A fun economics lesson

Going over records, seeing prices in grocery stores, I came to a startling conclusion.
the biggest money saver is-herbs! and you don't even need a garden for herbs-just pots and a sunny place.

If you, like me, have to replace or grow some plants each year ( rosemary and oregano seem to die on me no matter what) then you might spend $20.If yours last better than mine, you might only buy what you don;t have-even less cost.

that;s about the cost of 4 or 5 jars of dry herbs. hm, pretty good trade off.Fresh,frozen and dried from your own plants , grown so you know no chemicals were involved..all good.

But if you like fresh herbs- and we do- buying those packages is about $3 each. And we use several kinds of herbs every week ( sage rosemary oregano thyme basil cilantro parsley dill ) our cost can be $15 a week,

But to be fair, I'll say $10/week. and 1/2 the year, or 26 weeks. That;s $260.

If we gather our herbs for 6 months, it means we have spent $20 and therefore, saved $240.

We actually-put herbs in the greenhouse, then move them in under a light for several months. We freeze basil or pesto. we get more than the $260 worth of herbs...so more than ten times our investment!

Add in the garlic. I figure we use at least 1 head a week, that's $2.00 every 3 weeks or about $34, figuring minimal needs. But I keep the seedstock, and still have about 40 heads to use.or..a minimum of $25 worth a year, and it;s flavorful varieties you just can;t buy in the grocery store.

Here's a  cheap way to use garlic-throw some cloves in a pot.( yup even those from the grocery store will usually grow) as the stems come up, pull them and use them instead of garlic, salads, stir fries-green garlic is good!Fresh garlic taste all winter!

You just can;t beat that with a stick!

Remember, pots or garden, to feed your herbs well. I know they say herbs don't need good soil-usually it's plants that don;t like a wet underside. a little bit of white rock mulch under the lavender ( I didn't even add that in-used in herb du provence and of course, smells wonderful cut for the house or used in sachets).but-use that compost, some organic fertilizer, whatever you use for veggie plants....they appreciate it.Water the rosemary only after it is dry. the others seem less fussy.

Some herbs are medicines, most attract butterflies and bees, and dotted through the garden they help keep bad bugs out ( we have almost zero bug damage this year. yes i was surprised.)

an herb garden can be right in your window or on your porch or deck....will provide you with excellent cooking tastes throughout the year, and even-saves money. Wahoo!