How much does a garden really cost?

Why grow a vegetable garden? (Part 2)

I'm on a budget. I clip coupons and buy an extra item or two when they go on sale. Store bought produce has gotten more expensive and Organic produce is much more expensive than the other stuff. It's no wonder people opt for a "dollar menu" item instead of fresh produce

But how organic is it? How can I be sure it's not growing using Frankenseeds (GMO) and sprayed with cancer causing pesticides? One of the more fancier organic grocery stores recently admitted to using gmo produce in their food.

So what do I do now? Start my own garden! (on a budget of course)

One packet of Beefsteak Tomatoes from Mary's Heirloom Seeds costs $4 and contains approximately 50 heirloom seeds. Each seed should produce a plant which bears fruit ranging in size from 10 ounces to 2 pounds...Yes, 2 pounds.

At the same time, 1 pound of tomatoes at my local grocery store costs $1.69 on sale. Triple that if I buy organic!

Each tomato plant will require stakes or cages which can be made from recycled material for free or purchased at a garden store for about $6. I use containers for my tomatoes which can also come from recycled items.

One huge money saver is compost.

By making my own compost (in a recycled tub) using kitchen scraps and yard waste I save about $100! A store-bought compost bin ranges in price from $80-$400. Store-bought bags of compost (who knows what's in that) costs between $2-$20 each.

Each tomato plant should bear 10 pounds of tomatoes or more...That's 500 pounds of tomatoes for a $4 seed pack and $6 cage and homemade compost.