With food prices on the rise and vegetables being the most expensive they have ever been, Aucklanders are looking for alternatives to shopping at grocery stores when buying food. The most popular alternative comes in the form of making your own vegetable garden.
From September to February there are many great vegetables you can plant, which can be used in salads and hot meals. These include:
Capsicums
Chillies
Tomatoes
Cucumbers
Lettuce
Sweet Corn
Blueberries
Basil
Beans
Beetroot
Eggplant
Strawberries and more!
What does it cost to grow vegetables during September to February?
Depending on how many seedlings you buy, the cost can range from $10 to $80 just on seedlings alone. However, don’t be alarmed as I will break down what I have spent on my September veggie garden this year.
I only spent $34 on my seedling plants. I brought a mix of cucumbers, tomatoes, chillies, capsicums, lettuces and strawberry plants.
On average most seedlings come in a tray of 5 to 6 plants for around $1.88
Where some seedings like cucumbers are one plant for around $2
Strawberries are on the more expensive side for around $3 to $4 each plant.
The most expensive part of any garden is buying the fertilizer and veggie soil mix. I spent around $65 on soil/fertilizer alone. However, I brought 6 bags of 40 litres, so it was just the right amount for the large number of seedlings I bought.
Overall, starting a veggie garden can seem expensive at first but once you have your veggie garden frame, which you only have to buy or make once, then you use it over and over again, then all you need is new seedlings and soil each year.
(Sometimes you can reuse old soil by reviving it with certain planting methods)
I purchased my seedlings and soil/ fertilizer from bunnings warehouse this year.
Yes, it may sound like a lot of work starting a veggie garden, but once the seedlings are planted all you have to do is water them each day and wait.
Growing your vegetables vs buying; how does the cost compare?
If you grow your veggies instead of buying them, you will definitely save money. Even if you just buy one cucumber seedling for $2, the cucumber plant will definitely make its money back as one cucumber plant can produce around 20 cucumbers. So, if cucumbers are $4 each in stores, one plant can give you $80 worth of cucumbers.
So even buying just a few different vegetables and growing them will be worth the time and money.
Our aim here at gardenservicesauckland Is to help you to transform your garden by providing gardening services and sharing our honest gardening advice and experiences with you. Check out our latest garden transformation here.
