One of my schemes to generate + cash flow or bartering opps is to grow plants.
Legal plants otherwise this would be a blog about comparison shopping of bail bondsmen.
My idea isn't a new one just do a search on the tomato mortgage lifter.
My goal is to reimburse myself for all out of gardening related expenses, funds for next years gardening and provide goods from bartering.
The cost of gardening last year was $45.90 for veggie plants bought. I think Woodsrunner started a few from seed like his fav heirloom salad tomato Bloody Butcher. He's out running the streets otherwise I'd ask him. In any case half a C note was unacceptable then and more so now.
So far I've spent just under $9 on a bag of organic bone meal & numerous 4 packs of discounted French Marigolds priced @ 33¢ each. Marigolds along with Nasturtiums are for bug control.
Fortunately Nasturtiums are popping up all over the garden from last years crop so I'm potting those volunteers for now. None of the Marigolds that I started from seed grew.
I was bemoaning the fact that we started seeds late but with this excessively wet weather, unless the week of our last frost date is dry no one will be planting.
Thankfully all but a few of the heirloom tomatoes plants sprouted. I potted them up using the last of the black 4" nursery pots that hubby had collected through the years. Will start collecting plastic yogurt cups from f&f for next year plants. For now when it's not raining I keep them on the garden cart so I can move them from one sunny spot to the next.
All total there is about 5 maybe 5 1/2 flats of tomato seedlings that I can offer for sale or barter. So far I have an assorted 6 pack promised to the guy who lets us store my tent trailer on his land. I also have some ear marked for my gf the coupon queen. Also a neighbor down the street has fancy pepper seedlings I want to trade with.
Cherokee Purple - my fav great taste, indeterminate, 12 oz. fruits, matures late season.
Valencia - cool weather tom good flavor, orange, 10 oz fruits, indeterminate, matures mid season.
Black Sea Man Russian -purple-black intense flavor, skin melts in mouth, determinate potato leaf, mid season.
Bloody Butcher - salad tom deep red good flavor canner, 4 oz. fruits, indeterminate, early season (55 days).
Howard German - paste tomato with good flavor, indeterminate, 5 oz. fruit, matures mid season.
Mr. Stripey - 12 oz yellow& red striped beefsteak, mild flavor, indeterminate, late season.
San Marzano an Italian paste for canning.
Yellow Pear - used to make preserves, indeterminate, 1 oz., fruits in clusters, mild sweet taste.
Burpees Long Keeper - $3.25 for a pack of 13 seeds of which 5 didn't sprout & 2 died after sprouting. This is my first attempt @ growing and I have no idea how they taste. The idea behind this non-heirloom tomato is that you harvest fruit just before last frost then store wrapped in a cool dark place for fresh eating 6 to 12 weeks later.
In addition to tomatoes we also have a flat of cucumbers, Swiss Chard Rhubarb variety, and a third of a flat each of cantaloupe & muskmelon. Had to replant wax beans.
Tomato seedlings moved to a cold frame hubby cobbled together due becoming water logged. As soon as it stops raining I'll put them out to catch a bit of breeze. Worried 'bout tomato blight.
Pulled what was left of the salad fixings growing in this frame so I could keep our stash of seedlings safe.
In the front are 6 Burpees Long Keepers, Marigolds, a lone surviving Stevia plant (red headed step son da cat), and San Marzano. Paper coffee cups far upper right corner holds cukes & a few melons.
Planning on growing melons vertical.
Purple Onions collected from other beds & replanted here. As soon as this area is empty I'll plant it with San Marzano, marigolds, basil & carrots.
Rain rain go away, come back in August.
~~ pelenaka ~~
Posts
