Comments on: Frugality in Practice: Planting Time http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2007/05/04/frugality-in-practice-planting-time/ personal finance that makes cents Tue, 07 Oct 2008 03:00:25 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Brian http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2007/05/04/frugality-in-practice-planting-time/#comment-89370 Brian Tue, 12 Jun 2007 00:35:25 +0000 http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2007/05/04/frugality-in-practice-planting-time/#comment-89370 I live in an apartment and after reading this post a few weeks ago decided to try growing a tomato plant on my patio. I put it in a huge pot that used to belong to a 6' ficus tree, bought a cage for it, and all that jazz. It's grown like crazy, finally getting about 4' tall, when after a storm I discovered one of the thick, main "branches" (?) had bent over the cage and everything on that "branch" (including my first green tomato) started dying. Anyway, I ended up cutting it off, then it happened to another one, but that one survived so I've just left it alone. Wow I'm rambling! The reason I'm posting is that I'm going to NY, leaving Saturday and coming back Wednesday (total of 5 days). I live in Dallas, and it's in the 90's here, so I've been watering at least every other day. Naturally I'm concerned about how to water the plant while I'm gone... I don't want to have to get somebody to come water it for me. I don't have a faucet so no hose. Around 5pm I filled a gallon milk jug and pricked a single small hole in it with a pin, and now 2.5 hours later it's already 1/3 gone, so that won't last the 5 days. Any suggestions for watering while we're gone? We so rarely get to travel I never even thought about it when I started down this road... I live in an apartment and after reading this post a few weeks ago decided to try growing a tomato plant on my patio. I put it in a huge pot that used to belong to a 6′ ficus tree, bought a cage for it, and all that jazz. It’s grown like crazy, finally getting about 4′ tall, when after a storm I discovered one of the thick, main “branches” (?) had bent over the cage and everything on that “branch” (including my first green tomato) started dying. Anyway, I ended up cutting it off, then it happened to another one, but that one survived so I’ve just left it alone.

Wow I’m rambling! The reason I’m posting is that I’m going to NY, leaving Saturday and coming back Wednesday (total of 5 days). I live in Dallas, and it’s in the 90’s here, so I’ve been watering at least every other day. Naturally I’m concerned about how to water the plant while I’m gone… I don’t want to have to get somebody to come water it for me. I don’t have a faucet so no hose. Around 5pm I filled a gallon milk jug and pricked a single small hole in it with a pin, and now 2.5 hours later it’s already 1/3 gone, so that won’t last the 5 days.

Any suggestions for watering while we’re gone? We so rarely get to travel I never even thought about it when I started down this road…

]]> By: KMull http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2007/05/04/frugality-in-practice-planting-time/#comment-85872 KMull Fri, 11 May 2007 02:00:12 +0000 http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2007/05/04/frugality-in-practice-planting-time/#comment-85872 JD I am extremely jealous of your ability to have a yard... and a garden. Ah, to own a home! JD I am extremely jealous of your ability to have a yard… and a garden. Ah, to own a home!

]]> By: Gnashchick http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2007/05/04/frugality-in-practice-planting-time/#comment-85493 Gnashchick Mon, 07 May 2007 19:18:48 +0000 http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2007/05/04/frugality-in-practice-planting-time/#comment-85493 Oh - I forgot to mention in the post that I use the square-foot gardening method. Fully half of that garden is contained within a 3" x 6" plot. Overflow tomatoes and squashes are in containers. If you have limited garden space, look up "Square Foot Gardening" for some great tips on getting the most productivity from the smallest spaces. Oh - I forgot to mention in the post that I use the square-foot gardening method. Fully half of that garden is contained within a 3″ x 6″ plot. Overflow tomatoes and squashes are in containers.

If you have limited garden space, look up “Square Foot Gardening” for some great tips on getting the most productivity from the smallest spaces.

]]> By: Gnashchick http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2007/05/04/frugality-in-practice-planting-time/#comment-85492 Gnashchick Mon, 07 May 2007 19:16:19 +0000 http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2007/05/04/frugality-in-practice-planting-time/#comment-85492 Spring is a little earlier in Texas, so we've had our garden going for a few weeks now. We planted 2 varieties of tomatoes, 1 chili, several yellow squash vines (I warned my SO but he doesn't believe me - we're going to be begging people to take squash from us) a row of kentucky wonder beans & sugar snap peas (and I need to get the trellis strung for those, they're up and looking for something to climb!) Plus basil, oregano, thyme, and rosemary. There are a total of 12 tomato plants, 6 Romas and 6 beefsteaks. Plus more squash, beans and peas than two people can eat. I'm certain that the old chest freezer in the garage is going to be overflowing by August. Spring is a little earlier in Texas, so we’ve had our garden going for a few weeks now.

We planted 2 varieties of tomatoes, 1 chili, several yellow squash vines (I warned my SO but he doesn’t believe me - we’re going to be begging people to take squash from us) a row of kentucky wonder beans & sugar snap peas (and I need to get the trellis strung for those, they’re up and looking for something to climb!) Plus basil, oregano, thyme, and rosemary.

There are a total of 12 tomato plants, 6 Romas and 6 beefsteaks. Plus more squash, beans and peas than two people can eat. I’m certain that the old chest freezer in the garage is going to be overflowing by August.

]]> By: Demetrio http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2007/05/04/frugality-in-practice-planting-time/#comment-85314 Demetrio Sat, 05 May 2007 14:33:07 +0000 http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2007/05/04/frugality-in-practice-planting-time/#comment-85314 It’s about two weeks now that I started to plant my vegetables. I planted varieties of Chili’s, Tomatoes and Herbs. I am doing something different this year; I decided to plant my veggies in containers. The information you have provided in your website about gardening in containers was very helpful and I thank you for that. I am still missing some plants that I want to buy like strawberries and fingerling potatoes. I truly enjoy your site and I have become more aware about my finance than I had ever been. I am reading books about savings and how I can make my money grow but I am still ignorant about investment (I know you provided videos about investment). What is the average amount people actually put away in their savings? I want to know where I fall into so that I can understand I am actually putting away enough in my savings. I am Truly Getting Rich Slowly, richer than I was a year ago. SavingDiva, maybe you can grow mushrooms and white asparagus? I don't think they require any sunlight. It’s about two weeks now that I started to plant my vegetables. I planted varieties of Chili’s, Tomatoes and Herbs. I am doing something different this year; I decided to plant my veggies in containers. The information you have provided in your website about gardening in containers was very helpful and I thank you for that. I am still missing some plants that I want to buy like strawberries and fingerling potatoes. I truly enjoy your site and I have become more aware about my finance than I had ever been. I am reading books about savings and how I can make my money grow but I am still ignorant about investment (I know you provided videos about investment). What is the average amount people actually put away in their savings? I want to know where I fall into so that I can understand I am actually putting away enough in my savings. I am Truly Getting Rich Slowly, richer than I was a year ago. SavingDiva, maybe you can grow mushrooms and white asparagus? I don’t think they require any sunlight.

]]> By: Hazzard http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2007/05/04/frugality-in-practice-planting-time/#comment-85309 Hazzard Sat, 05 May 2007 13:43:39 +0000 http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2007/05/04/frugality-in-practice-planting-time/#comment-85309 LOL At first glance I thought you were making money with a pot growing operation. :) Glad to see that they are just tomatoes!! Hazzard LOL
At first glance I thought you were making money with a pot growing operation. :)

Glad to see that they are just tomatoes!!
Hazzard

]]> By: CatWhisperer http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2007/05/04/frugality-in-practice-planting-time/#comment-85304 CatWhisperer Sat, 05 May 2007 07:12:56 +0000 http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2007/05/04/frugality-in-practice-planting-time/#comment-85304 We're in the Willamette Valley too. In keeping with the spirit of frugality, here are some ideas. Consider corn plant starts at the garden center, for example. What does a six cell pack cost? Say 2.50? That's 12 corn plants if they planted 2 to a cell. maxing out at 2 ears per stock, we have 24 ears, best case. In season, corn is what, 6 ears for a dollar? (I don't actually recall). Buying ears in season would be roughly equivalent to the cost of the starts. Direct sow the corn instead. Also, I collect decorative corn in December when eveyone at work is moving to Winter Holiday decor. This is a great source of free seed. It's not sweet corn, but good mill corn. Dry beans at the supermarket are cheap seed. Watch out though, the soy beans are probably patented genetic material. If Monsanto catches you growing it without licensure, they'll cart you off to Gitmo. Ha ha. Supermarket potatoes grow great too. Frugal gardening is a pursuit. Not everyone enjoys it, but it's a creative outlet that's available to most anyone. Retailers seem to try and make growing harder than it really is. It's easy to spend more on the garden than the retail value of the actual yield. Something to consider. We’re in the Willamette Valley too. In keeping with the spirit of frugality, here are some ideas. Consider corn plant starts at the garden center, for example. What does a six cell pack cost? Say 2.50? That’s 12 corn plants if they planted 2 to a cell. maxing out at 2 ears per stock, we have 24 ears, best case. In season, corn is what, 6 ears for a dollar? (I don’t actually recall). Buying ears in season would be roughly equivalent to the cost of the starts. Direct sow the corn instead. Also, I collect decorative corn in December when eveyone at work is moving to Winter Holiday decor. This is a great source of free seed. It’s not sweet corn, but good mill corn. Dry beans at the supermarket are cheap seed. Watch out though, the soy beans are probably patented genetic material. If Monsanto catches you growing it without licensure, they’ll cart you off to Gitmo. Ha ha. Supermarket potatoes grow great too. Frugal gardening is a pursuit. Not everyone enjoys it, but it’s a creative outlet that’s available to most anyone. Retailers seem to try and make growing harder than it really is. It’s easy to spend more on the garden than the retail value of the actual yield. Something to consider.

]]> By: SavingDiva http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2007/05/04/frugality-in-practice-planting-time/#comment-85270 SavingDiva Fri, 04 May 2007 18:20:39 +0000 http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2007/05/04/frugality-in-practice-planting-time/#comment-85270 Good luck with your garden! I'm super jealous! My apartment gets zero sunlight, so I couldn't even keep a basil plant alive. Good luck with your garden! I’m super jealous! My apartment gets zero sunlight, so I couldn’t even keep a basil plant alive.

]]> By: Charles http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2007/05/04/frugality-in-practice-planting-time/#comment-85264 Charles Fri, 04 May 2007 16:48:07 +0000 http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2007/05/04/frugality-in-practice-planting-time/#comment-85264 I've been visiting our site regularly for a while now and JUST realized you live in the Willamette Valley. My wife and I live in Aurora - not too far from where you grew up. We want to thank you so very much for the tip on the plant sale - couldn't have come at a better time. We tilled our gardens last weekend and planned on buying all of our plants this weekend. We moved here from Iowa last August and were unsure of where we could go to buy starts from local growers. Now we know ;) Can't wait to start planting this weekend. Maybe we'll see you there! I’ve been visiting our site regularly for a while now and JUST realized you live in the Willamette Valley. My wife and I live in Aurora - not too far from where you grew up.

We want to thank you so very much for the tip on the plant sale - couldn’t have come at a better time. We tilled our gardens last weekend and planned on buying all of our plants this weekend. We moved here from Iowa last August and were unsure of where we could go to buy starts from local growers. Now we know ;)

Can’t wait to start planting this weekend. Maybe we’ll see you there!

]]> By: Jenny http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2007/05/04/frugality-in-practice-planting-time/#comment-85262 Jenny Fri, 04 May 2007 16:39:32 +0000 http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2007/05/04/frugality-in-practice-planting-time/#comment-85262 On the other hand, going to the nursery and seeing all the beautiful plants (vegetable and otherwise), with varieties you never thought you'd see, can be taxing to one's gardening budget and/or willpower, as I learned last night. On the other hand, going to the nursery and seeing all the beautiful plants (vegetable and otherwise), with varieties you never thought you’d see, can be taxing to one’s gardening budget and/or willpower, as I learned last night.

]]> By: Kevin Gunn http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2007/05/04/frugality-in-practice-planting-time/#comment-85257 Kevin Gunn Fri, 04 May 2007 15:05:56 +0000 http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2007/05/04/frugality-in-practice-planting-time/#comment-85257 Lucky you! We've abandoned all hopes of gardening except for a single tomato plant. Turns out we pour were pouring a fortune into the garden (especially during our summer droughts when our water cost soars as the city tries to get people to conserve) and getting very little return. Then the deer moved into our neighborhood. I began limiting my efforts to things they wouldn't eat. When they started eating my jalepenos I surrendered. Lucky you! We’ve abandoned all hopes of gardening except for a single tomato plant. Turns out we pour were pouring a fortune into the garden (especially during our summer droughts when our water cost soars as the city tries to get people to conserve) and getting very little return.

Then the deer moved into our neighborhood.

I began limiting my efforts to things they wouldn’t eat.

When they started eating my jalepenos I surrendered.

]]>