In times of Economic Uncertainty, GROW and SAVE!

Planning for the future is important.  In the words of Jack Reacher (Lee Child), "Hope for the Best.  Plan for the worst."  While we cannot predict the loss of income, unexpected medical bills or car repairs, we should plan ahead and prepare the best we can.

I've been asked, "How much money can you actually save by growing food?"
That's a great question.  First, it depends on where you live (seasons) and next, how much you plan to grow.  With most projects, there are start up costs and time involved.  Let's start off simple with 2 plant varieties
I chose 2 easy varieties: Arugula and Bell Pepper
Check out more of the crazy and unique varieties at Mary's Heirloom Seeds.  
Like PURPLE Basil, GREEN ZEBRA Tomatoes and LEMON Cucumber!

ARUGULA

At Mary's Heirloom Seeds, a packet of Arugula seeds is $3.00 and contains 300 seeds.  Even if only 90% of those seeds germinate (almost 100% of mine grow!), that still leaves 270 plants!
For this comparison, we're going to share a very economical option for growing greens 

Grow Your own:
Sterilite 18 gallon bin: $9
Organic Potting Soil: $9 a bag
Arugula Seeds: $3
Total: $21 for 270 Arugula Plants (much more than a bunch)

Purchased at my local store, organic Arugula is about $1.99 per bunch.  Let's compare:

270 homegrown bunches of Arugula $21

270 store bought bunches of Arugula $537.30

If you save your seeds...The savings are incalculable!


PEPPERS

At Mary's Heirloom Seeds, a packet of Cal Wonder Bell Peppers is $4 for 35 seeds. Again, even if only90% of those seeds germinate, that's 31 plants!
For this comparison, we're going to share a very economical option for growing peppers 

Grow Your own:
Sterilite 18 gallon bin: $9
(a 5-gallon bucket works and it costs $3)
Organic Potting Soil: $9 a bag
Pepper Seeds: $4
Total: $22 for 31 Pepper plants
What if your harvest is "not-so-good?"  That's okay!  Save the seeds!  A pepper plant can produce 1-20 peppers (sometimes more depending on the variety)
For this, we will say that each plant produced 3 pepper (sad, I know).  That's still 93 pepper!

Purchased at my local store, Organic Bell Peppers are 2 for $3.  Let's Compare:

93 homegrown organic Peppers $22

93 store bought organic Peppers $139.50

SO MUCH MORE savings if your pepper plants produce more peppers AND you can save your seeds!

Are you seeing the pattern here?  Growing Food saves Money!  Growing your own Food means you know exactly what and how it was grown and you can grow it organic with no cancer-causing chemicals or pesticides.

Did you know the WHO, the World Health Organization, just classified Gyphosphate a carcinogen?  That's cancer causing!  What is Glyphosphate?  It's a key ingredient in Monsanto's Round-Up and it is IN THE FOOD, WATER & AIR thanks to the millions of tons of Glyophosphate used every year in the US.

Are you ready to get growing?  What would you like to grow?

Would you like FREE SEEDS?  Check out our latest special for free seeds at Mary's Heirloom Seeds

I GROW!

Other than those points, remember that growing food—or any plant for that matter—is an exercise that connects you with nature. The goal is to enjoy the process, to learn and to have fun! 

**UPDATE:  After only an hour of publishing this article, the feedback is amazing.  From a friend and customer: "That amount is just the tip of the iceburg.  I have been giving away a ton of stuff to neighbors and I cannot eat/freeze it all right now.  Another savings is the "junk" stuff (end pieces, etc) gets fed to the animals which cuts down on the feed bill"

If you have additional questions, please feel free to ask!

HAPPY PLANTING! 
 

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Growing Dandelion from Seed to Harvest

Dandelion isn't just a pesky garden weed.  Did you know that eating Dandelion can actually be good for you?

At Mary's Heirloom Seeds we carry Dandelion Seeds.

CATALOGNA PUNTARELLE DANDELION

Chicory greens have long, broad, dandelion-like leaves with an asparagus-like flavor. A rapid grower, the leaves and tender spring stalks can be used as early greens.
Germination: 45-70 days
Days to Maturity: 52-80 days 

About Dandelion
Dandelion greens contain vitamin C, potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, thiamin, riboflavin, beta carotene and fiber. They are actually more nutritious than most of the fruits and vegetables you can buy in the grocery store.
It is also touted as being beneficial to your liver, kidneys, blood and digestion. Not to mention that it supposedly helps with acne, weight-loss, blood pressure and cholesterol levels. It is nearly a perfect food.

From Global Healing Center
HERBAL PROPERTIES AND USES:
Highly nutritious and known to treat a variety of ailments, dandelion is a great plant to grow in your garden. From heart problems to acne, liver diseases to eye conditions, most people are unaware that this weed has higher amounts of potassium than bananas and more vitamin A than carrots. Dandelion is also reported to have anti-rheumatic capacities. It is also a powerful diuretic with additional laxative properties. Good for hepatic and gallbladder conditions, digestive complaints, as well as general constipation.

Growing Dandelion from Seed
Because dandelion is considered a weed, it doesn't take much effort to grow.  If you're looking for a low-maintenance garden green.

Plant seeds directly in the garden 1/4 inch deep in the soil in single rows, about 8 inches.  Plant the dandelion seeds in early spring in well-drained, fertile soil.

Harvesting Dandelion
Never harvest dandelions from a location that is near a road or has been treated with pesticides or other chemicals.  Harvest leaves as needed when they are a usable size.

Helpful Links

Growing from Seeds

2017 Planting Guide

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Growing GREENS from Seed to Harvest

Since I wrote Food Prices are on the Rise I figured I'd share info on growing GREENS!  In case you missed my article, Lettuce is set to rise by 34% in the coming months.

Swiss Chard  and Beets growing in a large container

Growing GREENS from Seed to Harvest

Lettuce and Spinach:

Plant seeds 1/4 inch deep in moist soil.  It is best to sow lettuce or spinach seeds thinly in rows spaced about 1 ft. apart or simply scatter the seeds in blocks. Cover lightly with soil, firm in place and water well. Keep the soil moist until germination. Once the plants have a grown their true leaves, you can begin to thin the plants to about 6" apart.

Pak Choy Cabbage

Start lettuce or spinach indoors or direct seeded in the garden as soon as the soil is workable.  Great for container gardens. 

Depending on the type of lettuce, harvest outer leaves only or cut down the whole head.

Spinach

Spinach can be harvested in the cut and come again method of harvesting lettuce. Cut individual leaves, starting with the older, outer leaves, and letting the young inner leaves remain and continue growing for a later harvest. You can also cut down the whole plant, for a larger harvest.  

Swiss Chard and Kale:

Tip: Soak seeds overnight in water before planting to ensure strong germination.

Vulcan Swiss Chard

Plant seeds 1/4 inch deep and 3 inches apart. Set out seedlings 8 inches apart. Indoors or out, thin newly germinated seedlings with cuticle scissors instead of pulling them out. Chard seed capsules often contain two or more seeds. If more than one germinates snip off all but the strongest sprout at the soil line. Gradually thin direct-sown seedlings to 8-12 inches apart.

Harvest individual leaves from the outer area but be sure to leave the crown intact.

Frequent picking helps to stimulate the production of new leaves. Rinse leaves with cool water immediately, shake off the excess moisture, and store in plastic bags in the refrigerator for up to four days. 

Companion Plants for GREENS

Chards: Bean, cabbage family, tomato, onion and roses. Don't overlook chard's value as an ornamental plant in flower beds or wherever you have room for it. Don't grow chard near cucurbits, melons, corn or herbs.

Lettuce: Does well with beets, broccoli, bush beans, pole beans, carrots, cucumbers, onion, radish and strawberries. It grows happily in the shade under young sunflowers. Dill and lettuce are a perfect pair. Keep lettuce away from cabbage. Cabbage is a deterrent to the growth and flavor of lettuce.

Spinach: Plant with peas and beans as they provide natural shade for the spinach. Gets along with cabbage, cauliflower, celery, eggplant, onion, peas, strawberries and fava bean. Plant spinach with squash. It's a good use of space because by the time squash plants start to get big the spinach is ready to bolt. 

Recipe for your GREENS Harvest

Herb Salad with Creamy Lemon Dressing 

Homemade Flatbread topped with Eggplant and Kale

Quick and easy Pear, Cranberry and Spinach Salad

Radish and Cucumber Salad

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Growing Swiss Chard from Seed

Swiss Chard (for me) is kind of like Basil.  It's easy to grow and you can trim of few leaves at a time or chop off the entire thing to use at once.  
I prefer to trim off a few leaves.

My favorites:

5 Color Silverbeet Swiss Chard

50-60 days. (Beta vulgaris) This chard originated in Australia. A beautiful chard; its colors are brilliant (pink, yellow, orange, red and white).
Very mild ornamental. Pretty enough to plant in the flower garden
and so delicious! 

Fordhook Giant Swiss Chard

60 days. Succulent celery-like stalks support large, dark green, 

very savoyed, fleshy leaves.
Trim outer leaves or cut the entire head. 
Great for salads, casseroles or sauteed.

Vulcan Swiss Chard

60 days.  Very attractive and uniform red chard. 

A wonderful, prolific and hardy variety, this chard has great flavor
 and is perfect for marketing.
Trim outer leaves or cut the entire head.
Great for salads, casseroles or sauteed.

First, each Swiss Chard seed may actually contain several seeds.  It's difficult to tell until they actually sprout.  Chard can be grown both as an ornamental and a food source.  It grows well in containers as well as in-ground.  

Swiss chard grows best in rich, moist soil with a soil pH between 6.0 and 6.8. Plant in fertile soil because plants should grow fast to produce tender leaves. Work nitrogen-rich amendments such as blood meal, cottonseed meal, or composted manure into the ground before planting.

I don't soak chard seeds for 24 hours (like I do most seeds) but I do soak them for about 15 minutes before I plant them in Peat Pellets.  With my garden at the moment in a bit of transition I find it easier to transplant Swiss Chard seedlings.  If you plan to direct-sow, sow seeds 1/2-inch deep and a few inches apart directly in the garden when the soil is at least 50°F.
 

Chard in Peat Pellets

If you plan to harvest whole plants, make succession plantings through late summer.  The time from planting to harvest is 55 to 65 days. Start harvesting chard when the outside leaves are three inches long or let them grow to 8-10 inches.

Mulch your plants with compost and/or grass clippings to add nutrients and discourage weeds, and use a natural fertilizer such as kelp or manure tea (a must for container growing). Provide moderate, even watering.  

I have had very little pest problems with Swiss Chard.  Occasionally I get a slug or snail but with Companion planting a bit of kelp meal the grow huge!  Swiss chard is a hardy, leafy green.  

Container with Chard, Beets and Lettuce

 Sharing this gardening tutorial at Tuesdays with a Twist , The HomeAcre Hop and HERE

Growing Salad Greens from Seed

Lettuce and Spinach:

It is best to sow lettuce or spinach seeds thinly in rows spaced about 1 -1 ½ ft. apart or simply scatter the seeds in blocks. Cover lightly with soil, firm in place and water well. Keep the soil moist until germination. Once the plants have a grown their true leaves, you can begin to thin the plants to about 6" apart.

Start lettuce or spinach indoors or direct seeded in the garden as soon as the soil is workable.  Great for container gardens. 

Depending on the type of lettuce, harvest outer leaves only or cut down the whole head.

Spinach can be harvested in the cut and come again method of harvesting lettuce. Cut individual leaves, starting with the older, outer leaves, and letting the young inner leaves remain and continue growing for a later harvest. You can also cut down the whole plant, for a larger harvest.  

Swiss Chard:

Tip: Soak seeds overnight in water before planting to ensure strong germination.

Plant seeds half an inch deep and 3 inches apart. Set out seedlings 8 inches apart. Indoors or out, thin newly germinated seedlings with cuticle scissors instead of pulling them out. Chard seed capsules often contain two or more seeds. If more than one germinates snip off all but the strongest sprout at the soil line. Gradually thin direct-sown seedlings to 8-12 inches apart.

Harvest individual leaves from the outer area but be sure to leave the crown intact.

Frequent picking helps to stimulate the production of new leaves. Rinse leaves with cool water immediately, shake off the excess moisture, and store in plastic bags in the refrigerator for up to four days.

Quick, Cheap and Easy

I have a sign hanging in my kitchen
(from my hubby's bachelor days)
that reads "If I am what I eat-I'm quick cheap and easy."
It was a gift from his brother...need I say more?

Last week my mom asked me "What's the easiest thing to grow that will come up the fastest?"

This one's for you Mom!

The quickest maturing veggie I'm aware of are Radish and Spinach.

The German Giant Radish germinates in approx. 3-5 days and grows well in soil temperature of 45 to 85 F. Radish is ready to pick and eat in 21 to 30 days. Planting radish can be done in the Spring, Summer or Fall in almost all zones making this one easy veggie. Mary's Heirloom Seeds sells seed pack with 300 seeds for only $4. Now that's quick, cheap and easy!


Spinach is another great crop. It can be grown indoors or out during almost any season. Spinach germinates in 7-14 days and grows well in soil temperatures between 30 to 60 F. For container gardeners, choose a 12 inch deep pot and keep the soil moist. Spinach can be harvested as soon as leaves are big enough to pick.


What about Broccoli? Mom always said "Eat your vegetables."

Broccoli germinates in approx 5-20 days (depending on temperature) at 50 to 85F. Compost is a must for this heavy feeder. This cool-season crop can be grown in containers or in-ground and matures in 48 days.