Worthington Farmers Market: February 3

How to Start a Spring Garden on a Shoestring Budget

This week's newsletter comes from friend and customer of

the Worthington Farmers Market, Maria Cannon.

Image by Pixabay

Gardening is like a lot of other hobbies. It can cost as much, or as little, as you want it to cost. Here's are some cost-cutting tips for budget gardeners.

Tip # 1: Share the Load

Ever hear the story of the stone soup? It's a parable about the benefits of sharing resources. It has lessons for all of us, including those who want a spring garden but are a bit tight on finances.

One way is to join with like-minded folks in your area, either to create a community garden or to help each individual garden to produce more. Here’s why:

• You and your friends can pool your cash to buy seeds and other supplies in bulk.

• You can throw a seed swap party, which is always great fun.

• You can share the labor - and the joy - that comes with gardening.

• You can harvest the crop together and enjoy a common meal made with the fruit (or veggies) of your labor.

Tip # 2: Start From Seeds, Not Plants

Many gardeners prefer using plantings, as they can save time versus beginning with seeds. But plantings add to the costs of getting your garden going. Starting with seeds is far more economical. You'll find a handy video primer on this timely topic at this site. By starting your seeds soon, you can have plenty of time to transplant them to your garden come spring.

Tip # 3: Repurpose

The world is full of useful items that find their way into landfills. Take plastic buckets, for example. They're used for packaging all kinds of goods, from cat litter to pickles. But those same containers can make the dandiest plant holders you've ever seen. Some people even grow corn in castaway buckets. Here are some other materials you can use:

• Milk jugs

• Hub caps

• Barrels

• Pallets (with a little finagling)

Tip # 4: Container Gardening

Imagine growing tons of flowers or veggies in a space no bigger than the average small bathroom, with no need to till, fine-tune fussy soil, or fight mounds of indestructible weeds. All this is possible when you discover the delights of container gardening, according to Better Homes & Gardens. This method is economical if you use local soil amended with your own compost rather than buying it by the bag.

You can make compost from items such as:

• Grass clippings

• Potato peels

• Vegetables in your fridge that are past their prime

• Coffee grounds

• Watermelon rinds

• Dead or wilted flowers

• Tree bark

• Pine needles

Use this information along with your own initiative and you'll soon be raising plants with the best of 'em. Good luck and good gardening!

Our vendors for Saturday, February 3rd include (in both alphabetical and numerical order):

1 Brown Bros. Farms, LLC 2 A Few Of My Favorite Things... 3 Native Cold Pressed 4 Stonefield Naturals 5 Miam Cake 5.5 Dos Hermanos Taco Truck 6 Dan the Baker LLC 7 Blue Owl Garden Emporium LLC 8 Gourmet Candy by Karen 9 Tiger Mushroom Farms 10 Blue Jacket Dairy 10.5 KALEZEES Kale Chips 11 Franklinton Farms 12 Flower Child Granola 13 Worthington Resource Pantry 14 SaraBee Pure Honey 15 bak 16 Sippel Family Farm/Kokoborrego Cheese 17 Organic GreenFix 18 Made Without Grain 19 North Country Charcuterie 20 Patisserie Lallier 21 The Market Sharpener 22 Wayward Seed Farm 23 Wayward Seed Farm 24 VanScoy Farms 25 Golden Life Dog Food, LLC 26 Lucky Cat Bakery 27 9N FARM 28 Mockingbird Meadows 29 Pleiades Maple Products 30 Chuck Evans' MONTEZUMA Brand Sauces & Salsas 31 Speckled Hen Farm Info 32 Spotted Salamander Soap Company, LLC 33 Ohio City Pasta 34 Michael's Artisan Chocolates LLC 35 Up the Lane Farm 36 Weed Knob Acres 37 Purple Sage Bakery 38 Fox Hollow Garden 39 Too Good Eats 40 Sweet thing gourmet 41 Gillogly Orchard 42 Gillogly Orchard 43 Oink Moo Cluck Farms LLC 44 Silver Bridge Coffee Company 45 Dana Lee's Bakery & Catery 46 Jorgensen Farms 47 Kingdom Fish 48 The crazy cucumber 49 Fired Up Pizza 50 Miss Cristy's Bakery 51 Ohio Farm Direct 52 Allergy-free Bake Shop dba Soodles Bake Shop 53 Curly Tail Organic Farm 54 JNA BREAD BAKERY 55 Ohio Bison Farm 56 Honeyrun Farm 57 Rock Dove Farm 58 Charqui Jerky Co. 59 Ramble Coffee

27 9N FARM 2 A Few Of My Favorite Things... 52 Allergy-free Bake Shop dba Soodles Bake Shop 15 bak 10 Blue Jacket Dairy 7 Blue Owl Garden Emporium LLC 1 Brown Bros. Farms, LLC 58 Charqui Jerky Co. 30 Chuck Evans' MONTEZUMA Brand Sauces & Salsas 53 Curly Tail Organic Farm 6 Dan the Baker LLC 45 Dana Lee's Bakery & Catery 5.5 Dos Hermanos Taco Truck 49 Fired Up Pizza 12 Flower Child Granola 38 Fox Hollow Garden 11 Franklinton Farms 41 Gillogly Orchard 42 Gillogly Orchard 25 Golden Life Dog Food, LLC 8 Gourmet Candy by Karen 56 Honeyrun Farm 54 JNA BREAD BAKERY 46 Jorgensen Farms 10.5 KALEZEES Kale Chips 47 Kingdom Fish 26 Lucky Cat Bakery 18 Made Without Grain 5 Miam Cake 34 Michael's Artisan Chocolates LLC 50 Miss Cristy's Bakery 28 Mockingbird Meadows 3 Native Cold Pressed 19 North Country Charcuterie 55 Ohio Bison Farm 33 Ohio City Pasta 51 Ohio Farm Direct 43 Oink Moo Cluck Farms LLC 17 Organic GreenFix 20 Patisserie Lallier 29 Pleiades Maple Products 37 Purple Sage Bakery 59 Ramble Coffee 57 Rock Dove Farm 14 SaraBee Pure Honey 44 Silver Bridge Coffee Company 16 Sippel Family Farm/Kokoborrego Cheese 31 Speckled Hen Farm 32 Spotted Salamander Soap Company, LLC 4 Stonefield Naturals 40 Sweet thing gourmet 48 The crazy cucumber 21 The Market Sharpener 9 Tiger Mushroom Farms 39 Too Good Eats 35 Up the Lane Farm 24 VanScoy Farms 22 Wayward Seed Farm 23 Wayward Seed Farm 36 Weed Knob Acres 13 Worthington Resource Pantry Info

Our Musical Entertainment sponsored by The Market Sharpener: Columbus Folk Music Society

Our Community Table: Ohio Wildlife Center

Join us this Saturday, and every Saturday from 9:00am-12:00pm inside The Shops at Worthington Place!

For more information, or questions related to any of our services, please contact us via email at worthingtonfarmersmarket@gmail.com. See you at the market!

The Worthington Farmers Market is an event of the Old Worthington Partnership.