$3.99 for a red pepper? The cost of produce is outrageous!

[ducklite]

Anne, are those potted plants inside your covered lanai? They look like they are. If I plant anything, I think I'd do it inside the lanai as well. I wonder if they will get enough sun, though Our lanai is a covered porch, so the ceiling is a regular roof and the sides are screen.

Yes, they are in pots inside the lanai. Minimal weed problems (I just pulled the first one today) andkeeps the bugs away too! My lanai is like yours, covered porch. It faces east, so they get lots of full morning sun. They seem to be thriving. I give each pot a quarter turn each week. It also keeps the really driving rain from pounding them having them "inside."

My other option would be to plant the seeds in the planter area around the lanai (instead of the usual flowers). I would have to contend with weeds and pests if I did so, though the plants would get much more sun there. I honestly can't believe that I'm posting about planting a garden when I managed to kill some of our mature landscaping recently by "pruning" it. My brown thumb is legendary If it saves me $3.99 a pepper, though, I can learn to garden!

I can't grow anything outside of the lanai per my HOA regs. Of all the things I"m growing, the peppers and basil is the most tempermental. Basil gets annoyed if you don't prune it (use the leaves) regularly. I use a lot of fresh basil when I cook, and that is VERY expensive. You can buy a plant for the cost of a sleeve of basil, and as long as you snip off leaves regularly, it will love you!

Anne

 

[lillygator]

You planted pineapples in your own garden??? How do you do that? That is so cool! Man, pineapples are usually so expensive that I hardly ever buy them fresh. I found them for $2.99 each at BJ's a week ago, though

they are so easy! All you do is pull off the top and twist it into the ground or dirt in a pot..no real planting at all. At one point we had over 600 plants....(DH manages a grocery store and when they cut up the pineapple he would bring the tops home) We have found they do infact produce more than one fruit and fruit as quickly as a year. We used to put rotten apple cores in the center to get them to fruit faster but now don't have the time...so they just get watered. We visited a pineapple plantation in Jamaica and DH was in heaven.


The grapes came from DH's uncle in Ohio...he started them and kept them for a year and then they came down with DH's parents when they came back. They are doing surprisingly well.

 

[HelenePA]

WOW I can't believe how much some of you are paying for veggies... do you have a local farmers market? Here is what I got for 10$ (small tip included) 4.5 pound of vine ripe tomatoes (they were .75 for TWO pounds!!), 4 green peppers, 2 bags of baby carrots, 3 bags of large carrots, 4 cucumbers, a bag of grapes seedless (about 1.5 pounds) strawberries, sweet onions (2.5 pounds), small basket of sweet potatoes, small basket of green apples I also went back for a seedless watermelon for 2.75

this will last about 3 days in my house... I go at least 2 times a week. At my walmart the tomatoes alone are 2.99 a POUND! I'd have to feed my kids crap if I didn't shop at my farmers market.

 

[ilovejack02]

WOW I can't believe how much some of you are paying for veggies... do you have a local farmers market? Here is what I got for 10$ (small tip included) 4.5 pound of vine ripe tomatoes (they were .75 for TWO pounds!!), 4 green peppers, 2 bags of baby carrots, 3 bags of large carrots, 4 cucumbers, a bag of grapes seedless (about 1.5 pounds) strawberries, sweet onions (2.5 pounds), small basket of sweet potatoes, small basket of green apples I also went back for a seedless watermelon for 2.75

this will last about 3 days in my house... I go at least 2 times a week. At my walmart the tomatoes alone are 2.99 a POUND! I'd have to feed my kids crap if I didn't shop at my farmers market.

WE have a great farmers market around here and the prices are much better than the store. Its only once a week though plus I live out in the sticks so its not real easy to get too, but i do try and make it every once in a while. Im growing grape tomatoes this yr, Jack can go through a pint a day if I let him and at any where from .99 -2.56 a pint it gets OUTRAGEOUS lol. Ive got six plants right now, i can see ill be giving them away lol.

 

[ducklite]

they are so easy! All you do is pull off the top and twist it into the ground or dirt in a pot..no real planting at all. At one point we had over 600 plants....(DH manages a grocery store and when they cut up the pineapple he would bring the tops home) We have found they do infact produce more than one fruit and fruit as quickly as a year. We used to put rotten apple cores in the center to get them to fruit faster but now don't have the time...so they just get watered. We visited a pineapple plantation in Jamaica and DH was in heaven.


The grapes came from DH's uncle in Ohio...he started them and kept them for a year and then they came down with DH's parents when they came back. They are doing surprisingly well.

OK, I'm confused. The top keeps growing and becomes a tree which produces fruit? This sounds promising--wonder how big of a pot I'd need? Do they go dormant in cooler weather? Are they like oranges that fruit only during certain times of the year?

Anne

 

[lillygator]

no - no tree....in the middle of the planted top is where the pineapple fruits....usually they produce a baby plant in the middle (additional)....they do usually go dormant for a few months in the winter.

 

[ducklite]

no - no tree....in the middle of the planted top is where the pineapple fruits....usually they produce a baby plant in the middle (additional)....they do usually go dormant for a few months in the winter.

So a ten inch pot should be more than adequate? Each plant has one fruit a year? (Sorry if I'm being dense, I'm just having a hard time figuring this one out.)

Anne

 

[bettyann29]

Thats alot.. I know we dont buy the yellow or red peppers except on rare occasions due to the price.. DH loves them but unfortunately they are just too much money.. Every now and then I find them on sale at Albertsons and I'll pick a few up..

 

[theprincess]

what about the price of onion? Here in Pittsburgh they are $1.99!!

 

[ducklite]

what about the price of onion? Here in Pittsburgh they are $1.99!!

That's one thing that I don't use much of fresh--mostly the dry minced type for anything I'm cooking it into.

How do you grow onions?

Anne

 

[azgal81]

Wow that's crazy! The red peppers here are a dollar each which I thought was expensive.

 

[lillygator]

So a ten inch pot should be more than adequate? Each plant has one fruit a year? (Sorry if I'm being dense, I'm just having a hard time figuring this one out.)

Anne

exactly...they are quite like a bromiliad and could probably grow in air...maybe I'll suggest that to DH to try...

here is one fruiting...

these are pretty new

these should start fruiting soon

and yes, they need weeding/cleaning up badly!

what about the price of onion? Here in Pittsburgh they are $1.99!!

a 3lb bag here is $2.99 (yellow)

 

[HelenePA]

How do you grow onions?

Anne

onions ( the small scallop kind )have over taken 1/2 my yard!!!!!!! and mint... OMG the smell when we cut the grass they were here when we moved in.. we haven't had luck killing either of them

if you plan on planting on either of those two things make sure its in a pot...

 

[Califgirl]

I agree! Make sure you plant mint in a container. That stuff will take over a yard. Even though we have nearly 2 acres, I plant most everything in containers. I've got tomatoes (cherry and regular) and bell peppers in nearly every color, basil, mint (in a long rectangular container so it can spread) Black berries and boysenberries. I have the containers on my patio, so I can keep an eye on them. Plus they are up off the ground and not as easily accessible to 'critters'. I've planted a flat of flowers in the ground only to come out the next morning and find them all gone, or eaten down to the nub.

For Fertilizer, I use worm composting. (or vermiculture) It's very easy, doesn't take much room, and doesn't smell (honest!). It's great fertilizer. You can use a rubbermaid container (dark, not clear plastic) drill some 1/4holes in the bottom of it, feed the worms (red worms) shredded newspaper, junk mail, coffee grounds, organic stuff, like the trimmings from your vegetables or fruits. Just stay away from putting in dairy, or protein(meats). They take less work than a house plant, and I keep mine in the garage. (out of direct sun). The fertilizer is terrific!

 

[FoodLover]

For Fertilizer, I use worm composting. (or vermiculture) It's very easy, doesn't take much room, and doesn't smell (honest!). It's great fertilizer. You can use a rubbermaid container (dark, not clear plastic) drill some 1/4holes in the bottom of it, feed the worms (red worms) shredded newspaper, junk mail, coffee grounds, organic stuff, like the trimmings from your vegetables or fruits. Just stay away from putting in dairy, or protein(meats). They take less work than a house plant, and I keep mine in the garage. (out of direct sun). The fertilizer is terrific!

I was just reading about worm composting in Martha Stewart Living. It sounded really intriguing, but she was recommending keeping the container under the kitchen sink, which kind of yucked me out (even if I had room under there). I'd be tempted to try it if I could keep the bin in our garage, but we live in a cold climate and it gets pretty nippy out there. Do the worms have to stay warm?

What size container do you use? I'd really like to try this.

Mary
MouseSavers.com

 

[FoodLover]

Oh, and back to the original topic of bell peppers -- I find the prices go up and down a LOT based on season. So when they are in season (or I have a bumper crop I've grown) I cut up a whole bunch of them, throw 'em in zip-top bags and freeze them. They work great for cooking.

I usually cut them in strips about 1/2" wide. Those can be used for fajitas, etc. If I need them diced, I just pull out some frozen strips and dice them with a sharp knife. They are easy to cut while they're still frozen. You don't need to defrost them before adding to whatever you're cooking, either.

Mary
MouseSavers.com

 

[valleygirl]

I feel for you all. Our local paper just ran a story regarding the cost of living in our community. According to their study our community currently pays 57% more than the country's average for basic living expenses. Makes it tough to afford the next WDW vacation. Here's the article for our area...http://www.mvtimes.com/news/2007/04/12/vineyard_cost_of_living.php

 

[mjbaby]

Between peak oil and global warming I doubt that our food cost woes are going to get better soon, if at all. Eating locally, seasonally and growing your own, not to mention scratch cooking - no packets and boxes - and learning to can will help mitigate the cost increases we're sure to see.

I haven't been able to get out and plant even radish and lettuces yet - not because of the temp, which has been fine if a little cool - but because of the moisture. And now with so much more rain coming down today and tomorrow I'm likely not going to be able to plant for another week at least.

This blog has an interesting discussion of food access and the strange weather lately. Scary stuff, esp. considering the bumble bee stuff.

 

[rparmfamily]

Interesting about the pineapples...I never knew them to grow in Florida!! How long does it take for them to grow big, because from what I understand from the pineapple plantations here in HI, it takes a few years for them to mature and it's a long process.

 

[barbeml]

Thanks to ducklite for alerting me to this thread!

This is all fascinating. I have a decent sized fenced area behind my townhouse, and we get beautiful sun almost all day. I have been anxious to try container gardening, so am really enjoying all of the tips, advice & photos here.