Many people want to start a vegetable garden to save money. It’s no wonder, buying produce at the market can cost eight times more than growing your own. There are many other good reasons why you may want to grow some of your own produce in a vegetable garden.
First, you can enjoy better tasting food by growing varieties of vegetables selected for flavor rather than shipping and storage, as so many market vegetables.
Also, many people find that their cooking habits change after growing their own vegetables. They prepare simpler and less expensive meals. Still others make tending the vegetable garden a family activity to help teach children about healthy eating.
Along with these benefits, there are also some challenges to consider before starting a vegetable garden.
Know that gardening requires routine work, including planting, weeding, watering, and harvesting.
In addition, growing vegetables requires a sunny location. Most vegetables require at least six hours of direct sunlight every day, and more sunlight is better.
Upfront costs can be high, especially if you need to buy fencing or gardening tools, or build good growing soil.
You also need to realize that not all gardeners are successful. Some report losing some or all of their crops, particularly in the first two years as they learn how to plant, tend, and harvest their crops.
However, many new gardeners take the leap every year and learn that planting a vegetable garden is a very satisfying outdoor summer activity that can save them money and help them eat healthier.
To help you in your quest to grow vegetables, we’ve compiled the following list of vegetable garden tips and ideas to help you keep the initial cost as low as possible, and to successfully grow all the vegetables you want for your table.
Cheap vegetable gardening ideas
Make a garden plan
Decide which vegetables you will grow. Make sure you can provide the optimal growing conditions including sun, water, and space. Get free vegetable garden plans from Better Homes and Gardens.
Start small or start with container gardening
Especially if you live in the city, container gardening is easy and scalable. Containers can be repurposed from almost anything, including a plastic bag of soil that you use as a planter, as well as milk jugs, two-liter soda bottles, five-gallon plastic buckets and metal bins, and plastic kiddie pools, as well as ceramic and terra cotta flower pots that you can buy for almost nothing at garage sales and thrift stores.
Begin with a few small containers or one large one. Or dig a small garden plot 10 feet by 10 feet (or less), or simply begin by adding add a few vegetables and herbs to your existing landscape.
Here is some advice for Container Gardening for Vegetables from Farmers Almanac.
Begin with easy-to-grow salad greens
Many first time vegetable gardeners start with salad greens and herbs. Plant in succession for a continuous crop, which means plant a few heads at a time, and start a new set every two to three weeks.
For herbs, start with easy to grow and versatile herbs such as parsley, rosemary, and thyme or oregano. To get started, visit these Vegetable, Fruit and Herb Gardening Guides from the National Gardening Association.
Plant seeds directly in the garden
As you gain confidence, you can learn to start seeds indoors for transplanting, saving seeds from some of the crops you grow, and other advanced gardening techniques.
The easiest vegetables to start from seed are beets, carrots, cucumbers, green beans, greens (including kale, spinach, Swiss chard, and lettuces), pumpkin and winter squash, radishes, tomatoes, and zucchini or other summer squashes. Following planting instructions on the seed packet. For more information about seeds and seedlings, read Planting Vegetables from Seed and Seedling from dummies.com.
Grow vegetables your family eats
Start with vegetables that you are already buying and eating. Choosing to grow vegetables your family enjoys will give you the highest return over store-bought produce. Learn how to grow your favorite vegetables at the National Gardening Association.
Water wisely
The best times to water are early in the morning or later in the evening. Never water in the middle of the day when evaporation is higher; less water makes its way to your plants.
Add a rain barrel
Capture rain water for use in your garden to save money on your water bill. You can buy one at places like Home Depot or Walmart, but you can also make one for less money. Try these four DIY Rain Barrels from treehugger.com or these PDF instructions to Build Your Own Rain Barrel from Washington State University Extension.
Make your own compost from yard and food waste
You may need to purchase good soil to start your garden, but you should never need to buy compost or fertilizer.
Need fencing?
Use inexpensive chicken wire to keep out critters such as deer, raccoons, and rabbits, or household pets and young children.
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How to save money with a rain garden
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