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.
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