Sunday, March 24, 2019

Gardeing Philosophy

Many don't think that those living on a tight budget get to have a "philosophy".  Seems awfully fancy for someone that is just getting by. But one really needs one to actually get by and make gardening work.

For me it boils down to What can I easily grow and what has value to grow?

For me I love squash varieties and love to make squash blossom fritters, but the squash bugs are so bad around here that it take too much effort for me to keep the plants healthy.  But tomatoes, pepper, herbs and green beans are super easy and take very little time for me.

Beans I can get cheap too.  My bush beans are just the same pinto beans I bought at the grocery store.  No need to buy fancy seeds.  And wow they produce a lot!  My pole beans are a Blue Lake that cost me $1.79 at the local feed store and I have enough for my home plot, my community garden plot and to share with my fellow community gardeners.

Tomato and pepper plants cost a bit more as growing from seeds is not economical on time for me.  But I am lucky that I can get most of my tomato plants for $2 each from another community garden that grows them as a fund raiser.  They ran out of paste ones, so I got a roma this year for $4.  Peppers I spent $4 each on, but I get a lot of peppers for that, especially the jalapeno plant.  And the great thing about the peppers and tomatoes, is I can make salsa for Christmas gifts as well as home use.

The beans are a super cheap protein and very easy to grow.  Harvest is harder for the bush beans as you spend the time hunting for them and bending over.  So I am only planting a few of those this year.

Herbs are super easy and pack a nutritional punch.  The best part is that they add such a wonderful flavor to food. They also are usually great companion plants for the veggies and the scent can confuse the bugs.  Basil I love and if I am feeling particularly energetic near the end of the season, I will harvest my sees from my basil.

I also have perennials going that produce food.  Those are investments that take a bit to pay off.  I have a fig tree, a pomegranate, a plum and a peach.   I used to have thornless blackberries and they are coming back after an ex decided they were a weed.  I still hate her for that.

Last year was my first decent fig and plum harvest.  There were only two pomegranates, and they were stolen.

During the winter I will grow lettuce because it's cheap and I can grow enough for me and anyone that will take it.  It is practically free at the amount it will grow for the cost of the seeds.  And it keeps the weeds at bay where I plant it.

Basically for those of us that are struggling to survive having a garden that is easy on time and money and still gives us edible results is the key.

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