the produce grown. Vegetables, fruits and herbs are planned for the garden. Vegetables top the list with 55 different varieties being planted. Heirloom seeds are are being used in the garden.

The Obama family will also help, including the President. As gardening is relaxing and great exercise, the garden will benefit them  with better fitness and fresh organic quality produce. Promoting healthy eating has become an important part of Mrs. Obama’s own agenda.

As reported in an internet article, The first lady, who said that she had never had a vegetable garden, recalled that the idea for this one came from her experiences as a working mother trying to feed her daughters, Malia and Sasha, a good diet. Eating out three times a week, ordering a pizza, having a sandwich for dinner all took their toll in added weight on the girls, whose pediatrician told Mrs. Obama that she needed to be thinking about nutrition.

The Obamas having a garden that is set up along the Victory garden or Recession garden idea of organic food production and saving energy with small farm principles should send a message about healthy eating. I think it also sends a message to save money and help you, your family and the community.

The Obamas White House garden will be a focal point of interest this summer. And as interest in garden has picked up all across the United States you may want to consider you own recession garden or join in a community garden near where you live. Check out the $20 Recession Garden challenge for additional information

Technorati Tags: organic gardening, recession garden, victory garden