Out of last month's grocery bill $50 of it went towards buying food bearing plants and seeds for my minigarden. I really don't want to take out a big patch of grass to have a larger garden, nor do I have the energy or time to maintain one so for now there are two long growing boxes and several pots. I planted 10 strawberry plants and they seem to be doing well as I have already harvested 3 medium to large strawberries with many more buds and baby strawberries on the way. Total investment in the strawberry plants was $20 so at this early point in the season each strawberry has cost me $6.66. I am keeping track to see if it is worth it as have never grown strawberries before. I only planted 3 tomato plants this year as they always seem to do really well and we get quite a good yield with just a couple of plants. They are already filled with flowers. I also planted 2 pepper plants, a pot of cilantro and one cucumber plant. The cucumber plant is an experiment as well as I am not sure if they grow well in containers. The strawberry was very tasty by the way.
It is garage sale season and although I haven't blogged about it every Saturday morning Mom and I head out for some scavenging. So far this year I have found loads of great records, some of them quite hard to find and valuable. Others I will save for stock to sell in the fall, all monies going toward our fun fund which is used for fishing and weekends away. I also have bought a few books and knick nacks. I will have to do a garage sale post later this month. Happy Hump Day!
We had our first tomato in a salad last night and it was delicious. It smelled so good, nothing like store bought tomatoes. Our cucumbers have not done well, but our pepper plant is producing. Funny, I just wrote a Wednesday post just before reading yours. I also ended it with Happy Hump Day! Great minds. lol
ReplyDeleteDoesn't home grown produce make you happy? It always shocks me when I can actually harvest something
DeleteI love garage sale season (they call them vide-greniers over here - attic emptiers) but in addition to the few beautiful pieces I have bought it seems to be quite a social event, with drinks and concession stands and so on. A real treat!
ReplyDeleteDrinks and concession - I would love that!
DeleteHahaha! Only you would know the exact cost of each strawberry! Hopefully the price will go down as your crop increases!
ReplyDeleteSeriously every time I get one more I recalculate - they are getting cheaper by the day!
DeleteAs poor of a gardener that I am, I am an even worse farmer. I will live vicariously through your success -- and I am certain you will do well. I am cheering for you!
ReplyDeleteI am so not a gardener. It was a total fluke that I have consistently grown tomatoes down the south sunny side of the house - the sun reflects off the siding and it is just barely protected by the roof overhanging so they seem to love it there. I am just trying to mix things up now after growing those for a couple of years
DeleteI envy your ability to grow strawberries. I only manage to have well fed chipmunks when we try to grow them.
ReplyDeleteWe have chipmunks here too but they tend to stay in the big trees that are 1/4 mile away versus our neighborhood which is 10 years old and mostly smaller trees. The only thing I have to worry about are rats (we have mountain rats, cute little buggers but they got into my tomatoes last year), mice and the dog as he likes to run by and grab the strawberries. He is not a leg lifter but a squatter so thankfully I don't have to worry about that! The mice and rats tend to stay close to the bird feeding area, much easier to get the dropped goods that way.
DeleteStrawberries grow like weeds in our garden but they're of the Alpine variety rather than your beasts, they're quite tart but wonderful mixed with rocket and balsamic vinegar.
ReplyDeleteIt's car boot season here and I love it - not going today though, I need to get the stock sorted for the weekend so I can have a play date with a friend tomorrow. xxx
I love alpine strawberries. When I was a kid in the interior of BC they grew wild in the fields - tiny little things but so sweet. The dog would be right there eating her fill too. Have fun on your friend date!
DeleteThat's a pretty pricey strawberry :) but hopefully you'll get lots more and the price will go down! I haven't been to any garage sales yet but have done some thrifting in anticipation of my upcoming trip to Scotland. Will have to do a post soon.
ReplyDeleteYes, tres mucho dinero strawberry:) Whole foods prices lol, but I see alot more strawberries in my future
DeleteGood for you and your garden. Would love to see photos of your long boxes and pots. We came back from Europe to a totally overgrown garden plot, will post soon. I can't even see my tomatoes. Thinking about doing boxes next year in our yard.
ReplyDeleteI'll take some pictures - we have mostly had rain for the last week but starting tomorrow it is supposed to be a long sunny hot stretch again so good for pictures (and for ripening). Overgrown gardens are sometimes a good thing, likely things are taking off in there!
DeleteMy little striped chipmunks seem to stay on the ground a lot. All my alpine strawberries were destroyed by them. I have been too sick to get out and plant anything, but there is still time since our growing season is so long here in the South.
ReplyDeleteI hope you get to do a little planting, I find it so gratifying to be able to pick what I grow myself
DeleteThat’s better than any return on my attempts at gardening.
ReplyDeleteWe are on the same page my friend...I will not travel or spend my hard earned Canadian money in the U.S.A until all this is over. I am buying Canadian, Mexican,Italian, Spanish, French and even South African which had long been on my boycott list ....
ReplyDeleteBuddy is the quintessential beach dog! He looks so happy , Hugs to all