Your math hurt my brain after a long week at work. 😂 I do love that you shared your thoughts and your math skills with so many to encourage others to grow their own food with different options. The initial investment can be a bit painful to many but the long term payoff is worth it, especially since we never know when/if we can only depend upon ourselves to get through tough times.
OMG, Petrina, thank you! This was such a valuable video! Timely, too, cause everyone should be planning ahead for our best growing season: the fall! If someone wants to start with just one container, I would suggest the biggest one possible, like your half barrels or a 25 gallon grow bag (or like a certain You Tuber, drill holes in 18 gallon storage totes) These larger containers will 1) act as mini raised beds, and fit 2.5 square ft of planting, and 2) allow you to fill the bottom with compostable rough material, only using the top 8-10" of bagged soil. Then, in addition to the one tomato (and maybe a pepper), I would add my favorite herbs (from your last video!), green onions (no investment, if you plant the root scraps from your dinner), and a couple of lettuce or other salad greens. Those would be high payback, AND the flavor boost you would get from having those herbs in easy reach would be invaluable!
I love that idea. It is like a mini raised bed for very little cost and I agree, the ROI would be really good. I’ll have to suggest that in the future.
@@HomegrownFloridaZ9a And the lasagne bed for the gardener who plans ahead and wants better soil than straight in-ground but doesn't want or can't do raised bed: layers of wetted cardboard on grass or dirt, woody layer, green layer, mineral dusting, repeat, then water and let decompose a little (2 to 8 weeks in FL). Finally, layer of garden soil 8", mulch, then dig into the mulch and soil layer to plant. A raised bed without the border.
I would add the cost of Spinosad, Neem, Insecticidal Soap, and Copper Fungicide to the list. Without those, harvest losses would be too great (and newbie gardeners too frustrated).
That WAS a lot of effort! I have tried all but the raised bed and your video has me thinking that I will invest in a couple of raised beds for the fall. Many thanks for another great video!
Raised beds for the weeding and watering especially around tomato plants. You know pretty much what is in the garden beds and get your hands in there so the plants have a real good chance of growth.
I have a GreenStalk, 3 years old. I spent $4 on seed potatoes ... fingerlings, Amarosa and Yellow Finn. I planted 3 of the tiers (original), using last year's soil, which I refreshed with slow release fertilizer and some new Fertilome bagged soil. I just harvested 10 lbs of potatoes. I think that was a good ROI. And I have planted green beans and swiss chard in their place, so it remains to be seen what I get from that planting.
That was so helpful! After hubs making faces every time I need something for the garden it was great to see some math to prove that we are actually saving. 😂
Thanks Liam! One didn’t make it but the rest seem like they are enjoying their new home. I’ve seen a huge increase in bugs and pollinators. Even a hummingbird recently!
Oh man. I needed this! It’s inspiring me to grow more and invest in things that will increase my harvest whether that be fertilizer or more space to grow. Ironically I use all 4 of these methods lol. So far I like all methods for different things. The raised beds were the biggest investment because my husband also decided to install a rain catchment system w/tote and pipes and automatic irrigation. Boy was that nice of him! These days I’ve just been watering by hand anyways 🤷🏻♀️though we put in soaker hose on a timer for the in-ground garden and that’s pretty nice and it was fairly inexpensive. My first year gardening was not lucrative at all but I was also new to my area and boy did I learn A LOT. So to me, not a waste of time by any means. I’ve been using all of my methods this year to get a much bigger and better harvest. I’ve also been making compost and mixing my own container soil as well as my own liquid fertilizer (which is free!). I do still alternate that with the store bought stuff and store bought organic granules and I also make some homemade organic “granules” as well with a table top food cycler/composter (don’t get me started on what my husband spent on that) which dries food scraps and grinds them which I then add to my soil mixtures or top dress my plants with it as well. All in all, it’s all been worth it because I am having so much fun growing all these cool plants! 😊I get the added benefit of good mental health and good food too! Can’t beat that! Down the road we will build new raised beds from a bunch of free pallets we got from house building materials deliveries. I’m excited about that! I’m going to try filling them with branches and logs and lots of compost. I use pine straw as mulch for most things (sometimes grass clippings if it’s for smaller/more delicate seedlings) and it’s free from my Forest property.
I’ve been eyeing one of those counter top food composters. Do you like it? It sounds like you have a really good system in place. I love finding ways to use what I already have to reduce costs in the garden!
This is a great video!! I have planted in pots - many pots! In fact, I have a square foot pot garden, growing herbs, carrots, beets, snow peas, sugar snaps, silverbeet, potatoes, and tomatoes. I also have two raised beds. Your video clearly explains what I can be doing to get the most out of the gardening.I have been doing. I have just clicked with growing flowers to attract pollinators abd beneficial bugs, while also deterring and confusing pests. Clearly though, between your video's suggestions and The Square Foot Gardening handbook, I need to do more raised bed gardening to get the most pond per dollar spent.
Glad I found you... I am in rural Collier County. My ground level is low, so raised beds are a must. As I am working full time, I can't devote as much time as I would like. I have only been gardening for about 7 months... and my 'freshman' year has been pretty good so far. All that said, I will watch and re-watch your videos. Planting Okra later today... :) 7-6-2024
I love this video! Thank you for the comparisons. I have only done containers for my 1st couple grow seasons, mainly because we are looking to buy a property. I look at the initial investment as a down payment on future returns. I can use the bags and the dirt with minimal additives for multiple years to come.
That’s the best way to start, especially if you have a move coming up. That’s exactly what I did when I moved to my current house. Good luck with your property search. That’s so exciting 💚
Wow that was a lot of math, lol. It might seem overwhelming to some. I did my garden slowly. 1-2 pots at a time. I use the grow bags. I have sizes from 5 gallon to 25 gallon bags. Now I'm trying to squeeze more in. If you do everything all at once it seems like a lot but now you have all the materials you need. Like you said I just buy some seeds, fertilizer, & dirt for the new pots. I'm making my own compost now, so that cost is coming down. I like the idea of weighing the produce as you take it in. I'm going to start doing that. I'm curious to know what my total would be. I just pick & eat, lol. Thanks again for a very informative video.
You went to a lot of work on this video.😅 thank you so much. That was very informative. I hope you’re having a great day and a great summer gardening. I harvested my first cucumber today of this year.🥒 i’m hopefully going to get enough within the next week or so to start making pickles. God bless you and your family. Duane.
@@HomegrownFloridaZ9a thank you. I hope I will have tons of them. I’d like to eat some fresh and also pickle quite a few. Do you grow cucumbers? Or do any pickling or canning? ✝️💜
@@duaneschultz9230 yes. I do both. I have video for my tips for growing cucumbers and my favorite canning recipe for pickles. I also did a dill relish recipe too that I like a lot. I usually grow Boston pickling or sweet success for a slicing cucumber.
@@HomegrownFloridaZ9a I have been growing homemade pickles variety of cucumbers, and also marketmore variety. I see you must be a night owl, like I am.✝️🦉
I got my vertical from the dollar store its was $7.80 so I saved a lot there...the only thing you can't pour water over the top you have to water each pod and I don't mind
Also wanted to take the time to say thank you I just bumped into your channel subscribe really interested in learning 😅 thanks for pouring out your knowledge to others ❤
This is a bit off-topic, but important. The waters in the Caribbean and Atlantic are warmer than at any time in recorded history. If the wind shear zone south of Florida should weaken (and meteorologists are predicting its weakening), then it could be a bad hurricane season this year. So, gardeners of Florida: review your hurricane plans, evacuation routes, etc. Think, also, about what you can save in the garden, and how. Help your neighbor.
From my experience I would go with a raised bed option. I wish I did. Unless you absolutely know you are dealing with descent native soil. I have had no luck. I also had a chip drop and it brought me grubs. A ton of grubs. No chip drops for me. Not worth it.
@@HomegrownFloridaZ9a I know Orlando is doing a program, I should call and see what they have in my area. I just know that anything I have ever tried to grow in the ground, dies. No matter what I do. My lease is up this year and I am thinking about moving because of it. I have had successful gardens in other places. Some things like Roselle Hibiscus and zinnias and green beans seem to do alright. Lol.
I normally make my own using leaves and grass clippings but the one I was referring to in the video was cedar bark mulch that you can find at Lowe’s or Home Depot. I’ve used it in the past and in my native flower beds and it works well.
I grow sugar snap, sugar daddy, and Oregon snow peas. They all need support but I forgot to mention it. Normally, I just grab some thick fallen branches from my tree and stick them pointing up near the peas and they grow up those and each other. That’s a cheap way of doing it if you don’t want to buy a full trellis
Thanks so much for watching! Most of my fruit trees are in the ground but I have 2 tropical trees that I grow in pots because the frosts I get would kill them so I keep them in pots so I can protect them during those brief times in the winter.
I took the plunge. I finally bought seeds, 2 raised garden beds, a few starter planters, a insect blanket, a frost protect blanket, and hoops. I really hope it works. Pollinator attractor bundle seed pack, an herb pack bundle, and a survival veggies kit. 🫠🧸🥰 Soooo excited. You inspired me. Plus the wild gardener.
For more information on filling a raised bed cheaply, check out this video next 👉 th-cam.com/video/FbKno0qwlnQ/w-d-xo.html
Your math hurt my brain after a long week at work. 😂 I do love that you shared your thoughts and your math skills with so many to encourage others to grow their own food with different options. The initial investment can be a bit painful to many but the long term payoff is worth it, especially since we never know when/if we can only depend upon ourselves to get through tough times.
It hurt my brain too 😆. I’m glad you found it encouraging 💚
OMG, Petrina, thank you! This was such a valuable video! Timely, too, cause everyone should be planning ahead for our best growing season: the fall!
If someone wants to start with just one container, I would suggest the biggest one possible, like your half barrels or a 25 gallon grow bag (or like a certain You Tuber, drill holes in 18 gallon storage totes) These larger containers will 1) act as mini raised beds, and fit 2.5 square ft of planting, and 2) allow you to fill the bottom with compostable rough material, only using the top 8-10" of bagged soil.
Then, in addition to the one tomato (and maybe a pepper), I would add my favorite herbs (from your last video!), green onions (no investment, if you plant the root scraps from your dinner), and a couple of lettuce or other salad greens. Those would be high payback, AND the flavor boost you would get from having those herbs in easy reach would be invaluable!
I love that idea. It is like a mini raised bed for very little cost and I agree, the ROI would be really good. I’ll have to suggest that in the future.
@@HomegrownFloridaZ9a And the lasagne bed for the gardener who plans ahead and wants better soil than straight in-ground but doesn't want or can't do raised bed: layers of wetted cardboard on grass or dirt, woody layer, green layer, mineral dusting, repeat, then water and let decompose a little (2 to 8 weeks in FL). Finally, layer of garden soil 8", mulch, then dig into the mulch and soil layer to plant. A raised bed without the border.
I would add the cost of Spinosad, Neem, Insecticidal Soap, and Copper Fungicide to the list. Without those, harvest losses would be too great (and newbie gardeners too frustrated).
Good point. Personally, I only use Spinosad and hydrogen peroxide but I know lots of others like the soap and neem.
Wow! Such an informative video, Petrina! I certainly appreciate the time and effort you put in! Thank you. 😊🌱❤️
My pleasure. I definitely had to break out the calculator on this one.
That WAS a lot of effort! I have tried all but the raised bed and your video has me thinking that I will invest in a couple of raised beds for the fall. Many thanks for another great video!
So glad it was helpful. The raised beds I have are super affordable on Amazon. The link is in the description if you are interested.
Raised beds for the weeding and watering especially around tomato plants. You know pretty much what is in the garden beds and get your hands in there so the plants have a real good chance of growth.
Very true! I love my raised beds for all the same reasons
I have a GreenStalk, 3 years old. I spent $4 on seed potatoes ... fingerlings, Amarosa and Yellow Finn. I planted 3 of the tiers (original), using last year's soil, which I refreshed with slow release fertilizer and some new Fertilome bagged soil.
I just harvested 10 lbs of potatoes. I think that was a good ROI. And I have planted green beans and swiss chard in their place, so it remains to be seen what I get from that planting.
That’s so cool! I haven’t tried growing potatoes in it yet but you have inspired me!
That was so helpful! After hubs making faces every time I need something for the garden it was great to see some math to prove that we are actually saving. 😂
Haha! That’s awesome. I didn’t even think of showing it to my hubby
Great information! You definitely helped me see it in a different way.
I'm so glad!
This information is very helpful for people in different situations. By the way, those native plants look like they are happy.
Thanks Liam! One didn’t make it but the rest seem like they are enjoying their new home. I’ve seen a huge increase in bugs and pollinators. Even a hummingbird recently!
Oh man. I needed this! It’s inspiring me to grow more and invest in things that will increase my harvest whether that be fertilizer or more space to grow. Ironically I use all 4 of these methods lol. So far I like all methods for different things. The raised beds were the biggest investment because my husband also decided to install a rain catchment system w/tote and pipes and automatic irrigation. Boy was that nice of him! These days I’ve just been watering by hand anyways 🤷🏻♀️though we put in soaker hose on a timer for the in-ground garden and that’s pretty nice and it was fairly inexpensive. My first year gardening was not lucrative at all but I was also new to my area and boy did I learn A LOT. So to me, not a waste of time by any means. I’ve been using all of my methods this year to get a much bigger and better harvest. I’ve also been making compost and mixing my own container soil as well as my own liquid fertilizer (which is free!). I do still alternate that with the store bought stuff and store bought organic granules and I also make some homemade organic “granules” as well with a table top food cycler/composter (don’t get me started on what my husband spent on that) which dries food scraps and grinds them which I then add to my soil mixtures or top dress my plants with it as well. All in all, it’s all been worth it because I am having so much fun growing all these cool plants! 😊I get the added benefit of good mental health and good food too! Can’t beat that! Down the road we will build new raised beds from a bunch of free pallets we got from house building materials deliveries. I’m excited about that! I’m going to try filling them with branches and logs and lots of compost. I use pine straw as mulch for most things (sometimes grass clippings if it’s for smaller/more delicate seedlings) and it’s free from my Forest property.
I’ve been eyeing one of those counter top food composters. Do you like it? It sounds like you have a really good system in place. I love finding ways to use what I already have to reduce costs in the garden!
What a great video with a load on information
Glad you enjoyed it
This is a great video!! I have planted in pots - many pots! In fact, I have a square foot pot garden, growing herbs, carrots, beets, snow peas, sugar snaps, silverbeet, potatoes, and tomatoes. I also have two raised beds. Your video clearly explains what I can be doing to get the most out of the gardening.I have been doing. I have just clicked with growing flowers to attract pollinators abd beneficial bugs, while also deterring and confusing pests. Clearly though, between your video's suggestions and The Square Foot Gardening handbook, I need to do more raised bed gardening to get the most pond per dollar spent.
Container gardening is a really great option for many but those raised beds produce a ton of food. They are hard to resist, lol.
Excellent video! You go girl!
Thank you!
Glad I found you... I am in rural Collier County. My ground level is low, so raised beds are a must. As I am working full time, I can't devote as much time as I would like. I have only been gardening for about 7 months... and my 'freshman' year has been pretty good so far. All that said, I will watch and re-watch your videos. Planting Okra later today... :) 7-6-2024
Sounds like you are doing awesome! Great job
Very nice informative video 🦋🌴🌺
Thank you so much 💚
Is it just me or does Petrina look exactly like Jenna Lyons
Love your videos, thanks
Thanks so much for watching. I didn’t know who Jenna was so I looked her up and my hubby agreed with you. I do look a little like her, lol.
This was wonderful! Thank you
You're so welcome!
Wow, very informative video! 🙌 Thank you for sharing this with us! 💞
Im so glad you enjoyed
I love this video! Thank you for the comparisons. I have only done containers for my 1st couple grow seasons, mainly because we are looking to buy a property. I look at the initial investment as a down payment on future returns. I can use the bags and the dirt with minimal additives for multiple years to come.
That’s the best way to start, especially if you have a move coming up. That’s exactly what I did when I moved to my current house. Good luck with your property search. That’s so exciting 💚
Wow that was a lot of math, lol. It might seem overwhelming to some. I did my garden slowly. 1-2 pots at a time. I use the grow bags. I have sizes from 5 gallon to 25 gallon bags. Now I'm trying to squeeze more in. If you do everything all at once it seems like a lot but now you have all the materials you need. Like you said I just buy some seeds, fertilizer, & dirt for the new pots. I'm making my own compost now, so that cost is coming down.
I like the idea of weighing the produce as you take it in. I'm going to start doing that. I'm curious to know what my total would be. I just pick & eat, lol. Thanks again for a very informative video.
I just started weighing my harvest this year and it is very surprising. It’s easy to forget each salad you make or each jar of pickles.
Thanks for this very comprehensive study and analysis ❤. I personally prefer growing in raised beds and it is great to know that it has a great ROI.
It was pretty eye opening for me. I never did that level of analysis before on the differences but glad I did.
You went to a lot of work on this video.😅 thank you so much. That was very informative. I hope you’re having a great day and a great summer gardening. I harvested my first cucumber today of this year.🥒 i’m hopefully going to get enough within the next week or so to start making pickles. God bless you and your family. Duane.
Congratulations on your first cuke 🥒! You will be drowning in them soon 🤣
@@HomegrownFloridaZ9a thank you. I hope I will have tons of them. I’d like to eat some fresh and also pickle quite a few. Do you grow cucumbers? Or do any pickling or canning? ✝️💜
@@duaneschultz9230 yes. I do both. I have video for my tips for growing cucumbers and my favorite canning recipe for pickles. I also did a dill relish recipe too that I like a lot. I usually grow Boston pickling or sweet success for a slicing cucumber.
@@HomegrownFloridaZ9a I have been growing homemade pickles variety of cucumbers, and also marketmore variety. I see you must be a night owl, like I am.✝️🦉
@@duaneschultz9230 Haha. Yes. Very much a night owl.
I got my vertical from the dollar store its was $7.80 so I saved a lot there...the only thing you can't pour water over the top you have to water each pod and I don't mind
Great savings!
Also wanted to take the time to say thank you I just bumped into your channel subscribe really interested in learning 😅 thanks for pouring out your knowledge to others ❤
Welcome friend. Thanks for the sub.
This is a bit off-topic, but important. The waters in the Caribbean and Atlantic are warmer than at any time in recorded history. If the wind shear zone south of Florida should weaken (and meteorologists are predicting its weakening), then it could be a bad hurricane season this year. So, gardeners of Florida: review your hurricane plans, evacuation routes, etc. Think, also, about what you can save in the garden, and how. Help your neighbor.
That’s scary. I remember 2005 when it felt like we got hit every other week. It was rough.
No need to worry. Just do your best to prepare. Even when things are tough, you are never given more than you can handle.
Season 2 you save a lot more because you can reuse the soil after adding nutrients again
Great point!
From my experience I would go with a raised bed option. I wish I did. Unless you absolutely know you are dealing with descent native soil. I have had no luck. I also had a chip drop and it brought me grubs. A ton of grubs. No chip drops for me. Not worth it.
I’ve never done a chip drop but I have heard horror stories. My local county has a composted mulch program that I love using.
@@HomegrownFloridaZ9a I know Orlando is doing a program, I should call and see what they have in my area. I just know that anything I have ever tried to grow in the ground, dies. No matter what I do. My lease is up this year and I am thinking about moving because of it. I have had successful gardens in other places. Some things like Roselle Hibiscus and zinnias and green beans seem to do alright. Lol.
@@stephaniefuller that’s tough. My soil at my last house was bad. I got lucky with this new house. Much better soil.
How durable are the metal raised beds you have? Need to add two more beds to our garden. Will be using your Amazon link. 😊
Pretty durable. I like them a lot. Mine are about 3 years old now. I’ll do a review video soon on them to give you some close ups of them.
What brand of mulch do you use around your veggies? Is it treated or untreated? What brand do you use? And can I get it from Home Depot or Lowe’s?
I normally make my own using leaves and grass clippings but the one I was referring to in the video was cedar bark mulch that you can find at Lowe’s or Home Depot. I’ve used it in the past and in my native flower beds and it works well.
What type of peas are you planting? Mine are Vining and need support.
I grow sugar snap, sugar daddy, and Oregon snow peas. They all need support but I forgot to mention it. Normally, I just grab some thick fallen branches from my tree and stick them pointing up near the peas and they grow up those and each other. That’s a cheap way of doing it if you don’t want to buy a full trellis
Hello 👋 ! Quick question 😢 Do you need to replace soil every growing season or can you keep the same is just upfront cost🙏 I hope 🤞
Upfront cost. I keep the same soil but add compost or fertilizer to it to refresh it.
Really appreciate ❤thanks!!
Why don’t you plant your fruit trees in the ground?
By the way my wife and I love your channel.
Thanks so much for watching! Most of my fruit trees are in the ground but I have 2 tropical trees that I grow in pots because the frosts I get would kill them so I keep them in pots so I can protect them during those brief times in the winter.
I took the plunge. I finally bought seeds, 2 raised garden beds, a few starter planters, a insect blanket, a frost protect blanket, and hoops.
I really hope it works.
Pollinator attractor bundle seed pack, an herb pack bundle, and a survival veggies kit.
🫠🧸🥰 Soooo excited. You inspired me. Plus the wild gardener.
That’s awesome! It’s so exciting to start a brand new garden