MAXIMUM VEGETABLES At Minimal Cost

If the price of seedlings puts you off growing your own food, here are some tips to reduce your garden budget

- JANE GRIFFITHS

When starting a vegetable garden, don't be overambitious. Vegetable gardening isn't rocket science but can be demanding, and the best way to learn is through experience. 

Start with a small bed before turning your whole lawn into a vegetable garden. This way, you will learn how to manage resources, time, energy and harvests without wasting them.

Cost-effective tips

• For the price of eight seedlings, you can buy hundreds (and sometimes thousands) of seeds. Planting from seed offers a broader choice too.

• Share seeds - there are usually far more in one packet than a home gardener can use.

• Get together with fellow gardeners and buy seedlings in bulk at wholesale prices.

• Plant what you'll eat. Don't let photos on seed packets seduce you into planting vegetables you and your family don't enjoy.

• Grow what's expensive at the greengrocer. Plants like rocket and basil are ridiculously costly but really easy to grow and provide abundant harvests.