Apartment Gardening

It may not look like much. These are my babies. I also have parsley, rosemary and seedling oregano, basil, bell pepper and habanero.

This is the only thing in my life that I didn't do the math on in buying. I had to do it. I am a country girl at heart and as such, I need to garden. The sight of green plants makes my heart smile.

The start-up costs of apartment gardening can hit the frugal wallet hard. The containers can run anywhere from $6 to $60. The container on the left isn't actually a pot for plants. It's a tote container for summer drinks and such. I got it for $4 at Wal-Mart. Yes, it's pretty shallow, but the plants in it are okay with that. My husband drilled holes in the bottom. Very carefully, mind you, because the hard plastic can very easily split, enough splits and the bottom falls out (similar to what we discovered on the bottom of my husband's car... another story, another day).

Bell peppers alone can run 50 cents or more. The packet of seeds was a dollar. My husband and I planted six plants from a small seed starter. We had to buy soil ($4 a bag) and a container ($4 each). I also bought plant food. The food lasts a ridiculously long time, a tablespoon of food per one gallon. The containers can be used many times. The soil will have to be replaced eventually.

In the long run, it will pay off. Like making my own bread, I may not save much money in the end. Maybe only pennies, maybe I'll have paid a few cents... but the joy of growing my own veggies is well worth it.