Beat Rising Food Prices - Grow Your Own
The cost of food is going up. There are several factors that are affecting prices, but regardless of the reasons, you will see the difference in your food budget. One way to lessen the impact is to grow your some of your own food.
You don’t have to have a lot of space to grow a garden. Popular methods, such as square foot gardening, allow you to grow your own food in small spaces. Get Rich Slowly has a nice introduction to this method along with a list of other resources. There is some initial expense with starting this type of garden, but if you plan to stay in the same place for awhile it will be worth the investment.
Even if you live in an apartment or other situation where you have no yard to work with, you can grow many things in containers as long as you have a sunny spot for them. If you have a balcony, that is perfect, but even a sunny window can be sufficient. West Virginia University provides a nice article to help you get started. There are also initial costs associated with this, but the containers are portable and will last forever. Consider using some recycled containers such as milk jugs, coffee cans, or ice cream buckets when possible.
Here are some general tips to keep in mind:
1. Grow what you like.
Tomatoes are a garden favorite, but why grow them if you don’t like them?
2. Herbs are practically black thumb proof.
If you are afraid you have a black thumb, start with growing herbs. Most herbs are very tolerant of a neglect. Many, like Rosemary, also make nice houseplants that can be kept year round.
3. Start small.
If you’ve never gardened before, don’t invest a lot of time and money the first year. Even the most experienced gardeners can be overwhelmed by a large garden. Start small, and if all goes well, add more next year.
4. A little here, and a little there.
Don’t ignore your garden. Giving it a quick check everyday, and watering and weeding as needed is much easier than going to your garden after a week and discovering the weeds have taken over.
Gardening can be an enjoyable and rewarding activity. It also can be a source of inexpensive (and organic if you choose) food. So go get some seeds, play in the dirt, and see what you can grow.