Vegetable garden ideas to save you money

Reap what you sow

Buying fresh vegetables and herbs can take up a considerable portion of the weekly grocery store budget – and the obvious solution is to save money by growing your own. But what if you don’t have the space or time – or household numbers – for a full-scale vegetable garden? That’s when you sow and grow strategically, going for high-value crops that will yield a better return on investment, both in terms of labour and money, and won’t take up too much room, either.

1. Leafy greens

How often do you baulk at the price of a bag of salad greens, or a ho-hum bunch of bok choy? Weather events and other disruptions can all play havoc with crop yields, resulting in supply disruptions and pricing fluctuations on supermarket shelves. But there are other ways to keep favourites like rocket, spinach, tatsoi and silverbeet on the menu, especially as they are easy to grow in small spaces, says Bianca Boman of Mr Fothergill’s. “An estimated harvest from one spinach plant is 60g, with 350 seeds in one seed packet,” she says.*

2. Lettuce

There are two main lettuce types – loose-leaf and hearting. Loose-leaf grow as an open clump of leaves and are a classic cut-and-come-again crop, as the outer leaves can be picked continuously over a long period. You can start harvesting from as little as 7-8 weeks. “A mixed leaf lettuce seed pack contains 500 seeds and, with a minimum 80 per cent germination rate, that’s 400 individual lettuce plants for a few dollars,”* explains Bianca. Hearting lettuce, like iceberg, can take up to 12-14 weeks to mature, so it’s best to stick to loose-leaf varieties to get better value out of your vegie patch.

3. Coriander

This popular herb can cost several dollars per bunch but, unfortunately, a significant portion often goes to waste in the crisper with only a few leaves and stems used at a time. “Coriander’s short shelf life results in food and financial wastage,” says Bianca. “Best to grow it fresh and harvest stems as needed.”

And if you love its distinct flavour, put this herb in your vegie garden now as it thrives during cooler seasons. Planting in warmer months may lead to premature flowering or bolting, making it tough and woody, says urban grower Connie Cao (@connieandluna). “Consider sowing a new batch every few weeks for a continuous and fresh supply,” she says.  

4. Snow peas

An easy-to-grow climbing vegie, snow peas require minimal effort and space. “They can be grown in large troughs or garden beds, and the only thing you need to provide is a trellis,” says Connie. “Climbing varieties grow up to 2m tall, while dwarf forms stay more compact at around 0.6-1m tall.”

They’re fast growers, with pods ready to harvest in 8-10 weeks. “Each plant produces around 150g or 40-50 pods,” says Bianca. With up to 80 seeds per pack, it’s easy to see the value of homegrown snow peas.* “Succession sow every two weeks to maximise the harvesting window,” advises Bianca.

5. Broccoli

Brassicas like broccoli require more time and patience. “But it’s hard to beat the taste of homegrown,” says Bianca. “Plus, all parts of broccoli are edible, so while waiting for the heads to develop, you can use the leaves the same way as you would silverbeet.”

Once the head forms – after 10-16 weeks, depending on the variety – and is harvested, Connie advises to let it keep growing. “Little broccolini side shoots emerge and will give you a second harvest,” she says. For an ongoing harvest, plant sprouting broccoli like kailaan (Chinese broccoli). “

With a similar taste to traditional broccoli, four kailaan plants can be grown in the space of one large broccoli plant,” says Connie. This cut-and-come-again vegie can produce 1-1.3kg of sprouting broccoli per plant over a single season, says Bianca.*

From the ground up

The secret to growing healthy crops starts in the garden soil. A good foundation means less water usage and reliance on sprays to deal with pests and diseases. Before planting, improve the soil with compost and organic matter, like blood and bone and aged manure, and apply a wetting agent to help ensure water moves into the soil profile.

If growing in pots or raised garden beds, purchase a premium quality potting mix – look for the red ticks – and, if possible, enrich with handfuls of compost. Applying a liquid probiotic, which is full of beneficial microbes (like Gogo Juice or Popul8), to pots and garden beds will also assist in creating a healthy soil.

Keep in mind:

• Wear gloves and a mask when handling potting mix, mulch and compost.
• After applying fertiliser around edible plants such as fruits and vegetables, delay harvesting for a few days and rinse well before cooking and eating.

*Harvest volume has been conservatively estimated; most crops grown in optimal conditions should produce more.

Grow your vegies from seed!

Learn how to plant seeds at home for the best results.

 

Photo Credit: GAP photos/Brent Wilson, Getty Images