nickelharvest

Grow your own, spend less

A little dirt, a few seeds, a smaller grocery bill.

Plain-English guides to growing vegetables and herbs on a budget: which crops actually save money, how to start cheaply in pots or a small bed, and how to keep the harvest coming all season.

What could I save? When to plant

One raised bed, one summer

  • Tomatoes, 4 plants$96
  • Salad greens$72
  • Basil and herbs$60
  • Zucchini, 2 plants$24
  • Bush beans$18

Store value $270Cost $95

An illustrative example. Harvests vary a lot with weather, soil and care.

Start with one of these

CalculatorGarden savingsWhat your harvest is worth against what it costs. CalendarWhen to plantBased on your last frost date. ChecklistFirst GardenFifteen steps from empty space to harvest.

15 grow-your-own guides

Getting started

What to grow

Spend less

Harvest and keep

Free download, no email needed

The Garden Savings Planner

Sketch your garden, set a budget, write down planting dates for your frost date and tally every harvest against store prices.

Get the free PDFSee the First Garden checklist

Coming soon

From empty space to first harvest

Backyard Harvest Course: six short video lessons for complete beginners: picking a spot, cheap containers and soil, what to grow, watering, pests, and harvesting and preserving.

$29 once, not a subscription. 30-day refund.

See the lessons