I have often said that we grow small gardens not to save money, but to enjoy fresh vegetables. This year, I did both. Thanks to lots of heaven-sent rains and my kids who had my garden tilled and well-fertilized, I would have made money on several crops. Cherry tomatoes, for example. I planted one cherry tomato vine, a golden variety, and it has produced at least 600 tomatoes. I picked 100 just this morning. I staked it 6 feet and it quickly went higher and actually shot through the top of my 7-foot fence which covers the garden and extended 5 more feet in all directions. I’ve never seen anything like it. I have been picking tomatoes off the top of the cage. You can buy a pint of tomatoes in one of those little plastic boxes that taste like tomato-flavored plastic for about $2.50. My one plant one would have filled 30 or 40 of those packages. So, I had a good return with my $2.50 cherry tomato vine.
My okra crop has also been bountiful. I originally planted 12 okra plants in 4 carefully planned rows, but only half made it, which was a blessing. The plants were able to spread their branches and I have picked probably 15 pounds of okra so far, and the plants are still going strong. Fresh okra – when you can find it – sells for about $4 a pound, so this was also a good cash crop.
My lettuce also blossomed. Lettuce heads at the store are now between $2 and $3. I would have had 50 or 60 heads if they were tightly bound – another successful crop.
My garden is now winding down, but it sure has been a good one.
