Is it all worth it?

[DigginDebs]

Yes its all definitely worth it imo. I'm new to GYO and have ever only grown tomatoes before now. I've tried to keep the cost to a minimum, most of my seeds are freebies or very very cheap. The most expensive thing I have to shell out for is compost .. I do have a bin and have had it for a few years but I used to weed and feed my lawn so all my clippings were contaminated. I'm going to empty it at some point this year and start again from scratch so that will help keep the cost down even more. I've not harvested much yet but what I have eaten I have really enjoyed. This is a very big learning curve for me, I'm enjoying the experience and results .... looks like I have found myself a new hobby .... oh and forgot to mention all the weight I have lost due to time spent out side being active

You cant beat home grown !!!

[mogs]

If you compare it to other hobbies - such as a friend's fishing trips to Scotland for a weekend to catch Salmon - £700 - it's peanuts and provides a much more varied diet than fish alone

[Mrs Dobby]

Is it worth it? Definitely!

We started GYOing not to save money, but for the enjoyment of producing our own crops, eating food that is ultra fresh and that we know what its been treated with, reducing our food miles and keeping fit, but even with modest outlay on our costs, we've found that we've saved money every year that we've had the plot!

Admittedly, we probably wouldnt have purchased 50lb of raspberries, nor 100lb of toms, but by growing them then we've got those crops available to us to do as we want with, and by cooking, drying, pickling, canning and freezing our produce we have become fairly self sufficient for fruit and veg for most of the year!

The past 4 years we've had our plots we've had plenty of exercise and fresh air, made firm friends (both on the plot and on the 'vine), had fun and enjoyed ourselves, which is worth far more than any financial incentive to GYOing, but we've also made a 'profit' from our crops, not by selling them, but just in terms of the costs of the produce being far more than the costs we've spent in growing them!

If you look back in the archives of the 'vine, then you'll find our balance sheets, or take a look at them on our blogs, last years 'profit' was almost £2000, as was the year before! Yes, we wouldnt have purchased as much of each of the crops that we grew, but also we wouldnt then have been able to store and save as much for use throughout the year, so would have been buying tinned tomatoes and pasta sauces instead of using home made (and better tasting) canned and frozen sauces!

Definitely worth it IMHO

[reetnproper]

I think if money is an issue when GYO then your heart cannot be in it.

I think that's slightly unfair. When we first started to grow veg (entirely salad at that time) it was, primarily to save money because the cost of buying salad was expensive and we were looking to cut down our outgoings. This is true for a lot of people and doesn't necessarily mean that 'the heart isn't in it' just that the motive is different. Trust me when I say that our hearts were well and trully 'in it' for the reason that we needed to save money where we could!

Several years later and we now grow a range of veg and have also expanded the range of salad items we grow. Our primary reason now is the freshness and quality of the items we produce but the money saved is still a part of it.

Last year I was solely responsible for growing the veg and it gave me immense pleasure to realise that I had 'contributed' to the family purse by producing food we would otherwise have had to buy in. This year we haven't had to buy a greenhouse or any other large item so the 'profit' will be greater and even more satisfactory for me.

Last year, the thought of gardening made my heart sink (I really wasn't a gardener at all - far too much like hard work ) but, work constraints meant that OH just didn't have time. THIS year I'm dragging him out to admire my mangetout, potaotes and sweetcorn (well I have to admire HIS workshop ) and i love being out with my 'babies' , digging and weeding and feeding Mrs Blackbird.

IMHO, it doesn't matter whether it's money, freshness, quality, or just a natural delight in growing your own food that drives someone to start GYOing, it's the fact that they're making the effort and prepared to learn and invest time and some money to grow their own food that's important.

I'm trying to convine myself of the value of all my hard work

It definitely is worth it not just in terms of potential savings long term (once you've bought all your equipment) but for the flavour, the freshness and the sheer variety of stuff you can grow which you may not necessarily be able to find in the shops .

Reet
x

[Flobalob]

I think if money is an issue when GYO then your heart cannot be in it.
Was a direct reply to 'haza 1981. Whose issues are that buying produce is cheaper than growing.
You on the other hand reetnproper are growing because you say, ' When we first started to grow veg (entirely salad at that time) it was, primarily to save money because the cost of buying salad was expensive and we were looking to cut down our outgoings.
So naturally your heart was in it. Seems fair enough to me.

[Snadger]

Hasa and his Missus are on the same allotment site as I am. I haven't known them very long but I can assure you they are as keen as mustard!

I sometimes post using the Devils Advocate technique myself as I believe Haza has in this instance, just to stir you lot up a bit.

Its a bit like when you were at school and were in a debate. If teacher found out you had strong alleigence in one direction, he would make you argue the toss for the opposite of your beliefs!

[rogesse]

Apart from the freshness, commaraderie of fellow 'lotters' (en site or internet) and sense of achievement - having an allotment and growing my own is prolonging my husbands life.

He has a condition that will curtail his time but the exercise and lack of depression suffered by this hobby has in the view of his specialist given him new lease. Ok I do most of the work while he does most of the talking....but I insist on a fair bit of digging out of him too!

There is also the argument that you are more likely to try new things. I didn't think I liked broad beans until the next door neighbour gave me some. This year I'm growing 4m square and that probably won't be enough. New for this year we also have celeric and wootlif (?) chicory. Last year we grew kale which we hated but a least we gave it a try!

To be honest it probably doesn't save us money but I'm growing veg I wouldn't necessary try in the supermarket - ie I'm having a black tomato year and can't wait to try my japanese black truffle toms

[Welsh Wizard]

My total outlay this year is 50 quid on seeds, compost and edging for beds. I have at least 50 quids worth of veg on the plot waiting to be eaten, and I have had fun, and got a tan, and avoided watching trashy TV in the evening. Plus my neighbour thinks I am the next Alan Titchmarsh and I have seen lots of interesting wildlife and got slightly fitter. And I don't have to eat any crappy wilted supermarket salad....

[haza1981]

Hasa and his Missus are on the same allotment site as I am. I haven't known them very long but I can assure you they are as keen as mustard!

I sometimes post using the Devils Advocate technique myself as I believe Haza has in this instance, just to stir you lot up a bit.

Its a bit like when you were at school and were in a debate. If teacher found out you had strong alleigence in one direction, he would make you argue the toss for the opposite of your beliefs!

You got me snadger The idea here was not to convince me but rather to see other peoples motives and reasons. As said here gardening has become a great hobby for me, even an obsession I think. I'm down the plot pretty much everyday and I love it. I was even down today in the pouring rain picking weeds from around my pumpkins and it didnt feel like work at all. Plus when i'm at work I often visit this site so it was good to get a post with lots of replies. Really interesting seeing how much passion people put into gardening. My father was a gardener and I never really got it. Now I fully understand and I hope to teach my kids(when I have some) the value of nature and fresh food.

I honestly never though I would like the smell of stinky maure fertiliser or want to bring my banana peel home from work to put on the compost heap but I do now. Really sad I know. Plus this is only my first year so I'm really excited to see what i'm gonna learn in the future.

So far we have built a greenhouse from bits of wood and some spare glass (http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...use_46681.html) and managed to grab a free 8x6 foot greenhouse and got that up.

I just wish my neighbour had the same conviction as his weeds are starting to blow over onto my plot. What a waste.

[Helgalush]

I am a bit the same here as well - a couple of years ago two really good friends of mine had an allotment and asked if I wanted to be involved. I didnt know the first thing about growing and digging (and was busy with other things) and now I've done a 180 and wish I could get involved but unfortunately its too late as they had to get rid of the allotment in the end.

But that said, I really enjoy my mini-plot outside and growing things in containers. It makes my garden look so full of life, and my rabbits love being able to have a bit of parsley or carrot top straight off the plant (and we like the fresh veggies straight in the pot!).

[21again]

I know that Tesco have lettuce in at the minute (or they did the other day), on special at 40p for a piddly little iceburg, but I am sick of paying an average of 80p for a lettuce.

It's well worth buying a bag of compost and a packet of lettuce seeds just to save money on forking out for lettuce over the summer.