7 Things to Grow First If You Want to Save Money

By Jawad, Time Saver Labs

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Not everything you grow saves you money. A sack of potatoes or onions is cheap at the store, so giving up garden space to them doesn't save much. The trick is to grow the things that cost the most per bite, and that do well in a small space.

Here are the seven I'd start with.

1. Fresh herbs

Basil, mint, parsley, chives and cilantro are some of the worst value items in the produce section. You pay for a small bunch that often wilts before you use it. One plant on a sunny windowsill gives you a steady supply for months, and you only cut what you need.

2. Salad greens

Lettuce, spinach and arugula grow quickly in containers. Instead of pulling the whole plant, pick the outer leaves and let the middle keep growing. One container can keep giving for weeks.

3. Cherry tomatoes

Cherry tomatoes are pricey at the store and very productive at home. One healthy plant in a large pot with plenty of sun can give you more than you can eat in the middle of summer.

4. Green onions

This one barely counts as gardening. Put the white root ends in a glass of water on a sunny sill, change the water every couple of days, and they regrow. You can cut them again and again.

5. Peppers

Bell peppers, especially the red and yellow ones, cost a fair bit each. Pepper plants like heat and sun and do well in containers on a balcony or patio.

6. Zucchini

If you have a bit of ground or a big container, one zucchini plant tends to produce more than a family can keep up with. Plant one, not three.

7. Microgreens

If you have no outdoor space at all, microgreens are your best bet. A shallow tray of soil, a sunny window or a cheap grow light, and in about two weeks you have something to harvest. They work in winter too.

Where to start

Don't try all seven at once. Pick the two you buy most often at the store and start there. Once those are working, add another.

If you want to go further and grow a real share of your own food, the book I recommend is The Self-Sufficient Backyard. It's written by a couple who have lived off the grid for around 40 years, and it covers small space gardening, rainwater collection and storing what you grow in a lot more detail.

For more ideas like these, grab my free guide below.