How Much Growing My Own Peas Saved Me
When planning my spring garden this year I knew I wanted peas ( a few different types) because I knew they would be a great snack for everyone. I ended up planting 20 pea plants this year – all did well in this climate ( growing zone 8b). Harvest has been plentiful – I am able to harvest about a pound every other day. If you are looking for wildflower seeds on a budget make sure to check out Bloom and Haul a seed company based in West Linn, Oregon.
I took this photo and thought – how much money am I actually saving. Above is a smidge over 1 pound of peas ( I used a kitchen scale) – if I were to go to our local store how much would I have to spend.
At my local Safeway organic sugar snap peas are $.60 per ounce
I weighed my peas and used my calculator and found out if I bought the peas in the store the total would be – $7.20! I harvest every two days so daily it is $3.60. The pea harvest for me is about 30 days of harvest = $108 in organic peas. I used about $4 worth of peas to grow the peas so a pretty good return!
The best part is that it has rained so much where I live – I have only watered a few times in the last 4 months. Meaning my time has been very little invested in growing these peas.
Do you really save money growing your own vegetables?
The answer is yes. However, I will say the price for seedlings can be pretty crazy if you buy them from a big box store. I tend to grow seedlings from seeds which can take the cost from $4.50 per plant to a few cents. I think what costs a lot of money is buying the soil from your local big box store and planter. If you have to you can use the dirt you have and you can even use an old milk jug for a planter. I personally have used brown Amazon boxes many times for a one use planter.
Is gardening an expensive hobby?
It is as expensive as you want it to be. I personally try and save money where I can to spend money on what I want. I personally love to spend my money on tall metal garden beds which has been a gamer changer for me. Check out Epic Gardening – this is where I buy my raised Birdie beds and seeding containers. I have a discount for you – 5% OFF Discount Code: BudgetGarden