Great “Easy Lucrative Garden Crops” Hunt: What costly foods can you grow with ease?

Former_MSE_Archna
Former_MSE_Archna Posts: 1,903
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edited 14 April 2009 at 7:07PM in Greenfingered MoneySaving
[FONT=&quot]This week the BBC Dig it campaign is giving away free seeds.

[FONT=&quot]To celebrate we thought we’d hunt for info on the most lucrative things to grow at home or in small gardens.

So green fingered MoneySavers, if you’ve limited space what would you grow with ease, that’d cost serious amounts in supermarkets or farmers markets and what are your top tips for a bountiful crop? Any specific brands of fruit or veg that are easy but costly?[/FONT]


If possible please include costs both of growing the crop and how much it would cost to buy.

[FONT=&quot]Click reply to discuss[/FONT]

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  • spirit
    spirit Posts: 2,886
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    edited 21 April 2009 at 11:15AM
    tomatoes are really expensive in the supermarkets yet really easy to grow even if you have limited space. Growbags, pots and hanging baskets can be used for them.

    lettuces, radish, rocket - all the usual salad crops are easy and again you can grow in containers.

    You can even put up a wigwam of bamboo canes in the garden or a tub and grow runner beans.

    strawberries can be grown in pots too. Remember to cover them with some netting to stop the birds eating them before you do.
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  • Rummer
    Rummer Posts: 6,550
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    Fresh peas, they are delicious and taste their best when taken straight from the plant.
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  • Andybez38
    Andybez38 Posts: 1,773
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    Marrow's and cuecumbers are easily grown in a growbag with little space.
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  • lostinrates
    lostinrates Posts: 55,283
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    spirit wrote: »
    tomatoes are really expensive in the supermarkets yet really easy to grow even if you have limited space. Growbags, pots and hanging baskets can be used for them.

    lettuces, radish, rocket - all the usual salad crops are easy and again you can grow in containers.

    You can even put up a wigwam of bamboo canes in the garden or a tub and grow runner beans.

    strawberries can be grown in pots too. Remember to cover them with some netting to stop the birds eating them before you do.

    I've even grown strawberries, tomatoes and salads in window boxes and on balconies :)
  • Rummer
    Rummer Posts: 6,550
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    chillies too
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  • COOLTRIKERCHICK
    COOLTRIKERCHICK Posts: 10,510
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    i would say runner beans in a pot, as the more you pick them the more the plant will produce, and lets face it when you buy runner beans in the supermarket they are all stringy and floppy....lol....

    so for value for money, taste, plus you get the pretty flower before the bean appears.... so a double delight for the small garden
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  • Lotus-eater
    Lotus-eater Posts: 10,789
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    Climbing french beans, you certainly get your moneys worth, or courgettes.
    A metre square for one of each and that will see you pretty well off in them all summer.
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  • olly300
    olly300 Posts: 14,736
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    edited 14 April 2009 at 6:13PM
    Herbs - you can grow them inside your house or out regardless if you have a garden or not. And they don't take up lots of space.

    Cut and come again salad - this can also be grown inside as well as outside.

    I've lived in a flat with no garden and limited space, and these where the easiest things to grow. With the herbs you don't even have to start them off as seeds as you can buy plants and repot them.
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  • MissPop
    MissPop Posts: 948
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    Strawberries - don't require a lot of effort, and plants are often pretty cheap to come by. Plus the fruit are so tasty and juicy, and quite abundant - I get fruit throughout the summer. Works out much cheaper than a punnet!

    Tomatoes are also easy, and grow quickly and abundantly too - I got two plants for £1 each (I'm sure one can find cheaper!) last summer and had lovely juicy cherry toms throughout the summer.

    Just my two cents, I haven't had much experience growing anything else (yet!) :)

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  • cjb02
    cjb02 Posts: 608 Forumite
    Goji berries. very expensive to buy. cost loads of air miles as they come from China mainly. buy some dried goji berries. soak them in water, take seeds out of berries the following day and plant (this time of year is ideal) They can be grown in the ground or in a tub (I would suggest tub as they are easier to control) Can get to 12ft high but with a little pruning each year. Can be maintained at 3-4ft and you still get berries. They are very hardy plants and will over winter on a patio or in the garden.
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