Save money this dry season by planting your own veggie garden Growing your own veggies is a great way of saving money and this time of the year is perfect for planting your veggie patch. So - what veggies should you grow for the best impact on price saving? Well, tomatoes and cherry tomatoes grow really well and are cheap to start up. In the shop you’re looking at around $6 per kilo. Beetroot are another veg that grow great up here and in the shop you’re looking at around $5 per kilo. Beautiful, hot birds-eye chillies are a very hardy plant which is perfect for Broome’s tropical climate. In the shop you’re looking at $20 per kilo! Other herbs and veggies that grow well here in Broome and also cost a bit to buy in the supermarkets are: basil, Italian parsley, snake beans, okra, sugar snap peas, eggplant, rockmelon, watermelon, passionfruit, pawpaw (papaya), kaffir limes and (who could forget) mango. Here’s a low cost way to get started; Step 1: Find yourself a reasonably sunny patch of land. Step 2: Remove any existing weeds or other vegetation. Step 3: Dig over the pindan and build up the beds with some organic material like potting mix, compost, manure and mulch. Step 4: Sprinkle in some seeds, following the manufacturer’s instructions. Step 5: Add some slow release fertiliser pellets and water well. Step 6: Water daily. Step 7: When the seeds begin to pop their heads up add some liquid fertiliser (a mix of carp and seaweed works best). You will need to do this every two weeks to help the veggies grow. Step 7: Harvest your veggies and herbs when they are young and wash them well before eating. This will cost you under $50! If you aren’t allowed to dig up your yard, you could try planting in pots made out of egg cartons, icecream containers, plastic 4l water containers or 2l drink bottles (with the tops cut off) or even old eskys. As an alternative to planting seeds in the ground, you can also plant seedlings in raised beds. These are available from hardware/outdoor stores and nurseries. Raised beds are around $50 each and punnets of seedlings around $4-$5 each, so expect to pay around $150 to do it this way. Inspired?! Why not test out your green thumbs, get the kids involved and see how much you can save! For any more information on this or any other money saving ideas please contact the Kimberly Money Management Service at Broome CIRCLE Inc. on 9193 6425.
Posted on: Mon, 15 Jul 2013 02:08:24 +0000
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