How Much Does a Garden Grow: December and 2015 Summary

As it always does, December ended with a small harvest of four ounces of peppers and one of limes. But this harvest capped off a year in which we had a net profit of $342.23, saved right off our grocery bill. We needed it, too.  I don't know about you guys, but 2015 was rough on a lot of levels.  I couldn't even grow a decent crop of zucchini, for heaven's sake. The year brought some good stuff, but every time we got kicked in nearly every segment of life, we really got kicked.

Anyway, the retail value of our crops turned out as follows:

Limes: $0.37
Garlic: $1.48
Herbs (not basil, fresh): $$0.48
Carrots: $5.32
Tomato, Cuor di Bue: $86.75
Tomato, Yulia: $25.75
Tomato: Window Box Roma: $7.50
Tomato: San Marzano: $61.00
Tomato, Black Krim: $37.75
Tomato, PW*: $7.25
Tomato, SF*: $10.75
Tomato, Heinz: $6.50
Toamto, RB*: $9.50
Tomato, Indigo Rose: $1.50
Beans: $25.08
Peppers: $5.51
Cucumbers: $153.92
Zucchini: $5.32
Blueberries: $12.00
Peas: $0.29
Potatoes: $3.15
Leeks: $0.67
Greens: $8.80

*No, as a matter of fact, I don't really remember what PW, SF, and RB stand for.  Since these tomatoes didn't bear much fruit, they aren't varieties I care much about growing again, anyway.

Luckily, the things I really depend on for our diet did well this year.  We had lots of tomatoes and tons of cucumbers, and those kept us well-fed through the summer and generated some canned goods for winter.  Blueberries and beans were important in their season, too, and low-value crops like potatoes still made for some really great meals without any investment (since we use store-bought potatoes that have sprouted as seed, everything is a way to recover from a loss).

Every year at this time, I swear that I'm only going to grow the varieties of crops that performed well; indeed, the top-producing tomatoes were all grown from seed here at home (Cuor di Bue, San Marzano, and Yulia).  However, I know I will fall victim to bringing home some lonely plants that peek up at me in the local nursery, hardware store, or grocery.  I just can't help it!

Cumulative Totals

Harvest, Ounces: 2,331.0

Harvest, Pounds: 145.6875

Harvest Value: $483.63

Expenditures: $141.40

Total Saved: $342.23