$64 Tomatos

Watch your budget. It is easy to go overboard if you dont plan!

HometownAnnapolis.com, Business - Avoid the $64 tomato by planning, not using gimmicks

By ELIZABETH LEIS, Staff Writer
Hard-core gardeners like Jerry Miller receive a deep satisfaction when their gardens bloom. But they've learned every piece of satisfaction comes with a cost.

Mr. Miller, who lives near Sandy Point State Park, spends about $500 a year on his garden, soon to be resplendent with hydrangeas and a Japanese maple tree.When gardeners start out, they can underestimate that the pretty hobby means not only purchasing plants, but investing in weed control, tools and landscaping.

Still, after 37 years of gardening with his wife, Pamela, Mr. Miller has a good sense of his budget. His yearly cost includes a plan of attack for driving away animals, like the moles driving long tunnels into his yard. He's resigned himself to the deer, which mosey over from the park."We counted 15 one day, having a salad buffet," Mr. Miller said.William Alexander, who has spent a decade nurturing his garden in New York, can sympathize with the cost of driving away animals, having spent many a restless night fighting various beasts."I think the sooner you come to terms with this the better you off you are going to be - you are not going to keep animals out of your garden," he said. "You may be smarter, but they have more time. That groundhog has nothing to do but figure out how to get in."

After spending $8,500 for initial construction costs, $400 on an electric fence, plus a myriad of money in other maintenance, Mr. Alexander wanted to see how much it all cost.The result was he realized his tomatoes cost him an average of $64. His book, "The $64 Tomato," is part memoir, part cost-benefit analysis.Of course, he also has learned some lessons he's willing to impart on other gardeners."Start small and stay small," he said. "Keep in mind of the rule of 32. Any project is going to be three times as long and cost twice as much as you were planning.""Grow what you really love and can't get fresh from the market," he said, recommending homegrown heirloom tomatoes.

Tim Hamilton, a marketing director at Homestead Gardens in Davidsonville, said he understands where Mr. Alexander is coming from when dealing with garden investments. But the cost of lumber, soil, fertilizer and water doesn't have to break the bank."It's a hobby, No. 1," Mr. Hamilton said.He spends around $40 a year on items like green chiles and potatoes, and only spent $100 to set up the garden five years ago."There are a lot of gimmicks you don't really need," he said.Mr. Alexander said he and his wife exchanged large format garden books in their first years, which can quickly become what he labels "garden porn."

Now he recommends sticking to three reference books.Gene Sumi, a horticulturist at Homestead Gardens, said those books can be found at the library, and are a good way to sort through the advice would-be gardeners receive."You don't have to have a big budget," he said. "But there is an initial outlay, especially if a person buys a rototiller."Those tiller's can cost $150 to $200, while other tools like a scythe blade can cost between $50 to $60.Mr. Alexander said he bought a scythe, which he used exactly once.

Another financial mistake was buying a hand-pushed mower, although he was glad he spent under $100 instead of the pricier models."I found reason why a traditional mower is popular, which is because you can go forward and backwards. A hand-pushed mower in small spaces is impossible."

Mrs. Miller said her best strategy to make her husband stick to a budget is by keeping him from buying plants too early."We're always lulled by those wonderful days in March," she said. "I exert all of my influence to get him to wait, because it will always get nasty and cold. Save money and wait until you know it will stay warm."Another hidden cost? Labor. Mr. Alexander also learned that gardening as a family hobby doesn't always fly, which may mean hiring someone when things grow out of control. In his case, it was a helper who was a dead ringer for Christopher Walken."My kids couldn't have been less interested," he said. "I knew I had 22 beds. ... I figured the kids would want two beds. They were 5 and 8 at the time. We gave them a book and garden tools. They couldn't have been less enthused if we had given them a pick to go into the coal mine."

Linda Droneburg, an avid gardener in Cape St. Claire, said she is hoping her grown children will one day become interested. But the garden is largely an enjoyment for her and her husband, and she estimates they spend a couple hundred dollars on their gardens. more