The $3.73 Tomato

I’m going to give raising at least a few of my own vegetables and herbs a try again this year.  I managed to get parsley and cilantro in seed pots for both myself, and as part of a Mother’s Day gift for my MIL. I hope I didn’t start too late, and at least something pokes it’s head above the dirt line.  I gave two weeks.  I also am braving things again and started three tomato plants and three pepper plants using an organic seed starter.  I followed the direction on the little package, and now am crossing my fingers that something will come, and I can transfer to bigger containers.  I’m not even attempting the ground this year. 

That is how ignorant I am about gardening.  I have tried off and on, always unsuccessfully, to do a little vegetable patch.  I’ve either planted too close, and the vines strangle the other plants, or I’ve failed to water enough or watered too much, or I’ve let the weeds take over.  There are jokes a plenty about how a single zucchini seed can feed a small country.  It is a good thing I am not the gardener in that country as I’ve never gotten more than a couple spindly looking things. Last year though, I did mange one healthy looking tomato plant.  I even put some wire and sticks to get it to stand out, and the plant produced three lovely, firm, juicy tomatoes, and two smaller, but still tasty ones.  We savored one sliced on bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich, and two others on hamburgers. The small ones came with me to work and were eaten with salt and pepper, alongside a hardboiled egg for lunch.  They were an expensive indulgence though.

$3.45 bag of top soil

$1.29 wire and sticks

$3.90 three tomato plants

$8.64  Total

$1.73 per tomato  Ok, I exagerated a but in my title but the point is clear.

I bought many more last summer at a local farm stand. The farm stand price per tomato varied between 3 for $1.00 and $1.00 a tomato, depending on supply and demand in the growing season. Yes, I could go bankrupt continuing my gardening delusion. I still take a little pride in my attempt, and think there was something satisfying in eating the ones grown myself. I’m giving the gardening container a try.  So far I have $6.00 invested in the seed starts for the tomatoes and peppers.  I will need some good soil when it is time to move to bigger pots, so probably another $3.00 or so. I will consider a return of 6 tomatoes and 6 peppers a success!