I mostly grow veggies because they taste better than anything I can buy. Probably healthier too, but it's mostly the taste thing.
I really doubt that my garden is really a huge money saver, even though I make/use my own compost, build my own tomato cages, etc.
I think that "recessions gardens" are a great idea in theory. However, I wonder how long they will last when people who have never gardened before realize that you can get hot, dirty, and sweaty. Or that a bad storm or a garden pest can destroy a lot of work.

I'm sure that the veggies I plant and grow myself don't cost as much as buying them at the store and I only do a little raised bed. There was some start-up costs, I bought landscape timbers for the bed, although I didn't really have to as I had lumber I could have used that is still just taking up space the the garage. I filled it with my own compost and city compost - free. I already own shovels and rakes and such. I suppose there is some water cost, but I don't really notice a huge increase in my water bill in the summer, maybe $10/mo?

But a package of lettuce seeds was $1. Buying ONE bag of the pre-cut stuff at the store is $3.50. A head of butterhead isn't that much cheaper. I'll pay $2 or so for each of my tomato plants, which will give me a lot of tomatoes over the course of the summer - way more than I can get for $4. I haven't bought fresh caulflower or broccoli in the stores lately, but the plants cost me $1.65 for a 4-pack. Pretty sure I can't get four heads of broccoli at the store for that. I ate from my pole beans a lot last year and froze some and the same package of seeds will be used again this year since I only used 1/2. At $2 or so for the package of seeds, I certainly get more beans than that!

If you have the space, or can easily construct the beds, I can see where the money savings comes in. It isn't why I do it, but I do think it's there.

Where I think real savings could be seen would be an allotment system in an urban setting. A dozen or so families growing on vacant land (free), using rain water (free), and splitting input costs and startup money. In my mind, that is the way to go if you are looking to save money and labour.

But then again, some people have accused me of being a communist LOL

LOL

We do have a communal garden in town. It happens to be in one of the so-called problem areas, where there are a lot of crimes. The garden though is absolutely spotless...

Many people can find room in their yards for some vegetable plants. Many plants can be quite ornamental and attractive. Lettuce and many herbs make for a nice edging. Tomatoes,peppers, and eggplants look nice in a flower bed. Asparagus is beautiful with it's ferny look. If people plant in their flower beds, they can save lots of money. Many people already have a drip irrigation system and mulch to control weeds. As long as they are watering their landscaping, they can water their vegetables at the same time. They won't get a huge yield, but will make a nice dent in their food bill. It's a start.
Donna

Hi promethean_spark,

Actually the biggest problem is we use bank credit for money. We don't borrow money from banks its created by banks through fractional reserves. Thus all money in circulation is drawing interest and since fewer people can go into debt the money supply is shrinking. Thats what happens when you let bankers run it. We should have full reserve banking.

For my garden I am certainly operating at a loss but I will break even in a few years and then probably be ahead. I did not have room for a conventional garden so I have containers beds and soil expenses.
If one sticks to low nitrogen crops like beans and peas gardening can be practically free. Tomatoes on the other hand are pricey and lower quality from the store and if one were to price it as organic I will certainly get money back. With fresh summer vegetables I also tend to cut down on the meat which also saves.

I live in a rural area. Most people have gardens. We have one hold out. He says a garden is to much work and feels if his wife starts one he'll end up with the work. I think he is correct. Some people around here are pretty specialized. For example, there is a lady who only grows sweet corn to make her corn relish. One guy only grows zucchini. Lots and lots of...zucchini. He attempts to trade it for other produce and baked goods.

People growing something they're good at or have room to grow is a good idea. A few families could share items with each other.

Everyone seems to think we're going to see an increase in human garden pests this year. I hope not. People stealing makes me sad.

I hope at least some of the recession gardeners will fall in love with gardening and persist. Some won't, but as people have mentioned above, there are a range of reasons why growing your own is appealing despite the work.

One reason I grow my own is to grow varieties that are not grown commercially for whatever reason, and that are far superior in flavour. This (southern hemisphere) summer just past I tried a new (to me)pumpkin variety that is the best I've ever tasted. Buttercup, from Diggers Seeds, if there are any Aussies lurking. I'll definitely be growing that one again!

I also grow Cavolo Nero (tuscan black kale) because I love it and it's hard to get commercially, even at the large fresh produce market where I shop.

As far as whether it is cheaper to garden - it depends on your personal approach and any big issues have to be overcome. There can be reasons soil/compost may need to be brought in, deer etc may make fencing a necessity, seriously dry climates may require more thought and expenditure around water. Those of us who can garden all year round can get more produce out of a given area (but must also put back into the soil to maintain ferlitity, so that evens out somewhat). I rent my home, so big infrastructure projects are not an option for me. I have to go with the flow much more, and that helps me garden very cheaply, using what is there and what I can access easily. For example, I use the soil that is there, amended with my own compost (2 compost bins bought cheaply through the City), vermicompost and worm tea, some pelleted chook manure which is cheap, whatever straw happens to be cheaply available, as mulch. I start things from seed and in most cases the seeds remain viable for many years - There was a recent post on here from someone who just used the last of packet from the '70s!

After having cut back my gardening for the last few years, I am amping it up again. I believe that it is cost effective. Mostly because I do put up a lot of food for the winter months by canning, freezing and drying.

I wonder if it is cost effective for those who are OK with industrially canned veggies. I am one of those who shop the periphery of the grocery store, so fresh veggies take up a good chuck of my grocery dollars. It would be much, much more if I did not put up my own, since fresh veggies are the most expensive during the winter months.

You know, although one can find fault in every direction one looks, it occurs to me that we are seeing the result of each generation expecting more and expecting it faster than the last. Whether it is a Wall Street CEO anxious to add zeros to the end of their bonus checks or the young couple buying a first homes way beyond their means, we are seeing this mentality that people feel that they are entitled to having it all. The bubble needs to burst. Things need to level out and settle into something real and tangible.

Kay

I've found this topic interesting. My husband & I are starting our first veggie garden this year. We originally thought we would do it to save money, then quickly realized that it would not save any money doing it the way we wanted to. Our veg garden is in a very visible corner of our not-so-big backyard, so I wanted it to be pretty. My version of pretty is never very cheap.

Still, something happened along the way, and we both were completely bitten by the gardening bug. I love being out early in the morning digging in the dirt, and I love watching the stuff I have nurtured from a little seed grow. Plus, I love finally having a clue what all of the weird vegetables at the farmer's market are. Plus, the smell of the little tomato plants growing inside when it was still so miserable outside was like a breath of summer. Plus... I could go on forever.

I agree with some of the posters above that it is good if it gets more people (like me) into gardening, and back in touch with their food supply and how to create it. It may sound a little sappy, but I feel like I have a little extra layer of security in scary economic times knowing I have the seeds and at least some of the knowledge to feed our family come what may.

I'm one of those whose Grandma planted potatoes, tomatoes, greens, and such. A lot of the reason I garden was because I had fond memories of her, and I just like being out in my garden. I also wanted to grow fresh, organic produce, where I knew where it came from and what went into it. After all the recent salmonella scares, that's comforting.

Now I also grow to cut down on what I spend at the store. This will be my fourth year gardening, I already have most of my staples, like garden tools, raised beds, compost bins, and seeds. From here on in, the expense will be fairly minimal.

And I've found out that yogurt cups make great little plant pots. Why buy when you get a free pot with every purchase of yogurt? And kitty litter pails make great buckets and plant containers.

I would specialize the garden for the higher costs produce. Stuff like blueberries, blackberries, pomegranates, eggplant, rarer greens, cherry tomatoes, and sweet corn can really add up.

Take a look at this list; http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/aib790/aib790f.pdf

You can get a good idea of high cost vegetables and fruits from the ones listed.

tisiree -- You're not alone, just scroll down and look at all the "First Veggie Garden" posts! It's really amazing. I haven't been on the forum for more than a few years but I don't recall seeing so many before.

Article on CNN.com this morning: http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/04/01/recession.garden/index.html?iref=t2test_livingwed

Even if it doesn't make you money, it is at least a cheap hobby in that it feeds you.

I don't see why there are so many negative comments about this. I'm sure I'm not the only person living where all you have to do to get a successful garden is dig a hole in the preexisting soil, especially for the first year. I'm sure if you want the best results - biggest, tastiest yield - you have to sink significant money into the project. Soil amendments, drip systems, rabbit fence, etc are not always necessary to get decent results.* In fact, the main expense I see coming up is the need to get an extra freezer to store all the surplus for winter use.

*Though it does help that a neighbor's cat likes to hunt rabbits in our yard.

I come from a long line of gardeners, we have had a garden for several years, just increasing the size of it to plant more this year. We are two older people with health limitations but it sure stretches the budget if you can go to the garden rather than the store to get something for a meal.

Another reason for a bigger garden, kids and grandkids don't take the time to grow their own( busy work schedules) and we like to do it so we share a lot with the family plus all the canning and freezing we do.

Since we have a good assortment of tools and supplies our garden is not as costly as some of the newbies. Good tools are a good investment! Lessons will be learned and not everyone is going to remain a gardener but it's a good sign that more are finding ways to provide for themselves rather than relying on items shipped from other locales. History or not, growing your own food is a step in the right direction.

We have gardened for over 30 years, and wouldn't give it up even if it cost cash money! Since we have acquired the necessary tools over the years, that expense has paid for itself; we have 10 acres, with a great space in front of the barn for a garden (all those years of manure worked into the soil by hooves); and all our neighbors garden, so we exchange seeds, advice and high-fives when the harvest comes in!
The taste of our vegetables is important, also being able to preserve part of the harvest, but the most enjoyable thing about having a garden here is being able to share and receive produce.

I think those "recession gardeners" who have the fortune to be in states like the midwestern ones where soil is rich and naturally not highly acid and experience good rainfall during the growing season will do well. A turtle could garden there, after all.

Those with soil and weather conditions more onerous will mostly fail. Of course, some will persevere and become gardeners.

This is the 2nd year for our veggie garden. Last year it cost us ~$100 for the wood/brackets/screws for our 3 raised beds, about $60 in plants, $40 in seeds, $20 in thos pete pod things. Our compost was free from the Recycle Center in Philadelphia. So was the manure, and we got old newspapers from our neighbors (that they were going to recycle anyhow). The only veggies we purchased last summer was lettuce in the height of summer and cukes (ours did not do well). We grew tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, lettuce, spinach, beets, carrots, potatoes, green beans. So...$200 in purchases...figuring we spend at least $20 a week on veggies (and that's not shopping in the supermarkets - that's going to Produce Junction), I think I may have broke even or actually saved some money. I did not see a sharp rise in our water bill.

This year....we intent to build 4 more raised beds (3 are built - supplies for all purchases already). We spent $70 on wood/brackets/screws. Again, free compost and manure, using old Girl Scout cookie cases for the ground cover this year. I purchased about $10 worth of seeds this year, $20 in pete pods/jiffy pots/sterile planting material, and no transplants. I used seeds from last year - both leftovers and saved from actual vegetables (most are coming up...enough to feed my family and neighbors) and sent for seeds from wintersown.org. My broccoli/cauliflower/brussels are looking "iffy"...too leggy even with light, but everything else is slowing coming up. We constructed rain barrels for water this year - $30 in barrels, $25 in supplies ($55 total - this if for TWO barrels). So...for $155 I'm planning to have crops from early spring through to Christmas (btw...that's when I harvested the last of my carrots). Considering I am growing the following: broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts (both spring and fall), lettuce, spinach, all of my herbs (too many to list), 27 tomato plants (7 varieties), peppers (bell and hot), squash, cukes (wish me luck!), potatoes, carrots, beets, kohlrabi, chard, green and purple beans, garbanzo beans, onions, garlic - I think I'll be saving money this year, especially if I pick and freeze for winter.

Since we have pretty much run out of room in our backyard, there will be no expense next year except for a few seeds (not a whole lot since I will harvest and save again this year) and jiffy pots/sterile planting material. AND...I may go find that marked down at the end the season to save even more cash. So...next year, other than the elbow grease it will cost my DH and I to haul more compost to top off the beds, I think we'll be in the black with our garden.

I feel that if you put your mind to your garden, find resourceful ways to "make it work" (share seeds, use compost from a recycle-type center, check CL for lumber/bricks for beds), you actually do save money by planting a garden. And...who doesn't like going out the garden, picking a green bean or a tomato, and eating it right off the plant? Can't beat the taste!

One of the nytimes expert respondents to the white house's embarking on a "recession garden" ever so poignantly and correctly noted that "gardening" should be re-named "weeding". That's where most would-be gardeners find it to be too much. IME, people fall into two native catagories: those who like to weed (or at least don't mind it), and those that simply won't do it.

It's funny, I never go out into the garden with the intention of weeding. I like to stroll around my (small) garden every day or two and just check things out. If I see a weed or two while I'm there, I pull it out. Of course it helps that I intensively garden a small area, and mulch for water conservation from mid-spring to late autumn. Except the time I mulched with cheap pea-straw - I was pulling pea seedlings out of the ground forever! If you don't like weeding, don't use peas-straw!!!

People today have no idea how to survive if they find themselves in a situation where they'll have to. I've struggled to get my college-aged daughter interested in learning about gardening and energy conservation. It's a real battle with no success to date. Most of the adults at work laugh when I bring up ways to turn down the heat and wear heavier clothing. It's not part of our current culture, so no one feels they have to make a change. They actually think it's strange. I work on genealogy and have seen how hard our grandparents rallied together to save this country. If you're ever interested in getting a birds-eye view of life in the first half of the 20th century, take a look at the old daily newspapers. It's unsettling to see how easily the generations of lazies could walk away from what we've enjoyed for decades, which was obtained from all that blood, sweat, and tears.

I've always wanted to have a garden, but haven't had much time. Someday, I hope to retire to a more self-sufficient life. I'd be really happy to be off-the-grid. Our economy is so fragile now that I feel I'd be stupid not to set up a garden. It may not be desperatelly needed this year, but who knows about next year. If our economy improves, at least I'll have fresh vegetables. If it doesn't, then I'll be in a better position than those who laugh at this stuff.

My grandfather and great aunt had beautiful gardens for decades after the war. They wouldn't be without one. They canned everything. When we were kids, we would see all the glass jars full of brightly colored vegetables in the basement. We thought we were in Frankenstein's laboratory. What silly kids we were. Great memories!

My parents had a huge garden. We also had grapes, strawberries, a huge raspberry patch, a Mcintosh tree and a Bartlett pear. The idea of spending almost $4.00 for a half pint of berries sickened me so much, I put berry bushes in a while ago!

I grow Everything for my family except sweet corn (not enough room). We are still working on the tomatoes and pickles from last year's garden, even as I prepare to start this year's.

What a wonderful feeling--knowing a little bit of work on my part (and a lot of pleasure taken through my "hobby") has had such a huge return for my family!

Oh quit your whining, gardening doesn't have to be expensive, does it matter the reason why people get into gardening? this is the old timers (as in Gardeners not in attitude! haha) chance to shine and be recognised for their wisdom, I have just embarked on proper gardening as I would call it since childhood, have just done runner beans, toms and strawberrys for years and a brief try at chilis! got 3 I think! I have worked non stop since 14 in various part time and full time jobs as well as education, my peek was 3 jobs and college from 16 to 18 then student nurse plus 2 other jobs as well working as a student! 19 yrs of student/registered nursing, 6 years supporting dad who was disabled, 4 months after his death, preganant with twins! twins 4 now and finally I can do this, I had a years maternity leave and then worked, until we moved to the US, I don't have work permit, and I am loving the opertunity to garden, my boys are so excited by the plants and their enthusiasm reminds me of being a kid and of my dad and grandad, fond, happy memories, and if my garden fails (or doesn't lets be positive) I will take these moments forward for my memories in the future, I have always believed we are immortal while people talk about us, I tell my boys about my family and me as a little girl and my grandad and dad.

Wow, I am surprised by many posts on this thread. I got to say whatever the reason for gardening it is something I cant wait to one day own my own home and have a big huge backyard for a garden. You just can't go wrong with a garden, it feed you well and helps you save on grocery bills, its help out the environment, and is just a fun and relaxing hobby.

Heather, you havn't learned yet that rudeness doesn't fly well in most of the US? So I must presume you are living in the urbanized northeast.....

Naw. She's in her own little world.

Our vegetable garden has been a money-saver. We didn't have to buy a lot; we built compost bins from free pallets left over from deliveries to the local hardware store, bought seeds instead of sets or seedlings, and got quite a few good garden tools and canning jars donated by people who had quit gardening. We feed the soil with compost, manure from our dairy goats and N-enhancing green manures. Fencing to keep deer out was our biggest expense; now we're experimenting with drip irrigation, which will be pricey at first but easier on me and on the well.

It seems to me that recession gardens could serve several purposes. It can save money. It also affords an opportunity for competence and control on a small and manageable scale when the larger economic picture is ominous and out of control. It provides an opportunity for neighbors to work together and help each other out. And it's bound to help somewhat with climate change if we produce more food locally instead of trucking it for hundreds of miles. And then there's the better taste and the health benefits...

By the way, I enjoyed most of Heather's post and thought the responses were rather ruder. I do also realize that in some areas gardening is a more expensive proposition.

No wrong the east coast and I wasn't being rude! its called humour and I find that most Americans are very responsive to the ideas and add their own humour which I enjoy. And to suggest, I am in my own world is to say I am mentally unstable! which I find comforting! all people have their obsessions and mine is conecting with the people I have left behind, I don't do medium ect I do it though memories. was angry at some of this thread! mostly was happy! full of what I like to think "the american spirit", but the ones who seemed to think gardening is like the Free Masons!!!!!

I think Recession Gardens are a good idea too, if it helps people reconnect with some of the simpler pleasures that life has to offer. Sure, pulling weeds and investing the time isn't always convenient but is there really any comparison with the pride you feel when you take a basket full of produce you have grown? I don't think so.....I do have one tip for those nubie gardeners: You will need to leave your cell phones/blackberrys in the house!

Many of us here (including me) have gardened most of our lives, and/or came from families which did so. We don't need to be told the reasons to garden, because we can't conceive of not having one. However, there is no denying that there is a renewed interest in gardening, often from those with no prior background.

Personally, I don't like the term "recession garden", because it implies that the economy is the sole driving force behind this trend. That may indeed be true for some, but there are other reasons that people are turning (or returning) to gardening - including the fact that our food industry is broken. Incidents of tainted food are on the rise, GMO's enter our food unwanted & unlabeled, and an FDA corrupted by political appointees no longer looks out for the consumer. IMO, "recession gardens" diverts attention away from these issues, and plays down a diminishing confidence on the part of the population in the safety of our food supply.

I think that more & more people are concerned about the quality of the food they eat, and would like to have some say in the matter - even if it means growing it themselves. We should call those "independence gardens".

"Those with soil and weather conditions more onerous will mostly fail. Of course, some will persevere and become gardeners. -Pnbrown
"However, I wonder how long they will last when people who have never gardened before realize that you can get hot, dirty, and sweaty. Or that a bad storm or a garden pest can destroy a lot of work." -Dinas

That, of course, is the bottom line. Gardening is easy... until you try to grow & preserve a significant amount of food, at which time it becomes "work". As a culture, we have turned our back on the time-tested methods of self-sufficiency passed down through the generations... to our loss. We have become a microwave culture, for the most part unable (or unwilling) to cook from scratch, much less grow our own food. We will need those skills if things continue to worsen, which is likely. Our gardens will transition into "depression gardens" when we find the need to begin growing our own grains.

However, before we grieve over the loss of the "good old days", we have something at our disposal that they didn't - the internet. We are not alone. For those of us who are "wired", if one of us has a question, there will be many answers... you just need to filter out the wrong ones. Forums like this one work wonders for the garden learning curve. ;-)

"Where I think real savings could be seen would be an allotment system in an urban setting. A dozen or so families growing on vacant land (free), using rain water (free), and splitting input costs and startup money." - M_lorne

If it were not for human nature, I might be inclined to agree - but that is one big "if". Community gardens are often located in urban blight areas, where theft & vandalism are major problems. I gardened in a community garden in San Diego one year. Entering the garden one day, I found a woman picking from my neighbor's plot, who told me "This is a community garden, so we can pick what we want". And pick they did... after nearly everything was stolen one night, I abandoned my plot. Without some form of security, you are just raising someone else's vegetables.

To those whose space is insufficient to the size of garden they desire, I would point out that there is nearly always unused property. I have had large gardens for over 20 years, always on OPP - Other People's Property. If you are creative & offer something in exchange, you might find a large space - often with water provided. Your end could be property upkeep, bartered labor, or sharing the harvest.

Okey-dokey, Heather. I always make exceptions for the mentally unstable.

I'm generally pretty hopeful about things. That more people are even willing to think about gardening is a good sign. Zeedman, you mention those "good old days", when presumably most folks raised a lot of food, or at least that's the popular modern perception. I think the reality was that most people were not gardeners. A lot of people were farm-hands or otherwise involved in agriculture, but that's different from being a gardener. As you say, successful significant gardening is not an undemanding activity. A high degree of management is required, even for sloppy gardening like mine. An eighteenth-century farm-hand who spent most of his day behind a walking plow or manure cart didn't have to strain his head overmuch. Was he a gardener? Maybe, but more likely his wife was the manager and had charge of the cottage garden. The land-owning farmer was the brain.

My point is that gardening requires an unusual degree of both hard work and intelligent thought. The thinking improves with experience and reduces the amount of hard labor required, but getting to that point will naturally sift out many a would-be gardener.

Point taken, Pnbrown- and you'll get no argument from me. You will note that I put "good old days" in quotes. Those using the phrase (who I believe you referred to when you said "the popular modern perception") are often not the ones who actually lived through the period in question. Those who did might have a differing opinion. As a relatively old Baby Boomer, I count myself closer to the latter.

No, it wasn't all good. When we go back to the "good old days", we must also return to the era of DDT, Love Canal, and a toxic Lake Erie. Pollution was an issue no one took seriously, until the health issues became too obvious to ignore. We didn't know better, and by the time we did, a great deal of damage had been done. We have come a long way since, in our stewardship of the environment... but I believe that the pollution issue of our day is occurring in our food supply. GM foods, treatment with ionizing radiation... only time will tell. Perhaps now as then, we will learn & react only when the damage is too severe to ignore.

But some things were better back then. Even in the fairly recent past, many who were cash poor had access to a fairly large plot of land, to grow a portion of their own food. When I was growing up in the 50's-60's, there were a lot of large gardens, even in the city. That, I believe, was the foundation behind the success of the "Victory Garden" program. Most of those large city gardens are gone now. Urbanization & oppressive land taxation have changed that; lot sizes have decreased, and only a few could now feed themselves from their own property.

My grandparents lived off the grid, and their garden was a major part of their sustenance. Other than gas for a tractor & kerosene for lamps, they used no power other than wood. I learned gardening from my grandfather & an uncle who also grew large-scale; I just wish I had learned canning from my grandmother. Oh, and my grandfather eventually lost the 280 acres that had been in his family for 3 generations, when the taxes became unaffordable for his small income.

But I'm rambling OT. The bottom line is, in recent years our culture has surrendered food self-sufficiency for convenience. We pay a price for that, in more ways than one. Any reversal of that trend, for whatever reason, is a good thing. I just hope that a large number of these new gardeners will make it past the first hurdle, and permanently incorporate home-grown food into their lifestyle.

check out this gardening site for beginners. You should find some good starter tips and resources there.

www.homegrownfoodgardening.com

Here is a link that might be useful: Home Grown Food Gardening

Oh, but what a difference that tractor and enough space to move it around makes! Night vs day, as they say....

In the recession-gardener's favor, though, is the remarkable amount of produce that can come of little space. "Oh ye of little space".

pnbrown thanks and I agree about the farm hand thing both my grandadfather and dad where farm hands until the army took them, my grandfather in his late 30's WW2 and my dad in conscription, but that love of the land never left them, its in the bones I think, my grandfather became a groundsman for a college and was allowed to garden on a big plot,,he died 20 years ago. I when living in the UK used to visit it alot as there was a public foot path across it, their home is long gone, its now a carpark! where my gran died is a carpark! strange!

There is a great deal of satisfaction derived from eating vegetables you grew yourself. When we were having the e-coli tomato and green onion scare, it was nice to know where my tomatoes and green onions came from--my back yard, not Mexico, not California, etc.

We also raise our own cattle for beef and hogs for pork. Yeah, it's a lot of work, but it gives me a feeling of self worth and the knowledge that I've accomplished something and knowing what chemicals my food chain was exposed to.

I think more people are gardening from a sense of getting back to their roots--we get caught up in the rat race and lose sight of what our ancestors did. My grandmothers on both sides of my family always gardened and continued to do so until both were in their 90's. I think it helped them to stay centered and have a sense of purpose, something we sometimes lose as we age.

That being said, gardening is not for everyone, but for me, I will always have my little garden as long as I'm able.

A rude, urban Northeasterner here. I garden for the pleasure of gardening, and I'm expanding my veggie bed this year because I want to know what's going in the food I and my family are eating. If I save some money in the process, that's a good thing. I'm one that's been gardening for years (mostly perennials) so I already had all the tools and other than a couple small boxes, I'm just gardening in the ground. So with the exception of some initial amendments and then fertilizer, I don't need much. I make my own compost as well.

I have to say tho, from my own experience when I first started, there's more to gardening than putting the plant in some dirt and pouring water on it. Who knew about blossom end rot before they saw those soggy depressions on the bottom of all their tomatoes? I didn't!! Who knew how fast one tomato horn worm could decimate a plant? Not me!!

But those that "catch the bug" will stick with it, read, research, and learn, and the rest will give it up. Whatever gets people outside and doing some physical work is a good thing. Whatever they learn that makes them a little more self-sufficent is good. And there isn't much more satisfactory than planting that tiny little seed, then a few months later, harvesting a bounty of fruit. It truly is amazing to see.

Lisa

What an interesting thread. I've gardened most of my adult life, though to be honest, all I grew up around was a few of Mom's tomato plants and memories of a great-grandfather that used a horse team to plow. Mostly, I just like playing in the dirt and the taste of homegrown anything, but especially tomatoes and watermelon. I really never worried whether or not it was cost effective. We've never had enough $$ to worry about "pretty" gardening. My husband helped out one year making raised beds, then lost interest until it was time to eat.
This year I'm starting all over from scratch. We've moved and I now have 3 acres to garden to my heart's content. I don't have a tractor or a tiller, hubby is disabled and I have arthritis, so I garden as cheaply and work-free as possible. I did spend the money this year to plant 2 apple trees and a cherry. We are overrun with wild blackberries and I hope to add grapes, serviceberries, etc as money will allow. I built some beds from the block and brick that were already on the property, I've hauled fallen cedars from the woods, and I'm trying out straw bale gardening in a few beds as I can afford. (When did straw become so expensive?) A friend lets me take all the aged horse manure I can load from an old barn and I'm hauling leaf mold in from the woods today. My biggest problem has been getting soil. My land is heavy red clay mixed 50/50 with lots of rocks. I've opted to lasagna garden for the most part, but will dig some beds too, I think. I've even thought about trying the Mittleider Method next year if I can stockpile the minerals for fertizlers. (I grow mostly organic, but I'm really intrigued by MM) My garden will never be on the front page of a magazine, but it's always been productive. I'd rather recycle what's on hand than spend big bucks at Home Depot so it looks good. Of course, I'm not living in suburbia either. My neighbors don't care as long as I share!

More succinctly: if it takes a drop in income or unemployment to make one think of gardening, one is unlikely to be the "gardener" type. IMO. Of course, as I said earlier, a small percentage, just by odds, will turn out to be gardeners. This being one of those sweeping generalizations, I do not pass hereby judgement on any individual.....

It was a little expensive to get going last year. But once I got set up the money outlay is minimal and it is just seeds, time and water costs for the most part.

But I made lots of mistakes with my fences and buying the wrong trees, plants and stuff -- so had to pay to learn.

It was a little expensive to get going last year. But once I got set up the money outlay is minimal and it is just seeds, time and water costs for the most part.

Yes I agree. The article above is interesting I wonder how the people feel when there hit with the reality of intial outlay costs that they won't save any money. Look at the list of items below one would need to grow and store food.
how money will be succefull with there "recession gardens'? Pressure Canner & Jars
Food dehydrator
Blender
Garden tools - Shovels etc.
Large external Freezer (Need something to freeze store the food in)
Bags fertile Top soil to put in your beds
Pots
indoor grows Lights and ballasts
Heat mat for germination (Provides faster germination)
Fencing. Rolls of Chicken wires (Protect your garden from animal pests)
Tomato Cages
Lumber (if your doing Raised bed)
Rain Buckets
Composter


... and possibly other things.

I know a lot of people say you can't start seeds without a grow light setup and heat mat, but I've been successfully starting all kinds of seeds every year with just a south-facing window.

Sometimes there are leggy seedlings, especially if we've had a lot of overcast days when they sprout, but I've planted them deeper if possible and they've worked out just fine.

To be honest, I see the minimal requirements for a beginner gardener to be a few tools like spade and trowel, seeds, and seed starting soil. Not much expense at all.

Like the rest of us, gardeners just catching the bug this year will collect up the rest over the next couple of years, fencing next year IF they have a problem with deer or rabbits, maybe a canner or dehydrator the year after when they get more confident and enlarge their tomato patch. If they REALLY catch the gardening bug, a rain barrel or composter. If they want to get into a competition with their neighbours for the earliest tomato, they can get a heat mat and grow light setup to get a jump start on the year. They can try all sort of different tomato cages to see which ones suit their needs best.

Keep in mind these things are optional and free alternatives are possible. I use hockey sticks with broken blades from the arena for my tomato stakes. (Nice and sturdy!) Composters can easily be made with free materials or just a compost heap used. A drum to use as a rain barrel can be found for free from some places, but plastic food grade drums can be bought for less than $20.00 if you're willing to cut the top off yourself. Seeds can be started in a south window using free materials. Someone suggested yogurt containers, which is a great idea. Check recycling bins if you don't buy yogurt for yourself. Most soil is at least marginally OK for growing plants so replacing your own soil with topsoil is optional. For those who have really bad soil, some form of lasagna gardening might suffice. We all want the best soil but sometime we have to work with what we got, yet we still manage to get food out of the ground.

My point is...for those of you who are just starting out, don't be discouraged by what is being said in this thread. Sometimes, gardening is just as easy as sticking a plant in the dirt and letting it grow. It doesn't have to be expensive and it doesn't have to be backbreaking. As you learn and get experience, then think about expanding the garden and canning food for the winter.

Actually, any neophyte who paid close attention to this thread would be better prepared. Don't get discouraged, but pay attention.

And don't buy a thing until one knows if one has "what it takes". IOW, the willingness to deal with weeds one way or another.

I have to agree with some of the posters regarding some of the start up costs. The frugal gardening forum has helped me out a lot and could really help out a lot of beginning gardeners.

One of the huge problems with horticulture/gardening-production information in our era is trying to maintain a balance of wide-scale best management practices (of which there is a TON of advice in the wild from very reputable information sources) and what the home gardener can get away with.

The home gardener, for the most part, doesn't need to account for every inch of propagation and starting space as if it means money out of pocket in case of failure. The home gardener can accept a higher level of failure, but most info out in the wild is for the plants=money crowd.

So...we have all this really great information out there that ensures really great propagation rates from seed, cuttings, etc. that tend to ratchet up costs of home propagation that many home gardeners don't need because they just don't need that 90-100% germination rate in their starting setup.

Since I only start a dozen or so pepper seeds a year for my small garden I don't need a $50+ heating mat...I just lower the lights over the seeds really close and get respectable germination rates. The cells that don't produce I don't stress. If i get 3 out of 4 cell packs with seedlings, I'm not worried about how it'll look on the shelves to a middle-seller because I'm not in that market.

Watering, fertilization, mulch recommendations...etc...the home gardener should take with a grain of salt (or at least take a step back from the info) and think about how some of the large-scale info can more $$$-efficiently be applied, substituted, or not used at all in the home garden.

Also, in my setup...I don't start in peat pellets or similar to do my transplants.

I have such a small need for plants I direct seed into 4-6plant cell packs (like you'd see at garden centers).

No heating mat, no double+ transplanting of starting seedlings...these things save money.

Of course, I get less germination rates, but I plan for the loss and I can get away with that because of the small amount of plant material I actually need.

Good point, NC.

One can use a heat mat or some other already existing source of heat to pop seeds and not use grow lights if one has a large sunny window or a cold-frame. A cold-frame against a basement window on the south side of the house is a great old-time trick. Leave the window open at night to keep the frame above freezing. Old single-glaze windows are better for a cold-frame than insulated glass which often has coatings that reduce infra-red, BTW.

I agree that start-up costs do not have to be high. You can dig up part of your yard, amend a little if needed, and at least get a start. You can improve it as you learn and have funds available. I built raised beds last year for very little money using free lumber through Craigslist (from people taking apart decks and fences). I used very aged horse manure and other organic materials (whatever I could find for free at the time) and filled the beds lasagna-style. Sure, I have to top them off as they shrink down, and maybe, in time, I'll add more soil to it, but it worked. I used sticks for stakes and trellises. If you keep an eye out, and especially if you have a little time, you can do a lot for very little money. Canners, freezers, dehydrators, all can come later if you want them. They aren't required, especially if you're just starting out. If you have a small garden, you can freeze some with your refrigerator/freezer.

I think you need a shovel, garden rake, trowel, hand cultivator and a hose. Buy seeds (maybe even get them for SASE through other people on the forums when they're offered). A lawnmower, leaf blower/vac or weed eater can be used to chop up mulch material if need be.

This year, I am spending more money, mostly because I am adding fruit & berries, and asparagus, and I decided to plant more types of veggies. It was a choice I made. I added more beds, again for pretty much free (gas for the truck and I had to buy some screws). I spent less than $20 for a light to start seeds. I'm using my cable box for seed starting (it's warm). I sprout them in the clear plastic 3-part egg cartons and transplant to 8 oz yogurt cups. I'm wintersowing other seeds as well.

A garden, like many other things, can be a cheap or as expensive as you choose to make it.

Here is a link that might be useful: Tales of a Transplanted Gardener