Is it profitable to have your own garden: Pros and cons of a summer cottage

SSPDaily has prepared a material in which you will learn whether it is profitable to keep a vegetable garden and what you need for this.

There are different opinions among the owners of summer cottages and household plots regarding the profitability of the garden. Some enthusiasts devote their time to growing vegetables and fruits, while others have only a lawn and patio.

Proponents of a vegetable garden often highlight three key benefits.

Improved flavor and nutrition of fruits and vegetables

Tomatoes, cucumbers, strawberries, peppers, and raspberries grown on personal plots are considered to be tastier and healthier. The knowledge that no harmful herbicides or chemicals were used in the cultivation, as well as the freshness of the produce, distinguish these homegrown varieties from the sometimes plastic-tasting store-bought cucumbers and tomatoes, especially in the winter months.

Convenience and cost savings

Having a stockpile of root vegetables and canned foods for the winter eliminates the need to visit the supermarket to buy a jar of pickled cucumbers for a salad. Potatoes, beets, onions, carrots, garlic, as well as homemade jam and frozen berries, allow you to save money and enjoy these flavors all winter long, when fresh alternatives can be prohibitively expensive.

Physical activity

In addition, gardening can increase physical activity, improve health and potentially reduce medical costs traditionally associated with a sedentary lifestyle.

Although growing vegetables and herbs on your own plot can be profitable, several conditions contribute to its financial viability.

- Own well-kept plot with fertile soil

Unproductive lands, such as swamps or sandy soils, make gardening impractical. Areas overgrown with mature trees, shrubs, or tall grass require initial clearing, which often leads to additional costs that outweigh the benefits of purchasing products.

- Growing seedlings saves money

Even expensive or liquid seeds are more profitable than pre-grown seedlings. Additional income can be earned by selling surplus seedlings to neighbors.

- Investing in economical and efficient irrigation systems is important

Saving water for irrigation significantly reduces the cost of growing vegetables and berries. For this purpose, a drip irrigation system is used. It makes the work of gardeners less stressful and more efficient.

- Sufficient storage space for harvested crops

Effective storage of root crops requires certain conditions, such as a dry, temperature-controlled basement. It is not economically feasible to grow a ton of potatoes and then throw away half of them due to freezing or rotting. Canned food also requires special storage conditions.