Frugal Gardening Tips - Page 2

kav122 · 01-26-2008, 02:09 PM

hey, thanks amandajane!! That helps a lot! I was talking to my friend about this question, and he said, "what are seeds? Like 33 cents or something?" Which sometimes can be true, they can be cheap. On the other hand, I like being frugal and saving things, and it really doesn't seem too hard, now that I have read your info!!

Thanks again!

amandajane · 01-26-2008, 03:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kav122

hey, thanks amandajane!! That helps a lot! I was talking to my friend about this question, and he said, "what are seeds? Like 33 cents or something?" Which sometimes can be true, they can be cheap. On the other hand, I like being frugal and saving things, and it really doesn't seem too hard, now that I have read your info!!

Thanks again!

You're welcome!

Seeds can be inexpensive here in NZ too, on average $2.50 a packet, but it all adds up. I've spent approx $25 on seeds for my container gardening. Can't wait for the results, lol

kav122 · 01-31-2008, 10:58 AM

so I have a couple of questions. I have seeds now, and milk jugs, but:

1. Some of my milk jugs aren't CLEAR, can I cut off the top and then just use seran wrap over the top to get the same "greenhouse effect"?

2. When is too soon to plant my seedlings? I am zone four, and it won't be warm until April-May.

3. Amandajane-I was thinking about that tinfoil box, and I wonder if it would be good to plant seeds in the milkjugs, then set the milkjugs in the box, for extra warmth?

4. I got a good book, the frugal gardener, by Catriona Tudor Erler. I have only read the first few chapters, but it seems very informative.

Megan · 01-31-2008, 11:45 AM

I'm an apartment dweller with some great windows but no porch of any sort. Does anyone have ideas of things I could grow inside? I know I could do herbs, I just haven't decided what herbs to grow. Thoughts?

I find myself constantly drawn to the AeroGarden, but as fun and useful as it looks, it's just not in my price range at this point. Plus I think I think I might be getting sucked in by the "cool gadgetry" of it all.

jdp · 01-31-2008, 12:05 PM

Megan - which herbs do you use most in cooking? Any interest in tisane's? That would be a good place to work on deciding which (also depends on your environment - damp/dry, hot/cool).

jkuo13 · 01-31-2008, 12:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Megan

I'm an apartment dweller with some great windows but no porch of any sort. Does anyone have ideas of things I could grow inside? I know I could do herbs, I just haven't decided what herbs to grow. Thoughts?

I find myself constantly drawn to the AeroGarden, but as fun and useful as it looks, it's just not in my price range at this point. Plus I think I think I might be getting sucked in by the "cool gadgetry" of it all.

As cool as the AeroGarden looks, it's really not worth the money. I used to do hydroponics, and I built similar setups to the AeroGarden for much, much cheaper. My hack jobs were ugly in comparison to the AeroGarden, but they worked. Plus, I think it's silly to use an electric grow light when a sunny window sill will do the job for free.

Herbs are a good choice for indoor growing. But they're not the only things you can grow indoors. There are tomato plants bred specifically for growing in smaller containers. They don't taste quite as good as tomatoes from bigger plants (imo), but they're still far better than the cardboard maters in the grocery store. If they were completely indoors, you'd have to hand pollinate the flowers with a q-tip. Your best bet would probably be sticking with leafy plants, like some baby greens and lettuces? Or how about radishes? Those don't take a lot of space. A lot of hot peppers are also easy to container grow and cool looking too.

edit: oh yeah, herb suggestions:
basil (purple looks really nice, thai basil for exotic flavor, sweet basil for general use, bush basil if you want something really compact)
oregano
rosemary (creeping or upright varieties)
cilantro (I personally don't like, but it's really easy to grow)
thyme
sage (get variegated for added color)

Megan · 02-01-2008, 09:47 AM

Thanks for the responses! As far as what herbs I like to cook with - I love to experiment, so growing just about anything has appeal. I do use a lot of basil, so that seems like an obvious choice.

My apartment is VERY dry. Even with two humidifiers going all the time, I struggle to get the humidity to even the mid 40% range. Of course, once the winter is over, that will no longer be a problem.

I get amazing sunlight in the afternoons. I have a few plants that I've had for years sitting on a table in my dining room, and they have absolutely flourished in the few months I've been in this apartment. It's seeing that that makes me think I should try growing edibles indoors as well.

amandajane · 02-01-2008, 01:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kav122

3. Amandajane-I was thinking about that tinfoil box, and I wonder if it would be good to plant seeds in the milkjugs, then set the milkjugs in the box, for extra warmth?

I'm not entirely sure kav. If there was condensation forming on the inside of the milk jugs which could water the seeds as it drips down it could be a nice moist atmosphere.

I've left a question and comment on this organic gardening blog which I found when searching for uses for milk jugs and indoor greenhouses. The author seems prolific so hopefully there will be a response soon.

amandajane · 02-01-2008, 07:58 PM

There's a very informative response now. I didn't know that it was called soil mold but I've seen it in action!

Kathryn · 02-03-2008, 08:02 AM

There are a zillion things I could say, but one is that it's easy to be penny-wise and pound foolish when it comes to gardening. For example, it may seem more frugal to pick up some random seed packets at 10/$1.00 at the dollar store, but if you get old or poor quality seed that doesn't germinate well, or a variety that doesn't produce as well or suit your conditions, you've made an up-front savings of maybe $1.00-2.00 a packet for an "opportunity cost" of quite a bit more--bare spots in your flower beds, pepper plants that produce only modestly or not at all, etc.

Therefore, if you're a serious gardener looking to produce good volume or to satiate your taste for exotics at an affordable price, I think it pays to invest a little more in your seeds and run a better shot of getting the volume or varieties that are really worth growing. The advantage is that often the $2.50 packet from the seed catologue will have 2x-3x as much seed as the $.10 packet, and will continue to provide satisfactory germination rates for 3-4 years if stored in the proverbial cool, dry place.

Stokes is my go-to catalogue for the best price/seed count ratio, consistently excellent germination rates, detailed planting advice, excellent, productive varieties. They market to commercial growers as well as home gardeners, and commercial growers take the economics of seed choice very seriously!

(2) Be careful about overcrowding. It's easy to fall prey to the trap of thinking that 12 tomato plants in one space will produce more than planting 8 in the same area, or to leave too many seedlings behind "just in case" when thinning things like carrots or beets. Oftentimes, the crowded plants will produce less (or not at all!) that properly spaced plants.

(3) In a similar vein (or is that vine?), if you want to boost your productivity by succession planting (e.g., growing peas in the spring and then putting in zucchini in June or July), make sure you have enough growing season and sunlight! The days-to-maturity date on any seed variety is for when the plants are grown under optimal conditions--zero shade and average or better season length and heat. If you've got shorter summers (or cooler summers, like Pacific NW), your plot is shaded for a few hours each day by privacy fences or overhead trees, etc...all of those factors will increase the amount of time it takes to produce a crop, and you may wind up shortchanging both your peas AND your zukes, rather that getting a really good crop out of one or the other.

01-31-2008, 11:45 AM	#14
Megan Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 319 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post Reputation: (64)	I'm an apartment dweller with some great windows but no porch of any sort. Does anyone have ideas of things I could grow inside? I know I could do herbs, I just haven't decided what herbs to grow. Thoughts? I find myself constantly drawn to the AeroGarden, but as fun and useful as it looks, it's just not in my price range at this point. Plus I think I think I might be getting sucked in by the "cool gadgetry" of it all. __________________ Counting My Pennies

02-01-2008, 09:47 AM	#17
Megan Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 319 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post Reputation: (64)	Thanks for the responses! As far as what herbs I like to cook with - I love to experiment, so growing just about anything has appeal. I do use a lot of basil, so that seems like an obvious choice. My apartment is VERY dry. Even with two humidifiers going all the time, I struggle to get the humidity to even the mid 40% range. Of course, once the winter is over, that will no longer be a problem. I get amazing sunlight in the afternoons. I have a few plants that I've had for years sitting on a table in my dining room, and they have absolutely flourished in the few months I've been in this apartment. It's seeing that that makes me think I should try growing edibles indoors as well. __________________ Counting My Pennies

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01-26-2008, 02:09 PM	#11
kav122 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Minneapolis, MN Posts: 528 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Reputation: (243)	hey, thanks amandajane!! That helps a lot! I was talking to my friend about this question, and he said, "what are seeds? Like 33 cents or something?" Which sometimes can be true, they can be cheap. On the other hand, I like being frugal and saving things, and it really doesn't seem too hard, now that I have read your info!! Thanks again!

01-31-2008, 10:58 AM	#13
kav122 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Minneapolis, MN Posts: 528 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Reputation: (243)	so I have a couple of questions. I have seeds now, and milk jugs, but: 1. Some of my milk jugs aren't CLEAR, can I cut off the top and then just use seran wrap over the top to get the same "greenhouse effect"? 2. When is too soon to plant my seedlings? I am zone four, and it won't be warm until April-May. 3. Amandajane-I was thinking about that tinfoil box, and I wonder if it would be good to plant seeds in the milkjugs, then set the milkjugs in the box, for extra warmth? 4. I got a good book, the frugal gardener, by Catriona Tudor Erler. I have only read the first few chapters, but it seems very informative.

01-31-2008, 12:05 PM	#15
jdp Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 226 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Reputation: (29)	Megan - which herbs do you use most in cooking? Any interest in tisane's? That would be a good place to work on deciding which (also depends on your environment - damp/dry, hot/cool).

02-01-2008, 07:58 PM	#19
amandajane Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: New Zealand Posts: 490 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Reputation: (287)	There's a very informative response now. I didn't know that it was called soil mold but I've seen it in action!

02-03-2008, 08:02 AM	#20
Kathryn Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 137 Thanks: 0 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts Reputation: (19)	There are a zillion things I could say, but one is that it's easy to be penny-wise and pound foolish when it comes to gardening. For example, it may seem more frugal to pick up some random seed packets at 10/$1.00 at the dollar store, but if you get old or poor quality seed that doesn't germinate well, or a variety that doesn't produce as well or suit your conditions, you've made an up-front savings of maybe $1.00-2.00 a packet for an "opportunity cost" of quite a bit more--bare spots in your flower beds, pepper plants that produce only modestly or not at all, etc. Therefore, if you're a serious gardener looking to produce good volume or to satiate your taste for exotics at an affordable price, I think it pays to invest a little more in your seeds and run a better shot of getting the volume or varieties that are really worth growing. The advantage is that often the $2.50 packet from the seed catologue will have 2x-3x as much seed as the $.10 packet, and will continue to provide satisfactory germination rates for 3-4 years if stored in the proverbial cool, dry place. Stokes is my go-to catalogue for the best price/seed count ratio, consistently excellent germination rates, detailed planting advice, excellent, productive varieties. They market to commercial growers as well as home gardeners, and commercial growers take the economics of seed choice very seriously! (2) Be careful about overcrowding. It's easy to fall prey to the trap of thinking that 12 tomato plants in one space will produce more than planting 8 in the same area, or to leave too many seedlings behind "just in case" when thinning things like carrots or beets. Oftentimes, the crowded plants will produce less (or not at all!) that properly spaced plants. (3) In a similar vein (or is that vine?), if you want to boost your productivity by succession planting (e.g., growing peas in the spring and then putting in zucchini in June or July), make sure you have enough growing season and sunlight! The days-to-maturity date on any seed variety is for when the plants are grown under optimal conditions--zero shade and average or better season length and heat. If you've got shorter summers (or cooler summers, like Pacific NW), your plot is shaded for a few hours each day by privacy fences or overhead trees, etc...all of those factors will increase the amount of time it takes to produce a crop, and you may wind up shortchanging both your peas AND your zukes, rather that getting a really good crop out of one or the other.