I’m just wondering what everybody thinks are the most cost effective crops to grow. Like, tomatoes for example: relatively easy, high yield, easy to preserve. I know the prices of kumera varieties were crazy high last year but was that because of the cyclone damage or are the probably going to stay high? In which case planting some slips might be good. Swiss chard: high yield, hardy, easy, delicious. Carrots: easy but always so cheap at the super market anyway.

We are located in Gisborne, and just moved in to our first home. We are looking to plant out the garden and turn the back half of our property in to low beds. We also want to plant a couple more trees (we currently have a feijoa, orange, and lemon tree).

As first time homeowners we are headed in to a couple of years of tightening the money belt, and I’ve loved collecting feijoas with our wee kids and finding lots of ways to cook with them. Would just be nice to teach the kids gardening but also possibly save us some money!

ETA: already purchased some blueberry bushes, which will probably save us several mortgage payments due to young children.