Welcome to the 2011 Gardening Season!

It is that time of the year. This is about the time I start getting excited for the new gardening year.  I will be cleaning out my grow light station (see picture below).  I will start planting a lot of the slower growing herbs, perennials, and annuals before February arrives.

This year I am going to keep track of my entire costs on the blog and see how I do in maintaining a zero sum garden. A zero sum garden is a combination of saving money by growing my own plants and by swapping plants with other gardeners. The other part is selling my excess to pay for things like mulch and (this year) a deliver of garden soil. I plan to fully amended my garden boxes, expand (shhh!), and build a patio.

This is what I bought today and I will get them under the grow lights this week.

12 dry quarts of Jiffy Seed Starting Mix ($4 Walmart)

Seed packs from Walmart are $.20  for American Seed Company seeds. They don't have heirloom stuff but the basics are best had cheaply and $.20 a pack is cheap.

2 packs of Snap Dragons (Tall Deluxe Mixed) 125 mg per pack ($.40)
2 packs of Silvia (Red Bonfire) 100 mg per pack ($.40)
4 packs of Coleus (Rainbow Mix) 300 mg per pack ($.80)
3 packs of Chives 200 mg per pack ($.60)
2 packs of Parsley (Moss Curled) ($.40)

I do have to spend a lot more on seeds. I also bought some a Home Depot.

1 pack of Oregano (Origanum Vulgare) 148 mg ($1.00)
1 pack of True Lavender (Lavendula Angustifolia) 600 mg  ($1.19)
1 pack of Chives Garlic (Allium Tuberosum) 600 mg ($1.00)
1 pack of Rosemary (Rosmarinus Officinalis) 100 mg ($1.00)

My total so far is this year is $9.80. I know herbs are about $2-$3 a plant in the nurseries. I know Coleus run $3-$5 a plant. I intend to use many of these plants for my garden but also plan to have many to sell to pay for (well what else) dirt and mulch.