The cost effectiveness of growing your own food plants

[LIcenter]

That's a pity

Yeah it broke my heart. It was the perfect spot, and they did very well there too. My sister used to live in Virginia, and they would grow wild along the roadsides. So I figured, piece of cake, right? nyet!

 

[ChanellG]

I had well over thirty asparagus plants growing along my back fence line for a few years. Then the next year, Nothing! Turns out the moles had a winter feast party, and all was lost.

Oh, no! Thankfully, moles are not a problem where I live and the only way I would be able to grow asparagus is in containers so hopefully I wouldn't have that problem. I just have to figure out where to situate the plants, their cold hardiness, and what sort of seasonal protection they'll need. I imagine they don't necessarily do well in high heat.

 

[LIcenter]

Oh, no! Thankfully, moles are not a problem where I live and the only way I would be able to grow asparagus is in containers so hopefully I wouldn't have that problem. I just have to figure out where to situate the plants, their cold hardiness, and what sort of seasonal protection they'll need. I imagine they don't necessarily do well in high heat.

I think it may be too warm for you to make a go of them in your area. They really need to winter over or you wind up with toothpicks, or nothing at all. It also took all of three years before I started to get a good yield from them.

 

[Owdboggy]

The difficulty as far as we can see, is how you work out the finances of the exercise. We use a rough and ready formula based on the fact that if we did not go and pick it from the garden we would have to buy something to eat, but not necessarily the veg or fruit we have grown for ourselves.
Bottom line is that whether it is cost effective is not as important to us as knowing what has been sprayed on what we are eating.

 

[Everbrown]

I had well over thirty asparagus plants growing along my back fence line for a few years. Then the next year, Nothing! Turns out the moles had a winter feast party, and all was lost.

Moles or Voles? ( I think moles like insects, Voles like roots ). Our surroundings are largely wooded and voles have always been troublesome

 

[headfullofbees]

My wife has end stage renal failure, and her dialysis does not clear chemicals well, so every time I can put food on a plate grown without chemicals, it is a little victory.
(Potatoes are sprayed something like 20 times in the UK, and I only use Bordeaux mix, which is a barrier fungicide and does not enter the plant.)
I also prefer the flavour of my home grown veg and fruit.
I tend to evaluate it at shop prices, but for the above reasons, it's really worth far more than the cash equivalent.

 

[marlingardener]

Headful, I had a friend with stomach cancer. I grew mint for her--mint tea settled some of the pain, and she could keep it down. I also prepared some of our vegetables for her dinners--her doctor gave me a list of things she could have, and she began to enjoy meals again. I know what you mean about "it's really worth far more than the cash equivalent".
Congratulations on your little victories.

 

[Bootsy]

My wife has end stage renal failure, and her dialysis does not clear chemicals well, so every time I can put food on a plate grown without chemicals, it is a little victory.

I grew mint for her--mint tea settled some of the pain, and she could keep it down. I also prepared some of our vegetables for her dinners--her doctor gave me a list of things she could have, and she began to enjoy meals again

Very well done.

 

[headfullofbees]

Very well done.

Thank you, and my deepest sympathies to you, marlingardener.
Although my motivation isn't cash-based, that is not to deny the long-term cost-effectiveness of gyo, and further, whilst I'm an Anthropogenic- CO2 Climate sceptic, lorries delivering food to supermarkets DO pollute the air.

 

[LIcenter]

Moles or Voles? ( I think moles like insects, Voles like roots ). Our surroundings are largely wooded and voles have always been troublesome

Never gave it much thought, probably was voles now that you mention it.

 

[ChanellG]

I think it may be too warm for you to make a go of them in your area. They really need to winter over or you wind up with toothpicks, or nothing at all. It also took all of three years before I started to get a good yield from them.

How cold does it need to be? I think I've seen it growing in the botanical garden in City Park, I'll have to ask my plant swap group. Aren't the growing conditions similar to artichoke? Those seem to do fine here.

It took three years after the initial three year period or three years total? Because it takes that long to be able to get to a harvest in the first place.

 

[ChanellG]

The difficulty as far as we can see, is how you work out the finances of the exercise. We use a rough and ready formula based on the fact that if we did not go and pick it from the garden we would have to buy something to eat, but not necessarily the veg or fruit we have grown for ourselves.
Bottom line is that whether it is cost effective is not as important to us as knowing what has been sprayed on what we are eating.

Exactly the point!

 

[LIcenter]

How cold does it need to be? I think I've seen it growing in the botanical garden in City Park, I'll have to ask my plant swap group. Aren't the growing conditions similar to artichoke? Those seem to do fine here.

It took three years after the initial three year period or three years total? Because it takes that long to be able to get to a harvest in the first place.

Everything I've read, they need to have time to go cold weather dormant. That's not to say there isn't another variety out there that will do well in your area.
If I remember right, I planted two year old sets, and it took three years from that time to get some kind of harvest, each year after getting better production.

 

[CanadianLori]

Considering where you live and how long you have to wait to plant, I would think anything you could grow yourself would be helpful. Maybe you should look at what you're growing - which was the point of the article.

Oh, I didn't read the article, I thought you were asking us in the forum if WE were cost effective.

Sorry, my bad!

I don't really care that much about the cost as it turns out because I am doing it pretty much for the fun of it. Now, if I was to retail what I make with my hot peppers I could probably turn over a pretty penny

 

[Pat]

At one point in my life I grew vegetables to help with the food bill, now that I no longer have to feed a family I grow for the satisfaction of the garden itself. I do grow more flowers now than food. The cost of having a garden can also be measured against the cost of personal entertainment, instead of going to a very expensive movie I may not enjoy I may choose to purchase a new plant for my garden.