What's In Your Wallet Wednesday: Inexpensive Ways to Grow Food At Home

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     My new tag line about growing food is much like the one for prayer.  You can pray anytime and anywhere.  You can also grow food at home, anytime and anywhere.  Well, when I say anywhere, I don't mean out in the snow.  But, you can grow food indoors when you can't grow it outdoors, and you can grow it inexpensively! 
      Last year, my goal was to be able to be harvesting something all year long!  Thanks to being able to grow onions indoors and thanks to great Phoenix weather when it comes to gardening, I have been able to meet this goal.  I know that I have talked about this topic before-inexpensive gardening, but now I've added the element of what is available at Dollar Tree to help you and I've made a video to explain some things as well.  So, click the Read More button and look and see what we have to share! 

     First of all, I went to Dollar Tree because they have gardening supplies out, and as you know I love to garden and garden supplies and I love both of those things to be as inexpensive as possible.  I found some great things at Dollar Tree that meet my criteria.

Unfortunately, my store only had the strawberries and the lavender. I may go get a lavender and check out a different store or two to find some flowers.

If you live in an apartment, you could hang your garden from your balcony!

This plant trolly allows you to roll the plant around to get more sun!

      These are just a few of my favorites, there are a myriad of other products available.  I show more in the video! 

     So, I picked up a few things.  I spent $11.77 cents on supplies and seeds.  I feel like when I start harvesting from my garden, I will save way more than that by not having to purchase that produce at the grocery store.  I always feel so smug walking past the tomatoes, onions and peppers, not needing to buy any of them! 
      Let me address the questions that come up from naysayers about gardening!  
Soil:  If you are filling a pot, it is surprising how much soil you need.  The thing is, now that I can afford it, I do purchase good garden soil to amend my soil out in my garden.  But, I didn't used to do that because I didn't have the money.  I did the best I could with what I had.  I would dig up my own soil really well.  If I had any potting soil at all, I would dig that into my dirt.  I would find free ways to amend my soil.  Here is a chart I made for the video.  You can print it off if you would like. 
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      A couple of things that I left off of that list include shredded newspaper mulch and ashes from your fireplace or fire pit.  Your garden will love all of these things! 

     All of that being said, if you can afford any soil, my favorite indoor planting starter is this by Miracle-Gro if you can afford it. 
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​Water:  Most people overwater their plants.  Did you know that you can drown them?  Cause mold?  If you are growing indoors, let the soil begin to dry out before rewatering them.  In my outdoor garden, I water for about 20 minutes a day with my soaker hose system.  And, I live in the desert!  Before I had this system, I would hand water once in the morning and once in the evening with a watering can.  I also use plant watering spikes and leftover soda bottles to water if I'm going to be away for a few days.   Watering doesn't need to add much to your water bill as everyone claims.  Besides that, at our house we capture rain water and water from our AC unit into a big plastic trash barrel.  That takes a load off of our city water system and therefore, our water bill!  Some states don't allow rain water capture, so be sure to check what the laws are where you live. 
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Seeds:  Dollar Tree carries seeds for .50 per package of seeds.  I buy seeds from a reputable company called Seeds Now.  I am an affiliate with them, and you can purchase from them by following this link.

Alternatively, you can find seeds around your house that you have unwittingly already purchased!  
Check out this post:  ​https://www.3winksdesign.com/home/gardening-on-a-budget-finding-seeds
​You can go to Little Garden Libraries in your community, you can share with friends. Our Public Library has a seed library where you can get 3 packages of seed every 2  weeks.   Once you start growing things, save your seeds.  ​ Read the post at the above link for more ideas! 
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Here are other posts you should read: https://www.3winksdesign.com/home/what-ive-been-learning-about-starting-transplants-for-my-garden
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Those posts will give you a good start!  Now, watch the video and find out more about my Dollar Tree trip and about how you really can garden anywhere!  You will become addicted to it like I have.

Here is a little bit of editing and comments: 
The planter and trolly were $1.50, not $1.25.
I've planted the Tomato Rocket, it looked totally different than what the packet showed, so we will see.   
I've also planted the strawberries, so I'll update on those as well. 
Here is the link for canning cherry tomatoes: https://www.3winksdesign.com/home/2-recipes-canning-cherry-tomatoes-and-pickled-peppers