We've all had sticker shock at the grocery store in the past couple of years with the meteoric rise of food prices. And if you're trying to make healthy choices with a produce-forward shopping basket, that price tag is even more shocking!
Growing food from seed is one of the most affordable ways to feed yourself and your family nutritious, organic fruits, veggies and herbs. But if space is at a premium, what should you grow, and what should you buy?
Here's our handy Grow vs. Buy Guide to make the most of your gardening space and grocery budget.
Grow This
Container-friendly varieties of these seeds maximize space for urban or small-space gardeners:
Tomatoes: Everyone loves a sweet and juicy tomato fresh from the vine, and many tomatoes thrive in containers or small garden beds. Cherry tomatoes will give you more bang for your buck than larger varieties.
Peppers: Sweet or hot - peppers grow well in small spaces and pack a powerful punch of flavour and colour to dishes. And hot peppers produce loads more than sweet peppers in a Canadian climate.
Lettuce and Spinach: Quick-growing and space-efficient, these greens can be harvested multiple times using a "cut-and-come-again" method.
Kale: Hardy, nutritionally dense, and a big producer, kale is a winner for small spaces. In milder climates, this green will produce well into late fall.
Radishes: Early-season and quick to mature, radishes are a lovely spring harvest that adds a crisp bite to salads.
Carrots: Shorter varieties do well in containers, offering a sweet, fresh snack.
Peas: Can be costly at markets and will flourish in small spaces if staked properly.
Honourable Mention for Heirlooms
If you are passionate about unique heirloom varieties, dedicating space to growing heirloom varieties at home is a must. Their distinctive tastes and fascinating histories add a layer of interest and excitement to a home garden, and these varieties are less widely available. So, while it may not be a grocery budget-reducing strategy to plant heirlooms, they will be a focal point in your garden.
Buy That
Shopping at your local farmer's market, farm stand, or CSA box (Community Supported Agriculture) is one of the best ways to ensure your hard-earned dollars contribute to a regenerative economy. We've rounded up some of the most affordable choices to purchase instead of growing:
Potatoes: Affordable and widely available, potatoes are an excellent option for purchasing locally grown.
Onions: A versatile staple, onions are inexpensive and easy to find organically.
Zucchini: Abundant and affordable in season, saving you garden space.
Cucumbers: Readily available during peak seasons.
Space Hogs
If you're trying to conserve your garden space, some varieties make more sense to buy than to grow:
Pumpkins and Watermelons: Buying them can save significant garden space and effort.
Winter Squash: Like pumpkins, winter squash varieties take up a lot of space and are easier to buy than grow.
Brassicas: Broccoli and cauliflower are best left to purchase if you are growing in a small space.
As always, gardening is a regionally specific activity. So, balance what you grow and buy based on your local climate and availability.