Can you save money gardening?

My first year I think I spent less then $20 on seeds & used a shovel I already had, and turned over & double-dug a HUGE patch of sod. 

Yes you can save money your first year of gardening. 

Did I save money my second year when I bought better tools, $100 of seeds (which I have spread out over at least 2 if not 3 years), and put in raised beds from recycled wood? Yes. 

This year I used seeds left over from last year & seeds I saved (but hubby just ran out and bought me $20 in seedlings to supplement what I couldn't start b/c of the move). I think I spent an additional $5 on some seeds I needed (+ broccoli I didn't have last year). Am I going to save again this year? Definitely. 

Then again we also bought a new house to put the garden in so if that counts I'm in trouble... 

A head of lettuce costs me $3-5 at the grocery store (depending on season) at home I can have a salad every night for pennies. I haven't bought lettuce seeds except for new varieties because I always let mine go to seed. Same with beans. 

You don't need fancy gadgets to garden. You need a shovel, and a will to work. I also live out in the country where I don't have to pay $5 a bag of manure, I just go ask the cows.



You can definitely save money gardening, especially when you compare the price of buying all organic food to growing it. But gardening is about more then saving any amount of money. It's about appreciating the beauty of flowers, improving the look of your home, and the sense of accomplishment you get from eating something you grew from a tiny little seed.