Feeding a family is expensive. The USDA estimates that feeding a family of four will cost between $200 and $300 weekly. If you want to save money on your food bill and enjoy fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs, you should try gardening. The Burpee Seed Company reports that purchasing $50 in garden seeds and fertilizer can give you more than $1250 in produce. Gardening not only saves you money on your groceries, but it also provides you with the freshest herbs and produce available.
Planning Your Garden
The first thing to consider when planning your garden is the amount of space you have to work with. Don’t let a small yard keep you from planting the foods your family enjoys. You can maximize your growing area by using square foot gardening…show more content… Leaf lettuce will produce lettuce throughout the entire growing season. To harvest, simply cut the outer leaves and allow the inner leaves to continue to grow to maturity.
• Cucumber plants produce approximately 10 cucumbers per plant. Each plant only needs about 6 inches of soil to grow when the plant is trellised. Enjoy your cucumbers when they are harvested. If your harvest is large, you can quickly turn them into delicious pickles.
• Peppers are expensive at the grocers. For example, a red bell pepper can cost a couple of dollars or more. Why pay those prices when you can easily grow them in your backyard? Each plant will produce a plethora of delightful peppers to enjoy. Peppers, such as bell peppers can be sliced and frozen. Hot peppers, such as cayenne, can be dried and used in a variety of soups and stews.
• Strawberries can be enjoyed for a limited amount of time. If you have limited space, try growing these delicious fruits in specially designed containers. A strawberry pot allows you to grow up to 20 strawberry plants in a small amount of space. Turn your strawberries into delicious jams and jellies to enjoy all winter…show more content… Onions are sold in sets. When you plant them, you can plant them close together and harvest early for green onions, or you can plant them a few inches apart and allow them to grow to maturity. Store your onions in a cool, dark place to help prevent sprouting.
• Potatoes are a great root crop to grow if you have enough space. Each potato plant will produce approximately 5-10 potatoes. Potatoes should be stored in a cool, dark place.
• Okra is another vegetable that produced prolifically. Each okra plant will produce approximately 2 pounds of okra every 3 days during the growing season. You can freeze okra whole or sliced.
• Corn produces about 4 to 6 corn cobs per plant. This plant does not need a lot of room to grow and can provide you with enough corn to last throughout the year. Corn can be either frozen or canned to provide you with fresh produce during the winter.
• Beans can be grown on a trellis. Each plant will produce approximately a pound of green beans. Each plant will produce 3 harvests throughout the growing season. Beans can be either canned or
