by Lenna Gonya

Created on: July 27, 2010   Last Updated: July 28, 2010

Some of the most expensive vegetables and fruits in the store can be grown right at home, in your back yard garden, or on your porch or deck. You don’t need to be an expert to save some money during the summer, or a professional gardener. Just plant a few plants and reap the rewards. You also do not need a farm, or even a large backyard, since urban gardeners do very well in limited space.  People have been doing this for centuries, and decades ago, it was the only choice you had.

While it is possible to get cans of vegetables and fruits at discount grocery stores for less than a dollar a can, you are still getting canned produce, possibly full of additives, and definitely not as tasty as fresh.

It is no surprise to any grocery shopper that a lot of the money spent on a weekly basis comes from buying fresh produce. Fruits and vegetables are notoriously expensive, and if you shop for the organic varieties, you know that these are often two or three times the price of other selections. While a lot of us would prefer organic products, the price is sometimes prohibitive.

Almost every vegetable that you can think of can be grown fairly easily at home. Not only will you have a ready supply of fresh produce during the growing season, you may just have enough to put up some for the winter months, and extend your savings even further.

Growing your own vegetables guarantees that you can go organic without the added expense, and since you are in control of what goes into your garden, you will be sure that they are as organic as you like.

You can start out small or large, plant a variety, or just your favorites, but in the long run, a few dollars worth of seeds or plants will save you a lot of money at the store. If you have extra, at the end of the season, so much the better. You can can, freeze, or dry it for future use.

Fruit trees and berries are easily grown, fun to pick, and delicious right off the tree or bush. Compare this backyard bounty to supermarket choices, and you will find no comparison in taste, freshness and expense.

More and more people are amazed at how easy it is to start growing edibles at home, and how much they end up saving by the end of the season.

Learn more about this author, Lenna Gonya.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.