We're all concerned with saving money. The recession has annihilated the pocket money and food budget of thousands of households across the UK, and we've all had to make certain cuts to acclimate. On top of this the price of fresh produce is actually inflating at an accelerated rate in supermarkets, so it's never been more appropriate to start growing your own food in your own garden. It's tastier, cheaper and creates a fun hobby to occupy your time, though some plants are more cost-effective than others, are few of which you can find below.
Garlic
It's a classic plant for flavouring, but these bulbs can be prohibitively expensive in many supermarkets. It's increasingly becoming a luxury for many households. It's usually grown during the winter, so you're making use of space that usually goes to waste. In terms of cost per pound, you can expect to see a great rate of return, with prices from between one half and one tenth of those you'll find in store. Remember to pay attention to the crop and weed appropriately (garlic is pretty vulnerable to other plants intruding on its space), and you'll have a large amount of storable bulbs on hand for seasoning which taste at least as delicious as anything you would have picked up in store.
Bell Peppers
Again, these are incredibly expensive in store. They have quite long ripening periods as a rule, and this is likely responsible for inflating the price even further. But that's no trouble for you, compared to supermarket prices you'll hit great value. Buy some pepper starter plants in the interests of cutting down on growing time, seeds are very slow, and get planting. You should be able to get them for around 70p, but compared to the supermarket they'll yield about £7 in peppers. It's not a big deal initially, but plant ten or so and you'll certainly notice the savings.
Remember, you usually start pepper in pots and transplant them to the ground when temperatures warm. This saves time, but get rid of any peppers which grow before it's been moved. They stunt growth and reduce the eventual yield, and we are talking about cost effectiveness here.
Lettuce
This wonderful, beautiful specimen comes up a lot, if you're familiar with my work. It's absolutely perfect for beginners in every way. It's delicious, used in sandwiches and salads widely, and it's incredibly cost-effective on top. For a couple of quid you can get a few hundred grams of seeds, and they'll sprout very densely for maximum yield in a small area. Plant these seeds staggered a few weeks apart, and as you harvest one set you'll have enough lettuce to see you through the entire season. There's nothing better than lettuce. Plant a lot of it.
Hopefully this will set you on the path to getting the maximum value from your garden. It's one of the few profitable hobbies, and maximising efficiency can be a satisfying goal.