My Twenty-Five Dollar Organic Victory Garden Challenge

 There’s a popular country song out there these days with this refrain; “What was I think’n?”

I doubt that songwriter was regretting anything remotely related to gardening, but today I find myself “think’n” the same thing. Yesterday I posted an entry on Twitter to see if I could get at least some moral support if I pledged to do a daily video blog, documenting my efforts to grow an organic victory garden, sufficient to supply my family of four with all the vegetables needed for the entire summer, without spending over twenty-five bucks!

The response from Twitterland was swift and overwhelmingly positive. Before I had even a moment to second-guess my decision, word was spreading in cyberspace and my fate was sealed. The challenge was on. So, not counting the video camera I just finished ordering for $$$$, twenty-five bucks is just about all I have left to spend!

 So, step one is obviously to organize my budget. With so little money, this will require that I be creative, resourceful and cut costs at every turn. Although I already have a lot of the needed supplies from previous seasons, I’m not going to use them. I want this to be a level playing field so that anyone following along can do the same thing and truly create his or her own twenty-five dollar victory garden.

My mind is racing right now at all the things I’ll need to start this garden from scratch and see it through to harvest. I’ve got a small area on the side of my garage that I’m going to use to put my garden. Location is key when growing vegetables and full sun is the most important thing. The garden will be long and narrow and I need to retain the soil with timbers or large stones or blocks or whatever. But since I’m not spending money, I’ll have to see what I come up with.

I like deep raised beds, but that requires lots of good organic soil and amendments. But where will I get all that for only a few dollars? Part of it will come from the compost I’ve been making but that won’t be nearly enough. I need soaker hoses, timers and mulch. I’ll need more compost and nutrients along the way and I need to be prepared to deal with pests that might show up.

 I’ll need quite a few varieties of seeds but that can add up quickly. Again, I have to get creative. Can I get these essential items donated or at least deeply discounted? Not likely since technically I’m not a charity case. Perhaps I can barter myself for a few hours work in exchange for a few garden essentials instead.

So, please check back often as I take you along for the journey. I’ll be video blogging about this nearly every day and you can see first hand my trials, challenges and ultimately my victory. This is certainly going to be an exercise in patience, pride and frugality to be sure. But this is also going to be a lot of fun. I’m excited to get my hands in the dirt again and along the way, share this experience with you and many others. Ultimately, through the process, I hope to end up feeding far more than just my family of four. That’s the plan and that’s what I’m think’n!

JL

p.s. The images in this post document the first step in starting this garden on a shoestring. Toilet paper rolls are a great seed-starting pot and it's recycling too. The soil in the tubes is home made compost and leftover potting soil.

Comments

[Colleen Vanderlinden]

I did have to wonder if you were a little crazy on Twitter when you mentioned it yesterday :-) It's a great idea, though, and I can't wait to see how it goes.

Regarding seed donations, I've got a ton that I've saved from last season. Plenty of heirloom tomatoes, lettuces, a few other goodies. Let me know---I'd be happy to donate to the cause! (On Twitter, I'm @C_Vanderlinden)

[daniel (small kitchen garden)]

This is a great idea, and will make a very educational program especially for folks turning to gardening to save a buck. One tiny detail you should consider tweaking:

First you say you're starting from scratch to meet the $25 challenge; you're not using gear you've acquired in past seasons. Then you mention amending soil with compost... which can only have come from past years.

Compost is a long-term investment that newbie gardeners aren't likely to have made. I wonder: can you deliver on the challenge without resorting to the old, established compost heap? It might be discouraging to someone starting out now to discover they needed to have begun last summer.

[Joe Lamp'l]

A LITTLE crazy??? Ya think??? Apparently I've lost it! But, since I like a good challenge, I've just served myself a whopper. But...I'm determined to pull this off and I think I can. Love the idea of getting seeds from others. Going to tweet that now. And YES, I'd love to have some of your special seeds, thanks!

[Joe Lamp'l]

Daniel, you make a great point. Compost doesn't happen overnight. I really want to do this as though I didn't have a head start. On my next post, I'll address that and think of a way to use new seed starting mix without spending any (or much) of my money. Thanks for your suggestion!
JL

[Shirley Bovshow "Edenmaker"]

Joe- that is a great idea. Can't wait to see your creations!
Shirlety

[Jeph Remley]

$25 to feed a family of four all summer!? Yup, I think your nuts!

I've got spare/old seeds you're welcome to use...I only let myself buy one funky new variety of heirloom tomato seeds this year, with the intention of using more of my old seeds. So, considering many are 2-5 years old, I can't vouch for germination rates. ;-)

PS I've been building a stash of toilet paper and paper towel tubes myself this winter. Gonna give them a try real soon!

Oh, and since I understand and respect the fact that you don't want to be a charity case, I'm more than willing to let you work for the seeds. You come on by and weed my garden several times this summer and you can have all the seeds you want! I hope you don't mind the drive up to NE Ohio!! LOL

Seriously though - I consider you've put enough work forward to earn some gifted seeds from your listeners/viewers, considering how much time you've put into your entertaining and educational television shows, books, blogs and podcasts. I ALMOST went to see you at the H&G show in Cleveland a few weeks back, but didn't go because it's such a long drive, is getting pricey, and mostly because I've heard such negative comments about all the non-H&G type vendors taking over the shows... I really missed getting to hear what you'd have to say though!

The offer for the seeds is serious - just let me know the best way to send them to you. I'll send you an email with contact info...

[finnyknits]

Oh yes, you can do this. I do believe that much can be reaped from a plot of soil for $25 or less.

I just pulled my winter's arugula, a 5 gallon bucket full (third and final harvest), and enjoyed it in salads, pesto, soups, etc and that whole 2X2 plot only cost $.99 (seeds) to grow. Water from the sky, existing soil, no irrigation.

If you need seeds, I'd be more than happy to donate. I have a billion varieties of tomato seeds, plus a variety of others: cukes, snap peas, peppers, herbs, carrots, chard...

I'll be following via Reader - good luck!

[Liz M owner hyperlocavore]

Great plan Joe! I am looking forward to watching your progress. I'm sending my readers here as well. I've linked from our site.

To all of you folks with lots of extra seeds laying around, I want to encourage you to join us over at hyperlocavore.com. We're doing something called The Great Let's Get Growing Seed Share.

Basically I am asking experienced gardeners with lots of extra seeds to mail a newbie gardener - a garden!

I've sent out six gardens-in-an-envelope so far. I really need more 'seed angels' though. We've got a lot of newbies but not enough people with seeds stepping up.

It's so easy - and cost me about 4.50 to get six large gardens going.

Unfortunately my ning site is down at the moment, but the blog is up. You can get to the seed share from there once the ning site comes back up a little later.

http://hyperlocavore.wordpress.com/2009/03/05/the-great-lets-get-growing-seed-share/

For those that haven't heard, http://hyperlocavore.com is a yardsharing community - aimed at getting people to grow more food locally with friends and family.

Thanks for the great project Joe, I am sure my readers will find it very encouraging.

[TC]

Good luck. I think it's a tough challenge. $25 ain't very elastic! You could lose it all if you accidentally break one shovel or hoe. Oh my! then you'd have to use what I did when I started my very first garden: an old cedar fence post sharpened at one end.

[John at JWLW]

Good luck Joe. Even if you have a cost overrun of a few dollars the first year, it will get applied back over a couple of years. Great project I think I will try one similar here.

About half way through reading your book "The Green Garden Guide" thanks great book. I will do a Post about it on my blog, need your ok to copy cover and quote from book.

Not very good at writing but learning fast, blog is teaching me a few things.

Thank You,
John

[RedWhite&Grew]

You're not nuts...you're being noble. We *need* high-profile gardeners to take this kind of action and spell it out for people. These are tight times and we need to get back to basics.

What's that old saying?

"Lead, follow...or get out of the way."

You're leading, Joe.

(Will link to this story in my blog's Monday Media & Web Watch.)

[Shawn]

Joe, my husband had no idea what I was up to until he read your post. We are "think'n" we are up for the challenge too. Funny thing is it's more him than me! So looking forward to watching your vlogs...

[Joe Lamp'l]

You guys are awesome. Great encouragement and feedback and a little giving back, really provides the fuel we need to take on challenges that seem a little ambitious sometimes. Sure, on occasion we get a "great" idea and try to figure out how to do it later. Such is the case with this gardener, but the more I think about it, the more determined and convinced I can make this happen. Thanks again all!
JL

[John at JWLW]

Sorry, correcting link to my blog.

Good Luck Again

John

[St. Fairsted Farm]

Hi Joe, I posted earlier but it appears my comment vanished in cyberland...

Anywho... I wanted to bring it to your attention that a 4.5" inch toilet paper roll could be cut in half and would actually create a better germination ratio with being a smaller tube.

Next I wanted to ask what you placed at the bottom of the tube to prevent the soil from falling out? A compacted heavy soil will lessen the seed germination ratio.

[Katie Elzer-Peters]

I have spent much more than $25 this year, but I am growing the vegetables. I think I am likely to have an incident more like the one in "The $64 tomato," rather than what you are doing! I'm also charting my progress on my blog http://goorganicgardening.com Pics of my "babies" up today!

My seeds are from Renee's too! (Is the packet I see in the picture the free one from the catalog sent to writers? ;) Isn't that cheating? (J/K)

[Joe Lamp'l]

Well "eagle eye Katie", you would be right about the free pack of seeds and I know we garden writers are privy to a few freebies no and then, but the key so far is that they were free. Granted the average "joe gardener" won't have free seeds sent to him from Renee's BUT, I am sourcing some places right now for the next post that will give newbies a place they can go for free seeds and other stuff too.

And yes, it is very easy to invest top dollar in your home grown veggie plants and I've been guilty of the same. So I'm determined to prove that with a little creativity, we can achieve the same outcome for a LOT less. Keep your fingers crossed and congratulations on the arrival of your first seedlings; spinach, lettuce and radishes! Thanks Katie for stopping by.

[Michael Musselwhite]

Hello Joe,
$25? I'm looking to keep my new garden under$400 between soil, fenceing, compost, seeds, etc. how ever I am planing to have that back in wonderful fresh veggys and canned tomatos with basil and garlic,I can't wait for the first bite of this years crop. good luck and
thank you again for all your help,
Mike

[Joe Lamp'l]

Oh believe me Mike, I was pricing seeds tonight and I could easily blow through my budget on those alone. And this garden will not be the biggest or prettiest you've ever seen. I'll be pulling out all the stops to find freebies and recyclables wherever I can. But for everything we could buy, given enough thought and getting a tad out of our comfort zone, I'm thinking it can be done. Stay tuned as we all work through this together.

[Denise]

Great idea and I love it!

I manage to keep my garden costs under $25's but its taken years and many frugal thoughts.

Shop at auctions for your garden needs. I picked up a mini greenhouse for $1 the other week. I also get garden tools, garden hoses and seeds.

Try a seed or plant swap. I also make my own compost, plant food from compost and soil from straw, dropped off dirt and composted leaves. You could also try straw bale gardening. I usually get free straw in late spring from the farmers

Gardening is wonderful and your project is great! I will keep up on its progress.