Is a Home Vegetable Garden Worth It from an Economic Perspective?

There’s a book you should read... “The 64 Tomato” by William Alexander. A home vegetable garden is a labor of love, and the veggies are expensive. But you get what you pay for.

Buying Produce vs Growing Your Own

I love browsing the produce aisle for fresh seed donors. We even have a honey mango happily growing in a styro cup right now thanks to that. Once you have your techniques down and have sufficient space, you can save plenty by growing your own.

Selling Organic Produce: Is It Profitable?

Is this a question about selling organic produce? I ask because you include the word 'profitable,' which suggests you wish to sell organic produce. So I will answer the question in that way.

It is likely more profitable to buy produce and resell it. It takes only an hour to buy enough produce to sell all day at an outdoor market or on the street. One will have to pay several hundred dollars in order to gross around $500 to $600 in sales.

It takes me around 8 hours to harvest, clean, and pack enough produce to sell at a 3-hour farmers market and bring home around $600. It is true I get to take home all of that money, but I had to pay for seed, fertilizer, electricity, gasoline, equipment depreciation, greenhouses, property taxes, organic certification fees, plus around 10 hours a week of record-keeping, etc. Plus my time.

When it is all said and done, the reseller should make more money.

Is It Cheaper to Buy Food at the Grocery Store?

Now if you are asking if it is cheaper to buy food at the grocery store over growing it yourself, yes, it is cheaper to buy at the grocery store. However, if you are a good organic grower, the food you grow will be far higher quality in terms of taste and nutrition. Not to mention, you can grow all sorts of things that you will never see in most grocery stores, like chard, kohl Rabi, sunchokes, heirloom tomatoes, and peppers, cardoons, etc.

Beyond Economic Value: The Rewards of Gardening

There are many activities that don’t pay for themselves. I enjoy the peace I get from gardening. I find the nurturing of plants very satisfying. I find solving the problems in the garden challenging in a good way. I love harvesting then bringing it home and eating it that same night. No store needed.

Plants are fascinating and beautiful, so aesthetically, it’s simply wonderful. I like planting themes like a berry and green garden or a salsa garden. Hobbies are learning to do something well for fun, not profit. I don’t spend much. Most plants are grown from seed, and most of my tools are DIY or cheap.

Money-Saving Tips for Successful Gardening

I can and ferment so any excess harvest won’t be wasted. If something gets eaten or goes south too fast, I try again in a different way next time. If you want to garden really cheap, learn to grow stuff from your garbage! Sweet potato slips from an older sweet potato, potatoes from the ones growing eyes, and celery from the bottom of the celery head planted. This is also fun and fascinating to try.

Buy it if you have all the cash and aren’t outraged at tomatoes at $5.99/lb in season. I just can’t beat the fun of gardening, and there are always ways to save money.