Tag: gardening

Experiment 1: $10 Garden

For the $10 Garden experiment, I will try to grow some plants for $10 or less. The purpose of this experiment is to illustrate how difficult and expensive gardening can be, and highlight that everyone should have access to growing their own food. It shouldn’t be a hobby for the well-off. It is also, hopefully, a guide for how to grow an indoor garden on the cheap. 

The Tasks

Grow 2 cherry tomato plants indoors and actually harvest some tomatoes from them. Spend no more than $10 to do this.

The Rules

I must acquire all the equipment I need to grow 2 tomato plants for under $10, and I can’t use stuff I already have unless it’s something almost anyone in the country would also have available.

I am allowed to use these things without factoring in the cost toward the $10:

• Water access
• Water container, like a cup or bottle
• Electricity
• Space for the large pots
• Some form of transportation
• Facebook marketplace, swap groups, Craigslist + a device to view them on
• Tools like scissors and knives
• Recycling items like bottles and cans

But, I must obtain these supplies for my plants for under $10

Necessary supplies:

• Seeds
• Starter pots x 2-3
• Tray for bottom watering
• Sun lights
• 2 Large pots or 5 gallon buckets
• Soil
• Fertilizer (compost)
• Compost bin
• Stakes or trellises

Optional supplies:

• Timers for lights
• Power strip
• Seed starting medium

Can I successfully get all this stuff and grow my plants on a budget of $10? We’ll find out.

Experiment 2: $0 Art Supplies

For this experiment, I try to make all my arts and crafts from stuff I already have for an entire year. I’m planning to sell at three art fairs this year, and would like to have some small collections ready to display for them.

I have too many arts and crafts supplies that I barely use, they are taking up so much space, and yet the temptation to just buy more stuff when I want to do something is strong. But I will resist. I will use up the stuff I have and then get creative if I need more stuff. I am allowed to repurpose things like cardboard boxes or plastic bags or containers that I bought for other reasons, but not allowed to buy things exclusively to use as art supplies.

The Tasks

Produce whatever art projects I want to sell at art fairs in 2025 using only supplies I already own

The Rules

• No buying things specifically to use as art supplies
• Yes using things like cardboard boxes that I obtained for some other purpose (like getting some non-craft-supply items shipped to me)
• No getting free craft supplies off of Facebook Marketplace or swap groups
• Yes making art

What will I make in 2025? Will people buy it? Will I resist the temptation to buy more stuff? We’ll find out.

In Conclusion

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Thanks for reading!