Should I start a garden? (Canada, teenagers, single, benefit)

[Sonny3]

We tore our veggie garden out last fall because with the drought we just didn't have time to take care of it. I prioritized the flower gardens over veggies but may re- think that now. Hmmm.

[BalloonLady]

Originally Posted by HB2HSV

When I moved into my new house in California I had a similar problem. I needed to amend my soil. The usual way I do it is to add organic matter such as grass clipping, kitchen waste, etc. But I didn't even have lawn at that point so I came up with a solution.

I bought straw bale from the near by feed store ($7/bale) and put them down to fill up the 12 inch height raised bed, then I spread some top soil and chicken/cow manures on top. This falls into the "Lasagna method" of building up soil. Throughout the season, the straw decomposes into a rich black soil.

My first year gardening I learned the hard way that the top soil by itself has no nutritional value. You'll have to add nutrients and mix it in.

Here's the before & after photo on how I built up my raised bed

Thanks so much!! I had no idea a bale of straw was that inexpensive.

[BalloonLady]

Originally Posted by Vision67

For food, go to the Farmer's market.

But for cash,

Grow some Pot

Now there's a cash crop!

When COVID hit, they closed the farmers market. We visited the grocery store and some of the glass doors in the refrigerated dept were broken by customers. Stuff was bought up like crazy.

Pot isn't a bad idea. In a famine, we'll you never know what I'll need to stay calm

[skimbro000]

I love the “idea” of a garden, but I know I would never do what needed to be done for it to be successful. I can barely keep the annuals I put in pots on my deck alive. However, my sweet next door neighbors have a wonderful garden, and they share with me all summer.

[karen_in_nh_2012]

Originally Posted by BalloonLady

One thing you can start with just ONE initial investment, if they grow in your area, is potatoes. Financially you invest once, then for life have endless FREE potatoes. Hopefully you live in an environment which is conducive to this.

1. I bought $15 worth of potato starters from a local nursery known to hire very educated staff. They advised me

2. I tossed the starters into the compost pile- full of our leftover vegetables, apples, pine needles, mulch from the county grinding down the trees on the side of the freeway, leaves, a little sawdust and coffee grounds (Starbucks provides it free) Every time I had extra vegetables which got old, I tossed them into the compost pile. We had chickens at the time but you can probably get aged manure anywhere

3. Once the potatoes were big enough, and it took months...I took a few potatoes and cut "The eyes" out of them and tossed those portions back into the compost so it would regrow. Each eye is a new potato turned into multiple potatoes. I'd cook the remainder of the potato and eat it.

BalloonLady, I really liked this post of yours but I'm a bit confused ... step 2, you tossed the starters into your compost pile, then at some point later on (???), step 3, you took potatoes OUT of the COMPOST PILE?

Can you please clarify? I thought stuff you tossed into the compost pile would, well, turn into compost ... so I'm clearly missing something here!

[DaveinMtAiry]

Originally Posted by karen_in_nh_2012

BalloonLady, I really liked this post of yours but I'm a bit confused ... step 2, you tossed the starters into your compost pile, then at some point later on (???), step 3, you took potatoes OUT of the COMPOST PILE?

Can you please clarify? I thought stuff you tossed into the compost pile would, well, turn into compost ... so I'm clearly missing something here!

Thanks for this as I had the same question. I was assuming the eye turned into starter plants that can be moved to the garden. Regardless growing potatoes is fun. unlike all the other veggies with root veggies you don't know what you will get until you bring up the shovel. A fork style shovel by the way so you can pull the potato and the soil falls through.

[rrah]

OP--the first year I had a garden I used the Square Foot gardening principles. It worked pretty well, but it didn't mean I didn't need to weed or water. The last 15 years I kind of plant some things in rows and some things in square groups.

Maybe start with a small 4x4 bed or try growing a few things in pots IF you're interested in gardening. Don't do it because you think you'll become self-sufficient with a small garden. Mine is about 12 x 14 or so. I get lots of veggies to freeze, but my husband and I certainly could not survive for long on them. We'd need a protein source. I've found over the years that the things that would provide some protein are also the things that attract the most bugs, critters and require the most work.

I won't have chickens for a lot of reasons. I don't want to worry about the chickens if we are gone for several days or care for them daily. We also have coyotes and other animals. I don't want a chicken coop to bring the coyotes closer to the house.

[memph]

There's definitely things you can grow for cheap with little effort. It will depend on your climate and soil though of course. If you want to try to optimize your yields and grow a wide variety of crops, then yeah, you might find yourself spending money, but some stuff is really easy.

Some things you might find yourself tempted to spend money on and whether they're necessary:

Drip irrigation: I found it's not really needed. I do water right when I plant, and then mulch with partially finished compost, pine needles or leaves from around my gardens and that's usually enough.

Raised beds: Can look nice and be convenient, but not needed.

Manure/compost/soil amendments/fertilizer/wood chip mulch: depends. If you've been leaving your yard half wild for decades it's very unlikely to be needed. You can make your own compost for free, which should solve pretty much any soil problems you might've had, but it may or may not be ready by spring planting.

Seed starting equipment or seedlings: depends what you want to grow and on your climate. But no matter where you live, there's definitely stuff you can just buy seeds for and stick directly in the ground once the weather is right.

Various pest control things: organic pesticides/fungicides, fences to keep animals out. Again, depends what you're growing, but there's a lot of things where you can do without.

Trellises, tomato cages, etc: can be worth the cost but not necessary. You can grow stuff along fences, walls, or just stake them with branches from pruning bushes or neighbours that cut down trees or branches that break in windstorms. You might need twine or nails but that's really cheap.

Tools: you will want something to water with. If you want to go really cheap, any container you have lying around can work. It will be pretty hard to go without a small shovel though (if you don't have one, I recommend a hori-hori style one). You'll probably find yourself needing pruning shears before too long. Maybe a garden fork or loppers but that depends.

Row covers, grow tunnels: depends what you're growing and your climate, but there's a lot of things for which they're not needed.

[pilotpair]

Thanks everyone for advice. I will try tomatoes and potatoes and see how it goes.

[twinkletwinkle22]

35 years ago I started gardening using Square Foot Gardening because it gave me a plan to use, even though my grandparents who lived nearby had a veggie garden their whole, long lives. After a year or 2 of Square Foot I got more confident and experienced. So if SqFoot appeals to you I recommend it.

Now I use several different veggie techniques: some go in-ground, many go in large cloth containers with store-bought potting soil and some go in straw bales, a fun way to grow without expense of soil. You will always be learning when it comes to growing plants so give it a try and grow something.