Let's talk about gardening and if it really saves money....

[SparklyUnicorn]

I see this suggestion a lot.  It absolutely does not save us money.  How do people actually save money with gardening?  I'm imagining it's more likely with a longer growing season, plenty of land, low cost water, etc. 

 

It's basically a hobby for my husband.  Every year he even has to buy large quantities of dirt.  No clue where the dirt in our yard goes, but yep.  We have a community garden plot also.  We have to pay a fee for it, and we have to drive to it (adding more to our cost).  We've also spent a lot of money on stuff to try and rid the garden of a ground hog or gopher or whatever it is.  This is our last try at that otherwise DH is giving up on that gardening location and planting more in our tiny yard and/or getting a plot elsewhere (further...more driving).  The animal ate everything in our garden last year except the carrots. 

[shage]

I am in CA and can purchase high quality produce year round. Where I save money is herbs: cilantro, basil, Thai basil, lemon grass, epazote, etc. No need for great dirt. No need for expensive seed--they take off on their own, mostly, from previous years.

[Ali in OR]

It's worth it for very pricy items like herbs (so simple to grow) and berries (grow very well in Oregon). Our blueberry bushes and raspberry canes don't require much work and they are so expensive to buy in the store. Strawberries are a little harder and too many critters get them before we do. Tomatoes are probably worth it money-wise--it's really a different product than what you can get in stores and homegrown taste so amazing that it's worth it. Corn, lettuce, onions, carrots aren't really worth the effort to me--so cheap in the store.

 

We compost and get nice dirt that way, though we do need to buy ingredients for fertilizer.

[SparklyUnicorn]

I am in CA and can purchase high quality produce year round. Where I save money is herbs: cilantro, basil, Thai basil, lemon grass, epazote, etc. No need for great dirt. No need for expensive seed--they take off on their own, mostly, from previous years.

 

This has been the one exception for us.  Herbs.  I do save money on those.

 

We started doing potatoes in the yard (in bags).  Those always grow and work out so we are happy to keep doing them.  Except the seed potatoes cost about as much as a large bag of potatoes in the store and all we get is about one large bag worth of potatoes. 

 

We can get free seeds with the garden fee, but those are a hit or miss because basically they are old seeds that can't be sold anymore so they get donated.

 

Some stuff we can't grow at all without buying plants (tomatoes especially).  This year I said don't even bother with tomatoes.  They almost never work out.  One year I made zillions of jars of green tomato relish which was yummy, but how much green tomato relish does one need.  Ya know?

[Ottakee]

If you live near a rural area, ask anyone with horses if you could have their compost.  I would give mine away.  i won't guarantee it will be weed free but it is rich and free.

 

We grow tomatoes as they seem to be worth the investment.  We also are doing zucchini and summer squash because we have the room and want to have lots of zucchini to freeze for muffins.  I think the girls got a few cucumber plants (they will climb up the chicken wire) and maybe green pepper.

 

Likely though the tomatoes will be the only thing that really saves us money. 

[marbel]

I suspect gardening pays off when there is high volume.  If I grew enough tomatoes to make salsa, sauce, etc., and preserve it, that would save money, I think.  It also depends on the cost of the produce in the stores.  When we moved here (SE PA) from Oregon, i was stunned by how much more expensive produce was!  Of course; they grow it out west and ship it here. 

 

I grow a few herbs; that seems to be all I can handle.  It would save me money if I could grow all the cilantro, basil, etc that I use (or want to use).  I bought a spearmint plant for a recipe I want to make that calls for dried mint.  The smallest/cheapest dried mint I could find was $5 for the little bottle.  I could order online but I don't want a huge amount since I don't expect I'd use it a lot.  So, I bought a plant and after it grows a bit I'm going to harvest and dry some leaves.   Even if I never cook with it again, the plant is nice.  :-)

[shage]

It's worth it for very pricy items like herbs (so simple to grow) and berries (grow very well in Oregon). Our blueberry bushes and raspberry canes don't require much work and they are so expensive to buy in the store. Strawberries are a little harder and too many critters get them before we do. Tomatoes are probably worth it money-wise--it's really a different product than what you can get in stores and homegrown taste so amazing that it's worth it. Corn, lettuce, onions, carrots aren't really worth the effort to me--so cheap in the store.

 

We compost and get nice dirt that way, though we do need to buy ingredients for fertilizer.

Yes, berries! Berries are usually worth it.

[laughing lioness]

I think it does save on organic produce but other than that it's not a savings. 

[SparklyUnicorn]

If you live near a rural area, ask anyone with horses if you could have their compost.  I would give mine away.  i won't guarantee it will be weed free but it is rich and free.

 

We grow tomatoes as they seem to be worth the investment.  We also are doing zucchini and summer squash because we have the room and want to have lots of zucchini to freeze for muffins.  I think the girls got a few cucumber plants (they will climb up the chicken wire) and maybe green pepper.

 

Likely though the tomatoes will be the only thing that really saves us money. 

 

We do some composting, but it's highly limited.  I don't think the people living near that garden would enjoy horse poop so we won't go that route. 

 

I tend towards stuff that can be frozen for sure. 

 

That said, we also don't spend money on fertilizer.

[SparklyUnicorn]

I think it does save on organic produce but other than that it's not a savings. 

 

We aren't allowed to grow most berries at the community garden because I guess a lot of them kinda take over and are hard to get rid of if not wanted.

[SparklyUnicorn]

I cant buy tomotoes for less than the growing cost, and I appreciate a homegrown sun warm tomato, so thats what I grow. Green beans do well here, as does yellow squash and lettuce, so thats what I grow. The price of water just went up again, and a rain barrel is legal here, so I will be switching to rain barrel as much as possible.

 

Yeah we have zero luck with tomatoes though.  We gave up on them.

[happi duck]

For us, it's also a hobby and not really a money saver. We mostly plant herbs in containers.

 

We all have fun with the choosing and the planting. Then I enjoy the calm task of watering with a watering can and enjoy cooking with the herbs.

 

I hope to get a rain barrel this year. Also, to save money on watering I try to use what might otherwise go down the drain. I saved a bunch of random jugs and then I fill them as I run the water to get hot for dishes. I also wash csa veg in a big bowl and then use that water in the garden too.

[SparklyUnicorn]

The price of water is included in our fee so we don't worry about water too much. 

 

In terms of the barrels, how do you keep mosquitoes and stuff out?

[Callie]

We have 60 acres, a well for water & four 300 gallon rain barrels attached to gutters for watering.

 

I grow hundreds of pounds of fruit & vegetables a year.  I rarely go to the store in summer/fall.  We eat fresh, can, freeze and I give a lot away.  

 

We also have our own beef, chicken, pork & eggs.  Dh also kills a couple of deer per year.

 

I can lots of different tomato products (salsa, sauce, pizza sauce, Italian relish, roasted tomatoes etc.), make at least two types of pickles, pickled jalapenos, spicy sweet jalapenos.  I typically can over 100 quarts of green beans every year.  Today I made a chocolate/strawberry jam with strawberries from the garden.

 

We have strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, apples, peaches, plums, sweet and sour cherries and pears.

 

In the veggie garden I have 8 varieties of tomatoes, 2 types of yellow squash, zucchini, several types of lettuce, 2 different cukes (one for pickling & one for eating), 1/2 runner green beans and Ky Wonders, cabbage, several kinds of peppers, baby limas and sweet corn.  Maybe more i am forgetting. I forgot asparagus but it is done for the year.  I didn't do broccoli or cauliflower this year because it was cold & rainy and I was lazy.  

 

 

[TeenagerMom]

My garden is definitely a hobby.  We spent about $100 putting it in this year and there's no way I'll get $100 worth of produce back out of it.  But that's ok cuz we love having an endless supply of tomatoes & cucumbers.  We DO save money on bell peppers by growing them.  Here they tend to be about $1.00 EACH(ouch) and we go through a ton because we love to snack on them.

[cmarthur]

In many situations, it can save money. Even a small plot in your backyard or on your patio can be successful without spending a lot of money. The first year does require some investment but the following years more than make up for it. A packet of seeds will remain viable for several years if stored properly inside. So your $3 packet of zucchini will supply you with a lot over three years. If you have the room and time, asparagus is easy to grow from seed and requires very little for 10 plus years of harvest. As others have said, herbs give the greatest payback. I couldn't imagine paying $2 every time I needed basil or thyme for a recipe. It is a way of life for me as I grow everything from seed starting them indoors and have the room for raised beds in our yard. Given that you are renting a plot, I understand your frustration. Maybe try some inexpensive boxes or 5 gallon buckets for tomatoes. If you really want to save money on fertilizer, raise some red wigglers. They will compost all your veggie scraps and provide you with wonderful vermicompost for your plants. I hope it works out for you. It really is wonderful being able to shop in the backyard.

[SparklyUnicorn]

We have 60 acres, a well for water & four 300 gallon rain barrels attached to gutters for watering.

 

 

Wow!

[Ottakee]

We do some composting, but it's highly limited. I don't think the people living near that garden would enjoy horse poop so we won't go that route.

.

Composted it does not smell at all. Just rich dirt.

[regentrude]

I don't grow veggies becaus we travel too much during the summer. I stick with herbs, and on those I save a ton.

We compost (kitchen waste, grass clippings, leaves) and would have plenty of dirt for more.

[SparklyUnicorn]

In many situations, it can save money. Even a small plot in your backyard or on your patio can be successful without spending a lot of money. The first year does require some investment but the following years more than make up for it. A packet of seeds will remain viable for several years if stored properly inside. So your $3 packet of zucchini will supply you with a lot over three years. If you have the room and time, asparagus is easy to grow from seed and requires very little for 10 plus years of harvest. As others have said, herbs give the greatest payback. I couldn't imagine paying $2 every time I needed basil or thyme for a recipe. It is a way of life for me as I grow everything from seed starting them indoors and have the room for raised beds in our yard. Given that you are renting a plot, I understand your frustration. Maybe try some inexpensive boxes or 5 gallon buckets for tomatoes. If you really want to save money on fertilizer, raise some red wigglers. They will compost all your veggie scraps and provide you with wonderful vermicompost for your plants. I hope it works out for you. It really is wonderful being able to shop in the backyard.

 

We've tried all of these things.  Many years stuff just does not grow.  Summer might be too cold.  We might get too much rain.  My husband built a very nice kind of box in the back yard and everything we planted in it failed for one reason or another (beyond our control). 

 

I would like to figure out composting though.  And in a way that doesn't attract rats.  That's what I'm afraid of.  Ideally it doesn't stink either because we are all lined up like sardines in a can here. 

[SparklyUnicorn]

Composted it does not smell at all. Just rich dirt.

 

See I don't know what you mean.  How do we get horse poop composted so it doesn't smell?  I think you aren't imagining the set up here.  And we would have to buy more dirt. 

 

So again, more money on all of this which makes me just feel every year utterly annoyed at how much money we spend on this. 

[Laura Corin]

It saves us money because:

- we don't try to grow everything

- we don't grow low-value things

- we have raised beds set up to which I just add a layer of compost each year

- I raise almost all my own plants from seed

- we have a temperate climate and I only grow what works (no tomatoes or curcubits)

- our bugs aren't too scary (I just cover the brassicas with mesh and use organic slug death)

 

This year: salad, Brokali, swiss chard, purple sprouting broccoli, baby carrots, peas and French beans.

[regentrude]

I would like to figure out composting though.  And in a way that doesn't attract rats.  That's what I'm afraid of.  Ideally it doesn't stink either because we are all lined up like sardines in a can here. 

 

never had any rats in the compost.

It goes in a pile in the backyard. Some mesh fencing around so the pile stays neat is a bonus,  not a must.

Just don't put any animal products in (i.e. bones, meat scraps)- just veggie+ fruit peelings, egg shells, etc.

 

It does not stink. For esthetics, you can cover up each load of kitchen waste with grass clippings or twigs or leaves.

[SparklyUnicorn]

Well and another thing at the community garden we built a composting spot.  Everyone has access to it.  Which is fine, but it also means we might not get any.  If we did it in our yard, we'd have to transport it by car to the community garden.  I think you can fathom the difficulty of doing that.

 

Sometimes I feel like DH is just planting planting planting and hoping something works out.  It's extremely difficult to do it 100% right. 

[SparklyUnicorn]

never had any rats in the compost.

It goes in a pile in the backyard. Some mesh fencing around so the pile stays neat is a bonus,  not a must.

Just don't put any animal products in (i.e. bones, meat scraps)- just veggie+ fruit peelings, egg shells, etc.

 

It does not stink. For esthetics, you can cover up each load of kitchen waste with grass clippings or twigs or leaves.

 

Yeah that's the problem.  We don't have enough to cover it with!  We don't really have a yard. 

 

10 ft by 10 ft....maybe...

[regentrude]

We don't really have a yard. 

 

10 ft by 10 ft....maybe...

 

So where are your garden beds then? All at the community plot?

 

If you don't have any yard waste at all, I'd look into a composting bin - all you'd have would be kitchen scraps. And yes, that would not make a significant amount of dirt.

[SparklyUnicorn]

So where are your garden beds then? All at the community plot?

 

If you don't have any yard waste at all, I'd look into a composting bin - all you'd have would be kitchen scraps. And yes, that would not make a significant amount of dirt.

 

Yes at the community plot.  That plot is also very small.  Actually DH buys 2 plots.  He used to buy a 3rd, but that 3rd one has too much shade and nothing grew there. 

 

In the yard we only do bags of potatoes and whatever we can squeeze in here or there. 

 

Imagine about a 10th of an acre plot where a 3 family stood in between 2 other 3 family homes.  Nobody in the neighborhood has a yard.  That has been cut up into about 10 plots. 

[Annie G]

I grow herbs and the yield outweighs the cost to grow them.  I'm trying bell peppers this year because we go through a lot of them. I can't grow tomatoes...just never had any success with that. 

 

We have a fabulous producer only farmer's market an hour away and we go there a couple of times a month.  It's cheaper for me to buy most things there and freeze them.  But herbs are still cheaper for me to grow. 

 

I envy those of you who are successful gardeners. I long to be able to do that...maybe when we move back South. 

[Seasider]

I am in CA and can purchase high quality produce year round. Where I save money is herbs: cilantro, basil, Thai basil, lemon grass, epazote, etc. No need for great dirt. No need for expensive seed--they take off on their own, mostly, from previous years.

A million times ditto. I know how to grow stuff, should a need arise for a victory garden, but aside from fresh herbs, I find it not worth my time these days. I think if I had a large plot my return on investment would be higher, but time and energy are precious. Instead I choose to support local growers.

[SparklyUnicorn]

It doesn't for us. We live in a dry climate; the amount of water alone needed to sustain a garden large enough to feed us is ridiculous. Gardening isn't cheap. Plus, I have to garden wearing a proper face mask and they are pricey. Can't make my own compost,, have to buy mulch blah blah. No, it's not a money saver for us. 

 

Yeah I'm trying not to be a jerk, but sometimes I'm annoyed with DH regarding gardening.  He spends a lot of money on it and complains about all the work (and then we get almost nothing) and then I'm like...WHY?!

 

I think he is just so used to that being a thing in his family.  His dad was a big gardener, but they had lots of land and good growing conditions.  They were so successful his mother had three large freezers that they'd fill up after the summer!

 

Last year we grew cherry tomatoes.  Imagine...2 tiny tomatoes on your plate after all that.  Yay...

[Guest]

I love to have fresh produce, but no, I doubt it is a net savings of much. There are a few things that are great - foraged berries, for example, and fresh herbs and canned tomatoes. But the point to me is more the sense of self-sufficiency and no pesticides.

 

In the summer, we have many dinners that are nearly or entirely garden-based and there is something very pleasing about that. It feels very healthy and non-consumeristic.

[SparklyUnicorn]

I agree that herbs are cost effective. 

 

And even I sort of manage them.  They sell them in the same spot as the other herbs in my store (the potted herbs).  So I will often buy the potted herbs.  I can usually keep it going for about 2 months in the house.  And they cost about the same as one small amount of cut herbs.  So definitely even despite the fact I kill plants it's worth it. 

 

I could potentially keep them going longer probably, but then I'd have to buy dirt, buy large pots, and somehow figure out where to put them so they get enough sunshine. 

 

Oh except in winter.  It doesn't work in winter here.  Not even in the house. 

[Caroline]

I love to have fresh produce, but no, I doubt it is a net savings of much. There are a few things that are great - foraged berries, for example, and fresh herbs and canned tomatoes. But the point to me is more the sense of self-sufficiency and no pesticides.

 

In the summer, we have many dinners that are nearly or entirely garden-based and there is something very pleasing about that. It feels very healthy and non-consumeristic.

Yes.

[SamanthaCarter]

Basil is definitely worthwhile, because we eat SO MUCH pesto. 

[SparklyUnicorn]

Basil smells so good too.

 

I don't like getting flowers, but I sometimes tell my husband I wouldn't mind a bouquet of fresh herbs.  At least then I could eat them and smell them. 

[G5052]

It really depends. We've been very, very successful, but put a lot of time into it. We know what works for our plots, and restarting just involves enriching and starting the seeds. So no more than $100-200 total if that for approximately five good-sized beds. We primarily focus on greens, tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, and herbs.

 

This year we went very, very small for us for various reasons. Just three tomato plants, herbs, a pepper plant, and the potato patch that had some over-wintering potatoes that we spread out and replanted. I bought plants this year (which I haven't done in ages).

[shage]

When we landscaped our yard, we focused on fruit and nut trees. Because California. I will say those have been more cost effective than most crops grown in the garden, especially pomegranate, Meyer lemon, pistachio, and cherry. I suspect asparagus would be cost effective as well, because it's another one you plant once.

[SparklyUnicorn]

When we landscaped our yard, we focused on fruit and nut trees. Because California. I will say those have been more cost effective than most crops grown in the garden, especially pomegranate, Meyer lemon, pistachio, and cherry. I suspect asparagus would be cost effective as well, because it's another one you plant once.

 

I can't fit bonsai trees in my yard so...

 

:lol:

[texasmama]

I am getting about 20 blackberries a day from one bush we planted a few years back.  They are low maintenance and should just continue to grow and produce more.  We have several bushes, but this is our most prolific one.  The initial investment was $20 or so for the bush.  Blackberries grow well here.  I just spent $30 on two tomato plants, two zucchini plants, and a cucumber.  I think we might break even.  I like having the little garden and growing things.  It feels cool to me.  We had a large garden one year, and it was a lot of trouble.  We definitely lost money that year.

[shage]

I can't fit bonsai trees in my yard so...

 

:lol:

Well, most parts of the US don't have a climate suitable for pomegranate and citrus. I try not to rub it in.

 

I laughed at your potato growing story, btw. Growing potatoes is a big hairy deal in dh's Midwestern family. Planting must happen on St. Patrick's Day. And it must be above ground, covered in straw. You can then tell everybody you "made garden."

 

Months later, one bag of seed potatoes yields one bag at harvest.

 

I loved The Martian, but the potato growing part was not plausible. :-D

[rocassie]

Start up, yeah we weren't saving any money, but in the long run, we have definitely made out.  The largest cost for us was building, fencing, and putting dirt in raised garden beds.  I have tried to get a lot of veggies that grow well in our climate, and we can use the seed in future years.  Also, cost of more up front.  We have a handfull of bad growing years, but overall we do pretty well.  The tomatoes alone that I can probably make the garden worth it.  I generally am able to can enough to last the whole year.

[Ottakee]

See I don't know what you mean. How do we get horse poop composted so it doesn't smell? I think you aren't imagining the set up here. And we would have to buy more dirt.

 

So again, more money on all of this which makes me just feel every year utterly annoyed at how much money we spend on this.

I am talking about getting the horse poop already composted. I have a huge pile here that has aged for 2 years. I would gladly give it away to anyone that would want any. No smell. You are with though that you don't want fresh horse poop.

[Ethel Mertz]

This year we have spent way too much money. We have a community garden plot that we share with another family (25 x 25 ft). The plot cost $40, we bought more fencing and poles, bags of compost (supplemented with the community compost pile), and a few other things. We also do container gardening at the house and we'll need a couple more bags of soil for that. We're definitely not saving any money this year.

 

However, after a couple of years of not gardening, I'm really glad we're doing it again. I'm happy to have my hands in the dirt again and - for the first time ever - it is a family project! Even the grumpy teenager is enjoying it! That, in itself, is worth the money. Next year, we'll spend a lot less money as we won't need to re-invest in the fencing and poles.

 

As to what we're growing: we got two free, well-established tomato plants from our local organic farmer, the other family bought some plants (lettuce, broccoli, marigolds, and I can't remember what else. Here's the kicker: I have seeds from 2011 that were not stored in any particular way and they are still viable! I have started the rest of the garden from seed: more heirloom tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, yellow squash, peas, green beans, and carrots. I'll also start some herbs for a container on our porch railing. 

[SparklyUnicorn]

Well, most parts of the US don't have a climate suitable for pomegranate and citrus. I try not to rub it in.

 

I laughed at your potato growing story, btw. Growing potatoes is a big hairy deal in dh's Midwestern family. Planting must happen on St. Patrick's Day. And it must be above ground, covered in straw. You can then tell everybody you "made garden."

 

Months later, one bag of seed potatoes yields one bag at harvest.

 

I loved The Martian, but the potato growing part was not plausible. :-D

 

This is so funny isn't it?!  I was so surprised.

 

I wouldn't mind so much that this costs us money if it at least worked out better.  Even though we only get a small amount of potatoes, at least we always get them and they are good.  Some stuff..nope.  Even dumb stuff like zucchini.  Zucchini is fairly easy to grow, but our zucchini often has extremely hard skin that isn't edible.  I have no idea why that is.  So by the time you peal the skin off, it's not that good.  It's just basically a white spongy thing. 

[kewb]

I have a black thumb so I don't garden much. I have success with tomatoes, hot peppers, and herbs. A garden fresh tomato tastes so much better than one from the store. Hot peppers are worth it because I get a lot.

 

I tried zucchini one year but the neighbors groundhog ate all my zucchini.

The year I tried to grow cucumber they were all killed by the cucumber beetle.

Bell peppers hate me. I might get two tiny peppers.

 

This year I didn't bother planting because I discovered last year that our oak tree now blocks the sun over the garden for a good portion of the day. Our tomato yield last year was awful. I am watching the sun this year to see if I have a sunny patch for next year.

[SproutMamaK]

Gardening saves us money, but produce here is quite expensive. We're limited on space, so we're pretty picky about what we grow; only high-yield seeds for the space, expensive produce, etc. This year we're doing zucchini and cucumber ($1.50 and $1 a piece respectively at market), lettuce ($2.50 a head), bell peppers ($1 each), hot peppers, pole and bush beans, swiss chard, and we're trying out brussel sprouts just to see if it's worth it. If the cost of produce weren't so exorbitant these past few years, I'd probably have a flower garden instead. ETA: not meaning to say that I think the cost of produce is higher than it should be; farmers don't make enough as it is and I'm happy to see them actually raising prices if it means they don't need to depend on subsidies to survive. I think the prices are fair... I just don't like paying them if I don't have to.

Edited May 28, 2016 by SproutMamaK

[HomeAgain]

My garden started with kitchen and yard compost, made in a holey Rubbermaid tub. I used it to mix with yard dirt and some leftover polymer 'snow' to hold in moisture. Then I planted seeds, about $1 a packet. Last year I had a crop of tomatoes. This year I have peas, tomatoes, pumpkins and herbs. I'm not the greatest gardener but I can plant enough to offset our more expensive produce purchases, at least the ones that will grow here.

[MEmama]

Nope, not worth it financially for us either. Between wood for the boxes, the annual refilling of dirt and compost, the plants, the water...all for meager yields...our money is better spent on our CSA or at the farm markets than trying to grow our own on our tiny shady lot. Of course I try anyway because I enjoy it, but financially it's a total wash. And honestly the local produce tastes so much better than what I grow at home, and it's just as fresh. Why I can't grow a decent cucumber is beyond me, but year after year I'm reminded it's true (actually, I gave up on cucumbers long ago, but the failure holds true for other supposedly fail safe veggies). I'm glad I'm not the only one.

[LucyStoner]

I am getting about 20 blackberries a day from one bush we planted a few years back. They are low maintenance and should just continue to grow and produce more. We have several bushes, but this is our most prolific one. The initial investment was $20 or so for the bush. Blackberries grow well here. I just spent $30 on two tomato plants, two zucchini plants, and a cucumber. I think we might break even. I like having the little garden and growing things. It feels cool to me. We had a large garden one year, and it was a lot of trouble. We definitely lost money that year.

Blackberries spread here like a virus and take over whole yards. Usually when a friend buys a house here that is a bargain the first thing we all do is go and help them get rid of the blackberry bushes so they can have a usable yard.

 

We just go and pick along the trail here where the county doesn't do more than cut them back if they are blocking the trail. Free and we can get massive amounts all season.

[myfunnybunch]

I think we break even.

 

But our veggies are grown organically. I think if we bought only organic from the store vs. what we grow, we're saving.

 

I think we probably save $ on fresh tomatoes and on greens.