Good article. Planted 12 tomato plants, wrapped their little plot in wire to save it from the bunnies and the deer - so plants, fencing wire and posts have to be figured into the cost, although the fencing is reusable.
I was thinking of trying potatoes in one of those cloth sacks....one of the so called gourmet types that cost a fortune at the store. Anyone given that a try?
I have cucumbers and peppers in also. I plant loose leaf greens (lettuce?) in pots. They reseed every spring and every fall. I’m actually thinking of moving the pots into the sunroom - it may be cool enough to keep the production going over the summer.
We have a lot of herbs in pots, the herb garden is under construction. Not only does it save money, they taste so much better picked this minute fresh.
My father had bought a small tiller many years ago (it had never been taken out of the boxes) and he just stored it. We had put it in our yard sale last year because I thought it was to small to be of any use to me. It did not sell. Boy am I glad! That little thing can dig up some tough ground!
Point is - my garden has not cost me a lot. I did till in about $100 of composted manure into the tomato patch, raised beds and watermelon patch and may be used a gallon of gas for the tiller. But I also had a great big ol' pile of home made compost (mostly grass clipping from last year) that helped the soil. Other costs were minimal seeds, fish emulsion for the seedlings and that is about it! I did spend on average about $15 each for the fruit trees.
That doesn't just go for herbs -- it goes for everything!!!!
While I generally do wind up having to dry some of my herbs primarily because I run out of time (or patience), I prefer to freeze them.