I am in a UK poverty situation and most definitely in my first year my 2 plot allotment(since April 2021)has paid off - I only eat what I grow so no outgoing. Did inherit a polytunnel but plot was way overgrown. Mental health is great and able to donate weekly to food shelter extra Kale. Waiting for tomatoes, runner beans, onions and potatoes to harvest - have lots of squash for winter and do lots of canning. Healthy eating is so important to the health of society which money can't buy.
OH. I'm jumping into the conversation. This is a great topic and I've watched Steve's videos on this too. Hard to calculate are avoidable costs. Those costs you avoided because of your decision to grow your own. For example, you ate better, ate more veg (as you indicated) than you would have, got exercise and sun so therefore lowered your blood pressure or prevented it from rising thus reducing or avoiding higher healthcare costs. Another thing, the cost/profit of tomatoes are one thing but if you preserve your own tomato sauce, the savings would be higher. Then there is all the food you don't buy over winter because you've preserved veg, herbs, root crops, etc. The better you get at growing and the more you preserve, the higher the return on investment. Another thought. I'm no accountant but capital expenditures are typically "depreciated" over X years so that equipment cost should be divided that way. You actually earned more than you thought. Labor could be calculated at minimum wage; the cost of someone else doing the weeding, planting and harvesting. My comment is all a bit nerdy - just the way I like it lol. Another great video!
Taste of food, healthy exercise, produce that you can not buy anywhere, veggies and fruit picked at the peak of freshness, the pleasure of independence and watching things grow, saving your own seed, not having to go to the store to pay for food, giving excess away to friends and relatives, frozen produce and preserves made from the overflow = quality of life and who knows, or cares, how to value those things.
1. If your starting completely from scratch, on average it takes roughly 3yrs to break even. 2. If you include labour costs etc - you would have to do it on a larger scale growing your own & all year round where most are seasonal gardeners. 3. I save about £200 per year mainly down to fruit, fruit as per long term more than pays for itself & that includes jam making. Next year this should increase to £500 as I’m growing all year round salads. Mixed salad leaf bags have just gone up here to £1.50 per bag & a hearted lettuce up to 70p each. 4. Bonus - you get to try varieties you can’t buy in the shops. 5. You can’t buy flavour, freshness, skills & experience you learn.
I have eaten so many vegetables, that I thought I didn't like. Because I grew them. They taste nothing like how I remember them. Cabbage is one that springs to mind, delicious in a stir fry. So you are right, money wise it is not worth it but health wise there is no down side. Planning for the future when it is cold and dark in winter time, it is such a positive way to pass the time. I am a total convert.
This is such a good point!! I had the exact same experience with Purple Sprouting Broccoli! I usually hate brassicas, but fresh from the plot is such a nicer taste.
Gosh JB as usual you have explained everything so well. Very interesting vlog indeed. I never really thought about weighing up the costs however I will say that I used to spend a fortune on green onions, we absolutely adore them. I live in a small countryside village and do a lot of shopping in our wee village shop. They can really put the prices up but I like to give them some business. For a bunch of about 6 scallions it would cost me 90p and I could be buying at least 3 bunches a week. Now I have a raised bed and about 5 containers full of them so I think I am saving a wee bit there. I'm going to be more aware of this next year and take note. However like yourself, I do it because I love it so much..totally crap at it but I love nothing more than being out in the garden and sowing, digging, watering and harvesting wonky veg!! Really fantastic video JB and again thank you so much for taking the time to make it and share it with us. Have you ever seen a more laid back frog than Paulie??? Hahaha! PS. If your gardening goes pear shaped you could have a career in television presenting...you're a natural!!!
😊 I'm glad someone said hello to Paulie!!! Such a good approach to focus on something you know you're spending a lot of money on. Thank you so much for taking the time to comment ❤
Brilliant video. I'm not really growing anything at the moment but have some potatoes I'm growing from a couple that sprouted in the bag. I suppose the is it worth question is subjective. You can go out and spend a fortune on everything and you will never break even. Or you can do a lot on a budget. We are saving toilet roll tubes to grow beans in so can just plant out in the tube. We save plastic trays from like chicken to sow seeds in. You can save seeds from foods like tomatoes, peppers, etc you get from the supermarket. We are looking to do a mixture of foods we eat a lot of, potatoes, carrots etc and foods that are a bit more pricey like raspberries etc. Our motivation is not cost but supply, we have found some foods strawberries for example difficult to get in the supermarket.
Its an interesting topic, one where people think you do save money. But in reality probably break even. I grow for the enjoyment, environmental reasons and it makes me eat healthier. I set myself little goals each year, this year can I grow enough potatoes to not have to buy any for 6 months...I am currently 2 months in, I still have main crop to harvest and I have 2/3 weeks of earlys to use yet. Interesting that I have grown lots of spinach which I have enjoyed but would have never bought.
I thought that this was a really interesting vlog. We have a little 'strife' in our household as my wife wants us to grow things, but then never wants to harvest or eat them - until... We have actually discovered that what makes the garden interesting for us is to grow things that are difficult to find in the shops. EG our purple skinned beef tomato - it tastes divine and can't be bought anywhere. Growing cabbages and leeks seems not to use our space 'usefully' but interesting plants that give great pleasure give us 'the greatest payback'.
Thanks so much Gordon! I can really identify with that struggle. It's the worst when you put time and effort into making produce and you then end up having to throw some away. Completely agree about growing the more unusual things, and the things you love to eat!
If you've not grown them already I highly recommend giving winter salads a go, especially winter purslane, beni houshi mizuna and purple frills. They taste great, v nutritious, you can't buy them in the shops and they grow throughout a UK winter under cover.
Maximize your crops by planting in the winter also garlic, broccoli, beets, patato, carrots, lots of other vegetables can be grown getting few harvest in the year.
Storage and preserving. Everything I grow can be dried stored with the exception of tomatoes which I preserve as passata in saved jam jars. As you said, you can't put a price on enjoyment, plus the health benefits growing your own can bring in terms of fitness and well-being. In the UK the average gym membership costs are £500 per year. I know where I'd rather be.
Well done, really interesting video. Coming from an accountancy background, it's the intangible benefits that are sometimes impossible to allocate a value to. As others have commented - it's the enjoyment (and disappointments) doing it, it's the learning process that continually stimulates the mind, it can be the 'taste' value - which can be better (or worse) than bought stuff, and most importantly the whole social impact of what you do, whether that be with fellow growers, you tubers, and without wanting to sound weird, your relationship with the plants, nature, the soil, the many different types of organisms, etc. Anyway, sorry - this comment is way too long. Cheers...... Kevin.
100%!! One of the main reasons that I took on the plot was because I left an outdoors job for something more desk based, and I really missed that connection with the outdoors.
I did the same exercise on my gardening last year. Admittedly my garden is quite a bit larger than your average plot, but I calculated a fruit and veg value of A$1800, which is about GBP1000. That might sound like a lot, but I harvested about 200kg of veg and 60kg of fruit. For me, I am in big savings every year. As others have said, there is also value and savings in the health benefits of both the physical labour and the healthy food, and also avoiding other recreation costs as gardening is our recreation. But I am not in it for the savings. I am in it for the joy of growing stuff, and getting the healthiest fruit and veg you can get!
It's 100% doable! If you've got lots of experience, lots of scale and time to keep on top of things! Did you see Steve's video that I linked at the start? He reckons he makes 5 figures in harvests - which I wouldn't have believed if he didn't show off his incredible harvests! But like you say, that's not why most do it 😃
Great video and i agree its not about money other things have to be looked at [Labour cost] i believe the free exercise i get cancels out the cost [Mental] the allotment community is priceless [fertiliser] my main fertilisers are comfrey and nettle tea which is free [Tools] I prefer to receive vouchers as Christmas/Birthday presents so that sort of makes them free i could go on and on but the greatest pleasure for me is providing food for the family grown from a tiny seed to maturity
Yes!! These are all great points which I actually recorded and had to cut for run time!! Now at Christmas instead of useless tat people buy me bags of compost 😂 I make my own compost teas as well 😊
loved this video... I am low income. (live in US). I am given an allowance each month for groceries from the government. I watch every dime. They encourage us to go to local farmers markets in the summer. But organic farmers markets are expensive. Last year, before my tomatoes were ripe, I went to the local farmer market and bought ONE tomatoe= $3.00 ! ( yummy )But it cost my 3 of my precious free dollars. We had a record breaking hot summer in Oregon (116 degrees!) And no rain Mar.-Oct. I had the most tomatoes EVER from old 2016 seeds.....but my water bill was $100 more than usual last summer. It's all how you look at it........right ?
Yes!! I'm so glad you enjoyed it. Sorry you're in that position, I've been there before. Fresh fruit and veg is expensive as it is, let alone if you're trying to get organic produce.
When Australia went from Black Summer bushfires to "once in 100 year floods" happening every few months, the price of fruit and vegetables (along with most other groceries) sky-rocketed. A head of iceberg lettuce, normally AUD$2-4 depending on season and demand, were AUD$12 at the supermarket! Everyone was gobsmacked. Overnight lettuce became a luxury 😥 I think that was the year I got myself a little indoor 'kitchen' garden kit (hydroponics) and started growing lettuce in it. No regrets - that lettuce was delicious (a variety called Amish Deer Tongue that you'd certainly never see in a greengrocer or supermarket), and best of all, we only used what we needed, when we needed it, and then there was the excitement of watching it grow the next family meal's worth of lettuce while we were in lockdown. I still have the kit and although I'm currently using it to grow catgrass (my cat greatly adores having his own salad bar 😹), I will be turning it back into producing salads and herbs for me through the dreary months ahead.
I mean, if it saves you some money, that's awesome but I don't do it just for that. I do it cause it's fun, and I thoroughly enjoy it. Honestly, I'm pretty sure I'm not going to save any money, at least not this first year. I just spent too much on the initial purchases. Or as you put it, my capital expenditure was too high 🧐(that's my fancy monocle guy emoji, he's feeling fancy after saying capital expenditure haha😂 That's probably my favorite emoji of all time lol he's just so awesome 🧐). Maybe next year, I'll save some or possibly, and that's a big possibly, later this year when I start some cool season crops, I'll finally catch up with my expenses. But to be honest, I think it will be a couple of years before it finally catches up with my initial expense and finally pays for itself.
Great video, JB. There’s no way the £’s spent growing my own fruit/veg is cheaper than buying in the store. But I try to grow year round fresh. And enough onions, potatoes, tomatoes, jalapeños and garlic to last a year. Another factor to consider is the value added of seasonal food that’s not available in the store. Eg runner beans, usually prolific in one’s own garden, haven’t even left the fields for the stores these last few years. Burned in situ because they’re not straight enough or will bend during transport in the heat. Ridiculously high prices too seeing as how prolific beans grow in even the smallest of spaces. Must say, I was thankful to have my layers last year. Eggs every day during lockdown.
Great video about the cost of running an allotment. I haven't had to buy seeds this year because last year I subscribed to a few gardening magazines which gave me a lot of seeds and I have been trying to use them up and will continue to use them. I no longer subscribe to those magazines. The potatoes I have grown have given me more than the biggest supermarket bags and have tasted better and the cost of growing them along with onions, garlic and salad crops I think it's worth it even for the enjoyment.
The apprentice never makes as much as the master! Once you work out your crop balance ETC and get more proficient the numbers will improve. Labour isn't a factor when it is the experience of doing it that's the point. Its a pastime, a physical workout and mentally cathartic and who puts a cost to these (priceless) things?
Completely agree! I tried to make it clear I was talking about Labour in a very specific circumstance - when poor people are told they can save money by growing their own as if its simple, easy and free! Thanks very much 😊
Top notch video dude! Packed full of important detail and very well thought out. You’ve got some really interesting opinions at the end which are insightful and got me thinking! Awesome! 👍👏
You did a good job calculating all the costs! I never make notes on my spendings, I couldn't have done that. I take care only of two greenhouses and I'm doing it because I like it, not to spend less money.
Fantastic video, your conclusion that we garden because we love it, and it goes far beyond a cost analysis is bang on. My "capital investments" have been insane these last couple of years, but as you say, these are investments that will hopefully be fruitful for decades. I've spent probably 1k+ on my greenhouse, and so far maybe harvested about 30 quids worth of produce. lol
Funny enough I don’t worry nor track any costs as I garden simply for fun and harvesting is just a bonus. But yes I’m sure there are people that need to track. ✌️🇨🇦🐝 sharing
I have just sown 2 varieties of leek seed today haha, no idea if they will work out because it does say to sow in spring, however, I did read online that you can sow them summer and autumn. I've picked varieties Below-Zero and Northern Lights which are frost hardy so will be interesting to see how they'll do! :) I've sown 10 of each and if they do work and I get they who lot, I'm going to be batch cooking leek and potato soup as I spend a lot of money on buying soup (I love it all year round and have it usually 2-4 times a week) so that will be be worthwhile doing if they are successful, also hoping my tomatoes and peppers are going to ripen, not had a single ripe one yet, but still time.
Great video! I was shocked how little you spend on the seeds! Makes me feel like a big spender! I think if you do compare to the supermarket prices, organic price per kg probably would be the most accurate to use (vs maybe what non-organic costs but we all know there is more value in organic veg/fruit). I did think your tomato £ was a bit on a low side. I find that because we don't have a gym nearby, the labour=gym so anything I spend on the allotment is basically my membership price. I used to spend £1000 a year on membership alone... You definitely were lucky with all the tools that you had. We had nothing in the shed so did spend a bit on the tools. And of course.. Mantis. Will be a decade to recover that capital cost :D I was just saying to Pete, I'm getting no luck with broccoli and kale so if you accept seed donations, I'm more than happy to give those to you for next season. You seem to have better luck growing them!
You do have a fantastically productive plot though!! Get a lot more produce than I've managed to get. I got my seeds from seed parade which is super budget friendly, but they only come in tiny little plastic baggies, no instructions or fancy labels! Thank you for the seed offers, i'll chat with Pete! 😊
The garden gets more "profitable" the longer you garden, if you focus on perennials and take note on which annual varieties are the most prolific in your area and save seeds. There are also more costs when you preserve: water, electricity and gas if you do any canning, jams, dehydrating,... So money wise not the best investment, but in terms of health both physical and mental and the taste of your harvest, I'd say gardening is worth it!
Such an interesting video. You've given me a lot to think about. I'm going to go away and look at what I've spent this year. There is an argument for why growing your own is actually super beneficial to those in poverty that I could expand upon. I'll try to gather my thoughts together and get back to you. Thanks for sharing your financial breakdown for this year.
Being out in the open fresh air down your lungs a good days graft and the taste.. oh the taste theres no comparison to sprayed tasteless super market rubbish. The pleasure and well being far outways costs I m organic with my growing so much healthier and enjoy giveing fruit and veg to family and friends aswel. Great vid always look forward to your next o e take care buddy all the best.
Taste of the home grown produce and the freshness is key. I can pick and cook veg within an hour or two. There is amazing flavours from freshly picked veg. I’ve tried organic veg boxes and the flavour was poor in comparison to my own fresh produce. Can’t put a price tag on that 🤩
You never mentioned any of the health benefits. Good nutritional food, healthy exercise, the mental health benefits to being outside, doing something that makes you happy, with a lowering of stress levels etc ..... somethings are just not quantifiable with a monetary value, but they are still worth counting when deciding if something is worth doing.
Hi Andrea thank you so much! That's really sweet of you to say. Taken a little break recently just because there's so much on and I was away seeing friends last weekend for the first time in basically two years 😁😁 should have an update video for everyone this Sunday 😁
It's a great point! Nothing beats being able to pop out into the garden and harvest some fresh greens, or the joy of eating a sun-warmed tomato straight from the plant.. I'm getting hungry now!
Well done, good vid. I think the fairest way of calculating the value of produce is my estimating the reduction in your weekly grocery bill. Unfortunately when I started to do this it quickly became obvious that saving money is a pipe dream, even without labour costs! Like you conclude, it's best just to treat the whole thing as an inexpensive hobby that gives you some delicious produce with known inputs. Oh by the way, your "mystery thing" = onion hoe :)
Laughing a lot, I didn't know it was called an onion hoe, but that's exactly how I've been using it! Really handy in the tighter spaces like a strawberry bed as well. Thanks so much! Like you say, an inexpensive hobby that adds convenience at harvest time, keeps you fit and healthy, and gives you the chance to grow some varieties that taste 100* better than anything you can buy from the supermarket 😁
I think it can if you eat what you grow! Lol I know lots of fokes that won’t eat what they grow as it’s not what they are used to or they don’t grow what they like
Yes it’s not cost effective, certainly not in the beginning however you know where your food has come from and what goes Into it’s production. Also there are no real transport costs which is better for the planet , good for mental health much cheaper than a psychiatrist 😂
haha very true!! It's definitely cost effective for some people, it just takes a bit of dedication if you want to do it that way. I know Terry King has a brilliant channel which is very 'budget' focused.
I mean, if it saves you some money, that's awesome but I don't do it just for that. I do it cause it's fun, and I thoroughly enjoy it. Honestly, I'm pretty sure I'm not going to save any money, at least not this first year. I just spent too much on the initial purchases. Or as you put it, my capital expenditure was too high 🧐(that's my fancy monocle guy emoji, he's feeling fancy after saying capital expenditure haha😂 That's probably my favorite emoji of all time lol he's just so awesome 🧐). Maybe next year, I'll save some or possibly, and that's a big possibly, later this year when I start some cool season crops, I'll finally catch up with my expenses. But to be honest, I think it will be a couple of years before it finally catches up with my initial expense and finally pays for itself. But I'm okay with that cause I didn't start just for that reason. I started because I like the process of gardening and growing, also I can grow specific varieties we like and exotic chili's that you would never find in a store, I know you can definitely relate to that one. Also, I'm growing four mango trees of 3 different varieties, a blue java banana tree, and a giant white babcock peach tree. I started mainly to grow things I like but can't find easily. Mangoes are so inconsistent in the store and when you get a good fiberless, creamy sweet one its amazing, so I researched mangoes and bought some that are of the fiberfless variety and very sweet, plus having one that actually ripened on the tree vs being picked green and ripened off of the tree is night and day. So that's my biggest motivation of growing. Saving money is just a cool bonus that hopefully will start happening in a couple of grow seasons.
I am in a UK poverty situation and most definitely in my first year my 2 plot allotment(since April 2021)has paid off - I only eat what I grow so no outgoing. Did inherit a polytunnel but plot was way overgrown. Mental health is great and able to donate weekly to food shelter extra Kale. Waiting for tomatoes, runner beans, onions and potatoes to harvest - have lots of squash for winter and do lots of canning. Healthy eating is so important to the health of society which money can't buy.
That's fantastic! You must have worked really hard to keep your costs down and your harvests healthy!!
OH. I'm jumping into the conversation. This is a great topic and I've watched Steve's videos on this too. Hard to calculate are avoidable costs. Those costs you avoided because of your decision to grow your own. For example, you ate better, ate more veg (as you indicated) than you would have, got exercise and sun so therefore lowered your blood pressure or prevented it from rising thus reducing or avoiding higher healthcare costs. Another thing, the cost/profit of tomatoes are one thing but if you preserve your own tomato sauce, the savings would be higher. Then there is all the food you don't buy over winter because you've preserved veg, herbs, root crops, etc. The better you get at growing and the more you preserve, the higher the return on investment. Another thought. I'm no accountant but capital expenditures are typically "depreciated" over X years so that equipment cost should be divided that way. You actually earned more than you thought. Labor could be calculated at minimum wage; the cost of someone else doing the weeding, planting and harvesting. My comment is all a bit nerdy - just the way I like it lol. Another great video!
I have to say that I’ve never enjoyed a gardening video as much as this one. I’m still grinning! 🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦👍❤️
😍 Thank you for all your lovely comments Frances, I really appreciate them
Taste of food, healthy exercise, produce that you can not buy anywhere, veggies and fruit picked at the peak of freshness, the pleasure of independence and watching things grow, saving your own seed, not having to go to the store to pay for food, giving excess away to friends and relatives, frozen produce and preserves made from the overflow = quality of life and who knows, or cares, how to value those things.
All very true!!
1. If your starting completely from scratch, on average it takes roughly 3yrs to break even.
2. If you include labour costs etc - you would have to do it on a larger scale growing your own & all year round where most are seasonal gardeners.
3. I save about £200 per year mainly down to fruit, fruit as per long term more than pays for itself & that includes jam making. Next year this should increase to £500 as I’m growing all year round salads. Mixed salad leaf bags have just gone up here to £1.50 per bag & a hearted lettuce up to 70p each.
4. Bonus - you get to try varieties you can’t buy in the shops.
5. You can’t buy flavour, freshness, skills & experience you learn.
It’s definitely a labour of love, but to feed your family on veg you’ve grown makes it worth it 🌱
100% agree! You can't put a price on the satisfaction of sitting down and eating what you've grown yourself 😁
I have eaten so many vegetables, that I thought I didn't like. Because I grew them. They taste nothing like how I remember them. Cabbage is one that springs to mind, delicious in a stir fry. So you are right, money wise it is not worth it but health wise there is no down side. Planning for the future when it is cold and dark in winter time, it is such a positive way to pass the time. I am a total convert.
This is such a good point!! I had the exact same experience with Purple Sprouting Broccoli! I usually hate brassicas, but fresh from the plot is such a nicer taste.
So right! Subsistence farming is hard work if you totally rely on it! The value is in the pleasure of doing it :)
The taste of homegrown plus the pure enjoyment of growing your own is priceless. Thanks for a fab video, just subscribed! :)
Thanks so much for subbing! Hope you enjoy 😀
Gosh JB as usual you have explained everything so well. Very interesting vlog indeed. I never really thought about weighing up the costs however I will say that I used to spend a fortune on green onions, we absolutely adore them. I live in a small countryside village and do a lot of shopping in our wee village shop. They can really put the prices up but I like to give them some business. For a bunch of about 6 scallions it would cost me 90p and I could be buying at least 3 bunches a week. Now I have a raised bed and about 5 containers full of them so I think I am saving a wee bit there. I'm going to be more aware of this next year and take note. However like yourself, I do it because I love it so much..totally crap at it but I love nothing more than being out in the garden and sowing, digging, watering and harvesting wonky veg!! Really fantastic video JB and again thank you so much for taking the time to make it and share it with us. Have you ever seen a more laid back frog than Paulie??? Hahaha!
PS. If your gardening goes pear shaped you could have a career in television presenting...you're a natural!!!
😊 I'm glad someone said hello to Paulie!!! Such a good approach to focus on something you know you're spending a lot of money on. Thank you so much for taking the time to comment ❤
Great topic to discuss. I'll comment later. I've just stopped for a cuppa and I'm literally just off to the allotment!
Brilliant video. I'm not really growing anything at the moment but have some potatoes I'm growing from a couple that sprouted in the bag. I suppose the is it worth question is subjective. You can go out and spend a fortune on everything and you will never break even. Or you can do a lot on a budget. We are saving toilet roll tubes to grow beans in so can just plant out in the tube. We save plastic trays from like chicken to sow seeds in. You can save seeds from foods like tomatoes, peppers, etc you get from the supermarket. We are looking to do a mixture of foods we eat a lot of, potatoes, carrots etc and foods that are a bit more pricey like raspberries etc. Our motivation is not cost but supply, we have found some foods strawberries for example difficult to get in the supermarket.
Its an interesting topic, one where people think you do save money. But in reality probably break even.
I grow for the enjoyment, environmental reasons and it makes me eat healthier. I set myself little goals each year, this year can I grow enough potatoes to not have to buy any for 6 months...I am currently 2 months in, I still have main crop to harvest and I have 2/3 weeks of earlys to use yet.
Interesting that I have grown lots of spinach which I have enjoyed but would have never bought.
I thought that this was a really interesting vlog. We have a little 'strife' in our household as my wife wants us to grow things, but then never wants to harvest or eat them - until... We have actually discovered that what makes the garden interesting for us is to grow things that are difficult to find in the shops. EG our purple skinned beef tomato - it tastes divine and can't be bought anywhere. Growing cabbages and leeks seems not to use our space 'usefully' but interesting plants that give great pleasure give us 'the greatest payback'.
Thanks so much Gordon! I can really identify with that struggle. It's the worst when you put time and effort into making produce and you then end up having to throw some away. Completely agree about growing the more unusual things, and the things you love to eat!
If you've not grown them already I highly recommend giving winter salads a go, especially winter purslane, beni houshi mizuna and purple frills. They taste great, v nutritious, you can't buy them in the shops and they grow throughout a UK winter under cover.
Maximize your crops by planting in the winter also garlic, broccoli, beets, patato, carrots, lots of other vegetables can be grown getting few harvest in the year.
Storage and preserving. Everything I grow can be dried stored with the exception of tomatoes which I preserve as passata in saved jam jars. As you said, you can't put a price on enjoyment, plus the health benefits growing your own can bring in terms of fitness and well-being. In the UK the average gym membership costs are £500 per year. I know where I'd rather be.
Well done, really interesting video.
Coming from an accountancy background, it's the intangible benefits that are sometimes impossible to allocate a value to.
As others have commented - it's the enjoyment (and disappointments) doing it, it's the learning process that continually stimulates the mind, it can be the 'taste' value - which can be better (or worse) than bought stuff, and most importantly the whole social impact of what you do, whether that be with fellow growers, you tubers, and without wanting to sound weird, your relationship with the plants, nature, the soil, the many different types of organisms, etc.
Anyway, sorry - this comment is way too long.
Cheers...... Kevin.
100%!! One of the main reasons that I took on the plot was because I left an outdoors job for something more desk based, and I really missed that connection with the outdoors.
I did the same exercise on my gardening last year. Admittedly my garden is quite a bit larger than your average plot, but I calculated a fruit and veg value of A$1800, which is about GBP1000. That might sound like a lot, but I harvested about 200kg of veg and 60kg of fruit. For me, I am in big savings every year. As others have said, there is also value and savings in the health benefits of both the physical labour and the healthy food, and also avoiding other recreation costs as gardening is our recreation. But I am not in it for the savings. I am in it for the joy of growing stuff, and getting the healthiest fruit and veg you can get!
It's 100% doable! If you've got lots of experience, lots of scale and time to keep on top of things! Did you see Steve's video that I linked at the start? He reckons he makes 5 figures in harvests - which I wouldn't have believed if he didn't show off his incredible harvests! But like you say, that's not why most do it 😃
Great video and i agree its not about money other things have to be looked at [Labour cost] i believe the free exercise i get cancels out the cost [Mental] the allotment community is priceless [fertiliser] my main fertilisers are comfrey and nettle tea which is free [Tools] I prefer to receive vouchers as Christmas/Birthday presents so that sort of makes them free i could go on and on but the greatest pleasure for me is providing food for the family grown from a tiny seed to maturity
Yes!! These are all great points which I actually recorded and had to cut for run time!! Now at Christmas instead of useless tat people buy me bags of compost 😂 I make my own compost teas as well 😊
Interesting! My costs are less but only because I've had the plot for 14 years!
loved this video... I am low income. (live in US). I am given an allowance each month for groceries from the government. I watch every dime. They encourage us to go to local farmers markets in the summer. But organic farmers markets are expensive. Last year, before my tomatoes were ripe, I went to the local farmer market and bought ONE tomatoe= $3.00 ! ( yummy )But it cost my 3 of my precious free dollars. We had a record breaking hot summer in Oregon (116 degrees!) And no rain Mar.-Oct. I had the most tomatoes EVER from old 2016 seeds.....but my water bill was $100 more than usual last summer. It's all how you look at it........right ?
Yes!! I'm so glad you enjoyed it. Sorry you're in that position, I've been there before. Fresh fruit and veg is expensive as it is, let alone if you're trying to get organic produce.
When Australia went from Black Summer bushfires to "once in 100 year floods" happening every few months, the price of fruit and vegetables (along with most other groceries) sky-rocketed. A head of iceberg lettuce, normally AUD$2-4 depending on season and demand, were AUD$12 at the supermarket!
Everyone was gobsmacked. Overnight lettuce became a luxury 😥
I think that was the year I got myself a little indoor 'kitchen' garden kit (hydroponics) and started growing lettuce in it. No regrets - that lettuce was delicious (a variety called Amish Deer Tongue that you'd certainly never see in a greengrocer or supermarket), and best of all, we only used what we needed, when we needed it, and then there was the excitement of watching it grow the next family meal's worth of lettuce while we were in lockdown.
I still have the kit and although I'm currently using it to grow catgrass (my cat greatly adores having his own salad bar 😹), I will be turning it back into producing salads and herbs for me through the dreary months ahead.
I mean, if it saves you some money, that's awesome but I don't do it just for that. I do it cause it's fun, and I thoroughly enjoy it. Honestly, I'm pretty sure I'm not going to save any money, at least not this first year. I just spent too much on the initial purchases. Or as you put it, my capital expenditure was too high 🧐(that's my fancy monocle guy emoji, he's feeling fancy after saying capital expenditure haha😂 That's probably my favorite emoji of all time lol he's just so awesome 🧐). Maybe next year, I'll save some or possibly, and that's a big possibly, later this year when I start some cool season crops, I'll finally catch up with my expenses. But to be honest, I think it will be a couple of years before it finally catches up with my initial expense and finally pays for itself.
Great video, JB. There’s no way the £’s spent growing my own fruit/veg is cheaper than buying in the store. But I try to grow year round fresh. And enough onions, potatoes, tomatoes, jalapeños and garlic to last a year. Another factor to consider is the value added of seasonal food that’s not available in the store. Eg runner beans, usually prolific in one’s own garden, haven’t even left the fields for the stores these last few years. Burned in situ because they’re not straight enough or will bend during transport in the heat. Ridiculously high prices too seeing as how prolific beans grow in even the smallest of spaces.
Must say, I was thankful to have my layers last year. Eggs every day during lockdown.
Great video about the cost of running an allotment. I haven't had to buy seeds this year because last year I subscribed to a few gardening magazines which gave me a lot of seeds and I have been trying to use them up and will continue to use them. I no longer subscribe to those magazines. The potatoes I have grown have given me more than the biggest supermarket bags and have tasted better and the cost of growing them along with onions, garlic and salad crops I think it's worth it even for the enjoyment.
Exactly where I got most of my seeds this year! Someone bought me 6 months of a magazine subscription for christmas 😃
The apprentice never makes as much as the master! Once you work out your crop balance ETC and get more proficient the numbers will improve. Labour isn't a factor when it is the experience of doing it that's the point. Its a pastime, a physical workout and mentally cathartic and who puts a cost to these (priceless) things?
Completely agree! I tried to make it clear I was talking about Labour in a very specific circumstance - when poor people are told they can save money by growing their own as if its simple, easy and free!
Thanks very much 😊
Top notch video dude! Packed full of important detail and very well thought out. You’ve got some really interesting opinions at the end which are insightful and got me thinking! Awesome! 👍👏
Thanks so much Niall!
Superb superb superb. Stunning video idea JB. Love it.
😀😀😀😀
Thanks Eli!
You did a good job calculating all the costs! I never make notes on my spendings, I couldn't have done that.
I take care only of two greenhouses and I'm doing it because I like it, not to spend less money.
Fantastic video, your conclusion that we garden because we love it, and it goes far beyond a cost analysis is bang on. My "capital investments" have been insane these last couple of years, but as you say, these are investments that will hopefully be fruitful for decades. I've spent probably 1k+ on my greenhouse, and so far maybe harvested about 30 quids worth of produce. lol
Thank you so much Marc. Like you say, I don't really think you can put a price on the joy that a greenhouse can bring!
Funny enough I don’t worry nor track any costs as I garden simply for fun and harvesting is just a bonus. But yes I’m sure there are people that need to track. ✌️🇨🇦🐝 sharing
I have just sown 2 varieties of leek seed today haha, no idea if they will work out because it does say to sow in spring, however, I did read online that you can sow them summer and autumn. I've picked varieties Below-Zero and Northern Lights which are frost hardy so will be interesting to see how they'll do! :)
I've sown 10 of each and if they do work and I get they who lot, I'm going to be batch cooking leek and potato soup as I spend a lot of money on buying soup (I love it all year round and have it usually 2-4 times a week) so that will be be worthwhile doing if they are successful, also hoping my tomatoes and peppers are going to ripen, not had a single ripe one yet, but still time.
1K views in 3 days, you absolutely love to see it 🔥
Great video! I was shocked how little you spend on the seeds! Makes me feel like a big spender! I think if you do compare to the supermarket prices, organic price per kg probably would be the most accurate to use (vs maybe what non-organic costs but we all know there is more value in organic veg/fruit). I did think your tomato £ was a bit on a low side. I find that because we don't have a gym nearby, the labour=gym so anything I spend on the allotment is basically my membership price. I used to spend £1000 a year on membership alone... You definitely were lucky with all the tools that you had. We had nothing in the shed so did spend a bit on the tools. And of course.. Mantis. Will be a decade to recover that capital cost :D I was just saying to Pete, I'm getting no luck with broccoli and kale so if you accept seed donations, I'm more than happy to give those to you for next season. You seem to have better luck growing them!
You do have a fantastically productive plot though!! Get a lot more produce than I've managed to get. I got my seeds from seed parade which is super budget friendly, but they only come in tiny little plastic baggies, no instructions or fancy labels! Thank you for the seed offers, i'll chat with Pete! 😊
The garden gets more "profitable" the longer you garden, if you focus on perennials and take note on which annual varieties are the most prolific in your area and save seeds. There are also more costs when you preserve: water, electricity and gas if you do any canning, jams, dehydrating,... So money wise not the best investment, but in terms of health both physical and mental and the taste of your harvest, I'd say gardening is worth it!
Really good points! Heartily agree with you
Such an interesting video. You've given me a lot to think about. I'm going to go away and look at what I've spent this year. There is an argument for why growing your own is actually super beneficial to those in poverty that I could expand upon. I'll try to gather my thoughts together and get back to you. Thanks for sharing your financial breakdown for this year.
Thanks very much! Really glad you enjoyed.
Being out in the open fresh air down your lungs a good days graft and the taste.. oh the taste theres no comparison to sprayed tasteless super market rubbish. The pleasure and well being far outways costs
I m organic with my growing so much healthier and enjoy giveing fruit and veg to family and friends aswel. Great vid always look forward to your next o e take care buddy all the best.
Taste of the home grown produce and the freshness is key. I can pick and cook veg within an hour or two. There is amazing flavours from freshly picked veg. I’ve tried organic veg boxes and the flavour was poor in comparison to my own fresh produce. Can’t put a price tag on that 🤩
Great video 👍👍👍
£30 plot rent lucky you! I have a tiny 3m x 5m rectangle and pay over £50 a year
Ouch!!
You never mentioned any of the health benefits. Good nutritional food, healthy exercise, the mental health benefits to being outside, doing something that makes you happy, with a lowering of stress levels etc ..... somethings are just not quantifiable with a monetary value, but they are still worth counting when deciding if something is worth doing.
Wow super video.. My Best Wishes - Best Cook Amma
When are you going to start reading audible stories?? 😍😍
Hope you’re ok JB , missing your videos x
Hi Andrea thank you so much! That's really sweet of you to say. Taken a little break recently just because there's so much on and I was away seeing friends last weekend for the first time in basically two years 😁😁 should have an update video for everyone this Sunday 😁
Surely one figure to factor in is how much you previously spent in a year on fruit and veg
Did you factor in the convenience cut and come salads/fresh annual herbs and maybe a tumble tomato plant that you grew at home?
It's a great point! Nothing beats being able to pop out into the garden and harvest some fresh greens, or the joy of eating a sun-warmed tomato straight from the plant..
I'm getting hungry now!
Well done, good vid. I think the fairest way of calculating the value of produce is my estimating the reduction in your weekly grocery bill. Unfortunately when I started to do this it quickly became obvious that saving money is a pipe dream, even without labour costs! Like you conclude, it's best just to treat the whole thing as an inexpensive hobby that gives you some delicious produce with known inputs.
Oh by the way, your "mystery thing" = onion hoe :)
Laughing a lot, I didn't know it was called an onion hoe, but that's exactly how I've been using it! Really handy in the tighter spaces like a strawberry bed as well.
Thanks so much! Like you say, an inexpensive hobby that adds convenience at harvest time, keeps you fit and healthy, and gives you the chance to grow some varieties that taste 100* better than anything you can buy from the supermarket 😁
I think it can if you eat what you grow! Lol I know lots of fokes that won’t eat what they grow as it’s not what they are used to or they don’t grow what they like
Grow more chillis (giant jalapeños)tomatoes (mountain merit). they are the most profitable.
Yes it’s not cost effective, certainly not in the beginning however you know where your food has come from and what goes Into it’s production. Also there are no real transport costs which is better for the planet , good for mental health much cheaper than a psychiatrist 😂
haha very true!! It's definitely cost effective for some people, it just takes a bit of dedication if you want to do it that way. I know Terry King has a brilliant channel which is very 'budget' focused.
I only eat my own fruit and veg, No sprayed food in my house
I mean, if it saves you some money, that's awesome but I don't do it just for that. I do it cause it's fun, and I thoroughly enjoy it. Honestly, I'm pretty sure I'm not going to save any money, at least not this first year. I just spent too much on the initial purchases. Or as you put it, my capital expenditure was too high 🧐(that's my fancy monocle guy emoji, he's feeling fancy after saying capital expenditure haha😂 That's probably my favorite emoji of all time lol he's just so awesome 🧐). Maybe next year, I'll save some or possibly, and that's a big possibly, later this year when I start some cool season crops, I'll finally catch up with my expenses. But to be honest, I think it will be a couple of years before it finally catches up with my initial expense and finally pays for itself. But I'm okay with that cause I didn't start just for that reason. I started because I like the process of gardening and growing, also I can grow specific varieties we like and exotic chili's that you would never find in a store, I know you can definitely relate to that one. Also, I'm growing four mango trees of 3 different varieties, a blue java banana tree, and a giant white babcock peach tree. I started mainly to grow things I like but can't find easily. Mangoes are so inconsistent in the store and when you get a good fiberless, creamy sweet one its amazing, so I researched mangoes and bought some that are of the fiberfless variety and very sweet, plus having one that actually ripened on the tree vs being picked green and ripened off of the tree is night and day. So that's my biggest motivation of growing. Saving money is just a cool bonus that hopefully will start happening in a couple of grow seasons.