Master Gardeners: Save On Food Costs: Grow A Garden

Since 2018, the number of American home gardeners has grown exponentially every year.

Unsurprisingly, the number of gardeners has increased during the COVID era. It seems reasonable. Bored people were sitting at home and the garden was calling us. The upward trend will continue into 2023 as we see grocery store prices increase.

There are many reasons to garden: to exercise, to have fun and to eat healthy, among others. But with the economy worsening and inflation soaring, 76% of gardeners say they plan to expand their garden this year to save on food. This is a normal reaction when people worry about food shortages or struggle with the family budget.

Will the garden produce enough food to feed the family?

Many people say in difficult times, “I will plant a garden to support my family. Maybe not real. A garden simply cannot supply all the nutrients it needs.

Adults need about 2,000 calories per day, but the body can only process 6 kilograms of food per day, so an average of 335 calories is needed per kilogram of food. However, most vegetables contain 50 to 100 calories per kilogram. The average vegetable garden in America only produces 20% of the calories people need.

Some high-calorie vegetables (potatoes, parsley, leeks, cabbage, zucchini, garlic) contain 250-350 calories per kilogram. But let's be honest, no one wants to eat these veggies for breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day. Humans still need carbohydrates, proteins, and fats in their diets that usually cannot be grown in a home garden.

By learning how to store, freeze or dry some of your summer produce, you can produce more food for your family. You can also grow and store some long-lived varieties such as winter squash. This allows food to be stored during the winter months.

In the winter garden you can grow fresh lettuce and other salad vegetables, radishes, cabbage, mustard, carrots, beets and turnips. It is good to eat fresh vegetables when it is cold. Plus, right now, store-bought stuff is the most expensive, so you can save a lot on going out in the colder months.

What if you don't like vegetables?

If you hated vegetables when you were a kid, you probably hated when your mom cooked them! My mom used to cook the most horrible, sticky, disgusting eggplant, zucchini. But today I love them all. No wonder she doesn't use any of her mother's recipes.

You can also try growing new vegetables each year. Go online and find interesting recipes. You might like some of these long-hated vegetables. You can always hate them forever. In this case, admit defeat and develop what you love. Everything else is a waste of time and space in the garden.

However, is a vegetable garden really going to save money?

The average household with a vegetable garden spends $70 a year on seeds and garden supplies, but harvests $600 worth of food. That's a $530 return on your investment. With rapidly rising food prices, larger yields can be expected in 2023. If you decide to expand your garden, your profits will be greater as you have already covered the initial costs of tools, watering and other materials. Generally, the more years you spend in the garden, the more money you will earn.

• Contact WSU Extension Master Gardeners at 509-574-1604 or email gardener@co.yakima.wa.us.