I live in an apartment so I’m starting my recession garden small: a single planter box of mint, sage, and rosemary (from top to bottom).
My three plants cost me $7.77 at OSH, which has a very lenient plant return policy. I kicked myself after I bought them because I remembered I still have $50 on a Home Depot gift card. Drat!
Buying herbs at the grocery store costs $1 to $1.50, which means I need to harvest five to eight batches of herbs to break even. I already had the dirt and the planter, so I am not taking into account those costs. I hope the mint does especially well because I love to make mojitos.
How is your recession garden growing? Email me a picture of yours with a comment about the plants and I will post the best on the blog!
More recession garden resources:
Growing food instead of grass: recession gardening
How a garden can save you $500
A recession garden may NOT save you money
Reader tips on recession gardens
April 14th, 2009 at 10:29 am
Congrats! Fresh herbs are the best, especially rosemary since it’s so easy to grow. When I work in my veggie/herb garden, I try not to think about the cost vs yield. While my entertainment/fun budget is a lot smaller now, I consider the rewards and relaxation of gardening an added benefit and much better than spending money on a bad movie!
April 14th, 2009 at 12:06 pm
One thing to consider with the mint – I think it is super strong and may take over your whole planter. Most places recommend planting it separate so the other herbs can grow.
April 14th, 2009 at 12:10 pm
Maureen, I’ve heard some people consider mint a weed! But I plan to harvest the leaves frequently enough so that ferocious growth will be welcomed!
April 14th, 2009 at 3:32 pm
Maureen is correct. Mint, which I love, can take over your planter. One small plant can easily fill a normal sized window planter box in just a few weeks.
April 14th, 2009 at 6:37 pm
My mint grows through concrete, I have to haul it out frequently. Rosemary grows into a huge bush with no watering or attention at all. Cilantro and Dill go to seed; oregano, marjoram, the parsleys, basil, sage, thyme and chives are very manageable. Love to harvest herbs when I want to. Much less waste than buying a bunch at the market and throwing a lot of it away.
April 21st, 2009 at 5:04 pm
[...] the little in things in life really add up. More grocery savings will come to those who start a recession garden or give up [...]
April 24th, 2009 at 4:22 am
[...] Grow your own herbs, which can be super [...]