With food costs rising, many people are contemplating starting a garden.
This makes sense, since human beings have been growing their own food for thousands of years.
The stuff just comes out of the ground andliterallygrows on trees.
The potential to save money doesnt hurt, either.
But gardens have hidden costs, and not all crops are the same in terms of cost-effectiveness.
Can you really save money by growing your own food?
The answer is yes, but you have to be thoughtful about it.
Do some garden math
Once again, your high school algebra teacher wins.
This is yet another moment in your life where youwilluse math.
The starting point is your initial investment.
The good news here is that gardens are relatively cheap.
Those are good numbers, but keep in mind that there are ongoing costs as well.
Water, for one, will be a regular line item on your budget.
Youll need to handle pesticides and use other measures to protect your crops, too.
Plus, there will be breakage, meaning some of your crops will die off.
The other consideration is what you plant.
What are the best plants to invest in?
Here are some of the most cost-effective crops it’s possible for you to plant.
Tomatoes.As noted above, tomatoes are a terrific investment.
They dont take up much space and can be very easy to grow.
Seeds are cheapest and produce the most economic benefit, but they take a long time to yield.
Squash.Squash plants arent as productive as some crops, but they grow for a long time.
Leaf lettuce.Lettuce is incredibly versatile, so its an ideal crop youll use in just about every meal.
It also grows really, really well, requiring bi-monthly harvests.
You will haveplentyof lettuce.
A packet of seeds is typically less than $3, so youll definitely get your moneys worth.
Alternatively, plants will cost about $2 each.
Herbs.If youre paying Big Spice for your herbs at the supermarket, youre overpaying no matter what theyre charging.
Berries.Fresh-picked fruit is pretty expensive.
A pound of blueberries will run you as much as $7.
Even better, they will continue to produce delicious berries for you year after year.
With fresh okra going for about $5 per pound in the store, thats a pretty good savings.
Kale.At $5 for a pack of seeds, kale can be an excellent addition to your home garden.
A thoughtfully-arranged home garden can indeed save you quite a bit of money.
Just because youre saving cash doesnt mean your garden is cost-effective if its taking up valuable time.
That being said, a home garden is definitely worth looking into as prices continue to rise everywhere.
