Hi Frugal Friends! Even if it doesn’t seem like it for some of you, Spring is just around the corner. We had a couple inches of snow just a few days ago, but today I found proof in my flower beds that Spring. Is. Coming.

My daffodils are about ready to burst open and my Lilac bush is starting to bud.  I’ve even heard the little peep frogs from the neighbors pond.

This is the perfect time to plan your garden. 

What do I mean by plan?  I mean we need to figure out what you want to grow.  That’s the first step in growing a garden.  Let’s plan your garden.

I like to kind of work backward when I plan my garden. I think of what I’d like to eat fresh right from the garden and also what I’d like to can or freeze to eat all year long.

Does your family eat a lot of salads?  Then you’ll probably want to grow lettuces and spinach.  You should probably also grow tomatoes, cucumbers, and onions.  These are all simple vegetables to grow and a good place for a beginner gardener to start.

Maybe you like squash and zucchini. These are great roasted, sautéed or grilled. They are also very easy to grow.

Start a list.  I love lists. Make a list of vegetables you want to eat fresh from your garden and another list of things you’d like to can or freeze.

If you want to can salsa, you will want to grow tomatoes, onions, and peppers.  If you want to can green beans or carrots, add those to your list. 

I love corn on the cob, but I find it hard to grow enough to can or freeze.  So I grow some to eat fresh and then I buy the corn I’m freezing and canning from a large farm.

You can grow broccoli and cabbage to eat and freeze also. 

I’ve been growing a garden for nearly 30 years as an adult, and we always had a garden when I was a kid.  My garden list is really, really long.

Growing the food your family already eats will be a huge money saver for your grocery budget.  Growing a vegetable garden is one of the most frugal things you can do. You can grow your own food so much cheaper than buying it at the grocery store. 

Don’t worry if you’ve never grown a garden before.  It really is something anyone can learn.  You also don’t need to have a huge space to grow food. 

If you live in town with a small yard you can tuck a small garden in the back yard or put some plants right in your flower beds.  If you live in an apartment you can grow some plants in containers out on your balcony. 

The possibilities are as endless as your imagination. 

Make your list of vegetables you want to grow in your garden.

Next time we’ll talk about whether you need seeds or plants for the veggies you’ve put on your list.

Thanks so much for stopping by today. I hope you come back soon!

Missy