Growing ur own fruit and veg, worth it?

andrewf75

From a purely financial point of view no.
From a lifestyle point of view yes!

RAS

andrewf75 wrote: »

From a purely financial point of view no.
From a lifestyle point of view yes!

Please supply evidence to support your first statement.

The only accounts I have read in magazines and on-line indicate that the financial benefit (income) exceeds the financial outlay. It may not pay the minimum wage per hour's effort expended but the simple costs/value of goods works.

And even at my hourly rate the value of the soft fruit I grow on my allotment exceeds the whole cost of the rent and my labour on that part of the plot. Everything else is a bonus even though it takes more time to grow.

Mojisola

andrewf75 wrote: »

From a purely financial point of view no.

If you're growing directly in the soil, it's going to be cheaper than only using pots and having to buy in compost.

If you grow high value crops and compare the price you would have paid in the shops, it's very satisfying!

If you are trying to grow food to replace the staples that you buy rather than in addition to your regular shop, I think it would be a struggle to save money.

Buying the cheap seeds at Aldi and similar shops and asking on Freegle for excess plants like runner beans will reduce outgoings.

Living_proof

We really need to form small groups of cooperative growers - i.e. growing a few varieties each and then sharing out between other really small-scale growers. Or buy a few seedlings from car boot sales and church fetes and gradually propagate your stock. It is hard to do everything at once and a lot of patience is involved particularly if you have a large plot to fill. Even if you can put a few portions of fruit or veg on the table a week, it represents a few £££ you haven't had to spend in the SM

andrewf75

RAS wrote: »

Please supply evidence to support your first statement.

Just from my personal experience. I've never tried to work it out, but as well as the time spent, compost is very expensive, then theres the seeds, the plant feed and other bits and pieces that you end up buying, pots, cloches, netting, it all adds up.

Obviously you CAN save money with the right crops on the right scale and with a lot of spare time, but I'd suggest for the majority of casual garden veg growers you don't save anything overall - obviously on some crops you do, I still have chillies from 3 years ago in the freezer!

Mojisola wrote: »

If you're growing directly in the soil, it's going to be cheaper than only using pots and having to buy in compost.

depends on the quality of your soil though, you still need to add compost unless you've been doing it years and have a home made supply.

Mojisola

andrewf75 wrote: »

depends on the quality of your soil though, you still need to add compost unless you've been doing it years and have a home made supply.

Adding compost and fertiliser is beneficial but there's very few soils that won't grow crops if you don't have the money to buy them.

Again, though, if money is that tight, I would think the time is better spent in savvy shopping rather than growing veggies.

andrewf75

Mojisola wrote: »

Again, though, if money is that tight, I would think the time is better spent in savvy shopping rather than growing veggies.

thats my point

growing vegetables is very rewarding but its a hobby and like all hobbies its addictive and you find yourself trying to improve yields and thats where you spend money. I can't go to a garden centre without spending a small fortune!

RAS

compost is very expensive,

Look for municpal compost sites - usually free. Also collect soil from the road or parks, leaves, check out your nearest horse stables and get free manure, twigs.

then theres the seeds
- 5 packets for £1 from Lidl. Even with more expensive choice likely to cost £3 for what she needs.

the plant feed
- pee in a pot - perfect nitrogen fertiliser. Otherwise soak a bit of free manure in a tub. Also check for comfrey growing wild.

pots -
not necessary - pots from yoghurt, trays from supermarket veggies, margarine tubs, the large 50x40x30cm boxes from the back of restaurants (exotic veggies) and the large oil containers over 30cm diameter and 40 cm high. My allotment sitre gives them away free as do many plant nurseries if you "go round the back"

cloches -
completely unnecessary - cut the tops of large bottles, make hoops from wire coat hangers and cover with free plastic.

netting
- £1 for the poundshops. Only needed is you are growing peas really.

What I would want is any free planks from skips or abandoned pallets to rip apart, a little wander in a wood for a few tall stakes (ash seedlings are good) and some strong twine.

cyclonebri1

RAS wrote: »

Please supply evidence to support your first statement.

The only accounts I have read in magazines and on-line indicate that the financial benefit (income) exceeds the financial outlay. It may not pay the minimum wage per hour's effort expended but the simple costs/value of goods works.

And even at my hourly rate the value of the soft fruit I grow on my allotment exceeds the whole cost of the rent and my labour on that part of the plot. Everything else is a bonus even though it takes more time to grow.

But and a big but, if it goes wrong it goes wrong totally, that has to be factored in? Sooner or later we all get hit with potato/tomato blight and it's goodbye crop and hello:D Asda.

cyclonebri1

Parsimonia wrote: »

I'm only thinking of the subject in pure economic terms because literally every penny counts in this household - our total household budget (for food for 2 adults and a dog, household cleaning products, toilet rolls etc) is only £25 a week...if growing our own food increases our cost, it would enter into the category of luxury expenditure, and we can't afford luxuries at the moment.

We're absolutely NOT the type that let food go to waste...we make soups out of wilting veg or chop up and freeze...we never waste ANYTHING. We even make soups etc out of veg tops and peelings that other folks throw away or compost.

We don't want to grow anything fancy - just keep ourselves in salad leaves and tomatoes mainly, and if we could be self-sufficient in chillis, cucumbers all the better....

The black block;

WOW, and sorry if I offended, I don't see how a single person hermit can achieve that,:T:T:T:T

The red bit;
That is of course why I added the caveat, "'and I don't mean you"

Good luck

edit;
make that the blue bit:A:A:A