As most of us frugal types know, the long game is generally the most frugal way to do something. It may take you just ten minutes to go to the store and buy bread but baking it from scratch (couple of hours off and on of labor), is clearly the more frugal way to go.
Gardening is a lot like that. You need patience to grow your own food that is for sure. I found this out years ago but decided to toil along, keeping a summer garden for years however inexpertly.
The quantity of my gardening efforts varied a great deal, depending on what was going on in my life but this past month, I realized with a start that I could grow not only a bigger summer garden next year but try my hand at a complete fall/winter garden.
I started by checking out my stash of seeds. I had a lot. A. LOT. With no way to organize them, I took my cue from a couple of my favorite garden content creators and bought a very inexpensive seed organizer. Envision a sort of soft tackle box if you will. I then spent a curiously long afternoon trying to figure out what all my seeds were because some of them were not even labeled. It was quite a process, and I still have a half a dozen types that I will be compelled to run through AI to try and figure out just what they are.
Meanwhile, I did the math and figured out very quickly that if it takes six weeks, give or take, to sprout my own seedlings prior to planting, I was going to have to start immediately.
I used up all of my collection of small seedling pots and then some to plant everything indoors on trays. I commandeered the long bench on the back of our kitchen table given that it received great sunlight. I labeled everything, something I was remiss in doing for past gardens which is why I am still waiting to see what some of the late summer peppers are.
That was ten days ago and this morning, to my everlasting delight, two of the seed types have already sprouted. Shockingly, it was the broccoli and Brussel sprouts. Who knew? Most more experienced gardeners than myself would have known but my past gardening efforts were admittedly quick and sloppy. I overpaid for seedlings, crammed them into the soil, watered faithfully and fertilized occasionally. There was no discipline to my approach. Now I was in it for the long game. I have time to do much better.
I have commandeered a dollar store notebook to record all my findings and, when ready, I will be sure to sketch out where what has been planted. No more guessing at what I planted where any longer. I will also set up a regular fertilizing schedule to ensure maximum output.
I am also continuing to collect seeds that I want to plant next spring. I have plenty of seed contributions from various peppers I’ve bought and I am drying them out and will store them in my now handy seed organizer.
My next step is to educate myself on everything I plan to plant. I have no clue what sort of care onions and leeks may need as opposed to broccoli and Brussel sprouts, for example. I need to learn more so I can reap a better harvest.
As I said, I am in it for the long haul.
More to the point, I plan on applying this mindset to other frugal efforts. I believe I have this mindset down pat in the kitchen but in other areas? I know I can do so much better. For example, I am not a gifted seamstress by any means, but I am still quite adept with a needle and thread. As a result, I have started collecting clothing items that I wear and like but that require a bit of repair. In the past, I might have donated them or even taken them to a seamstress for repair, but I know I can do this myself and save a lot of money in the process. And this is but one example of ensuring I am in it for the long haul.
Find areas in your life where you too, can be in it for the long haul and save yourself money.
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the house behind 