Planting a Vegetable Garden on a Budget
How To Really Go Green
Growing Greens On A Budget
Growing your own vegetables can be a great way to save money, and it has the added benefit of providing you with nutrient-rich and tasty food for your table. Even if you live in an apartment, it's possible to grow your own produce and enjoy a healthier lifestyle while saving on your food bill.What You Need To Start
Whatever you decide to grow, consider choosing the heirloom variety because the seeds from heirloom plants will reproduce their own kind. As a result, you'll be able to save and use the seeds for next year's planting. As for tools, don't worry about anything fancy. All you really need is a good shovel, hoe, and garden fork. With these tools, you can loosen the soil, turn it, and work into the soil any amendments such as bone meal or compost. Speaking of compost, you can easily make your own by combining one part browns with two parts greens, mixing it well and often, and keeping it moist. Soon you'll have the best soil amendment there is. Browns include wood ash, fruits and vegetables, leaves, sawdust, twigs, shredded paper, and straw. Greens include clover, garden waste, manures from horses or cattle (they only eat vegetation), coffee grounds and hay.What Will You Plant?
You can ensure a supply of home-grown food all year by freezing your produce. You won't lose any nutritional value by freezing. The only downside is a softer texture when thawed. Clean the produce thoroughly. Only peel the veggies if you don't want the skin. Immerse the produce in boiling water for 10 to 15 seconds, then put them directly into ice water to stop them from cooking. The boiling water dip is a process called blanching. It kills enzymes that cause spoilage, and it kills bacteria. Once your produce is ready for the freezer, store it in air-tight freezer bags and mark with a date.
The Small-Scale Garden
Container gardening is a good solution for anyone who has limited space. Even a closet can be transformed into a greenhouse when equipped with lights and a timer. The containers used need not be large or fancy. They could be cast-off and recycled items such as tubs, cartons, wood boxes, and plastic bins or jugs. If you want to create your own compost in a limited space, consider a worm bin. This multi-layered container is populated by worms that will take the vegetable and fruit waste from your kitchen and turn it into a nutrient-rich soil amendment. You can find instructions online for making a low-cost worm bin yourself. You can also add your coffee grounds and egg shells to the bin -- the worms love them. When space is limited, think about growing plants that can climb up a trellis such as peas, squash and beans. Experiment and you may find that other produce can be trained to climb, such as cucumbers.Share The Costs
If the cost of gardening is getting you down, find a friend to share costs with you. Together, you can buy seeds and supplies in bulk and split the cost. Buy and share tools with a friend, and you may be able to afford a better grade of tools.Start Small, Grow Gradually
Consider planting seeds to get your garden off to a healthy and frugal start. You can use yogurt cups or even toilet paper rolls filled with soil to hold the seedlings. When they're large enough, the plants can be transferred to larger containers. Again, these need not be anything costly or fancy. Milk jugs with drain holes will do. Later, the plants can be transferred to the garden bed. A lot of produce can come from a small and well-designed garden plot. Consider starting small and each year learn from your experience of the previous season. Slowly and surely you can become an expert gardener. You'll gain nutritious food, calorie-burning exercise and a sense of accomplishment for all your efforts.
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