At Land 4 Life, we thought we would run an experiment to see how much food could be grown in pots in just 200 sq ft of space and how much it would save on the cost of a weekly shop. The results were surprising! Due to the limited space, we concentrated on growing summer crops but with 500 sq ft you would be able to grow winter crops as well.
It seems that every week the cost of fresh fruit and vegetables rises, the value we have put on our crops is based on the prices in a major supermarket chain in July 2022. We used average prices and not the prices of organic produce which all of ours were. Since our tomatoes have stopped producing we have had another shock. Tomatoes range from 99p to £3.25 for a pack depending on the quality. We bought bot ends of the price scale and discovered that for 99p you buy something that looks like a tomato, smells like a tomato but is totally tasteless! At the upper price end there was more flavor but still far less than our home grown tomatoes.
So, what did we squeeze into 200sq ft and what was its value financially over the season?
Owning you own allotment is not only a great long term investment but also a great way to save money on your weekly shop. One of the questions we get asked frequently is “what size allotment do I need”. The answer depends very much on what you intend to grow but here is a simple guide:
An allotment of 500 sq ft will produce fruit and veg for 2 – 4 people.
Estimated savings in 1 year £1,200
An allotment of 1,000 sq ft will produce fruit and veg for 4-8 people.
Estimated savings in 1 year £2,400
This is what we grew on a 200 sq ft patio
Salads
| Type | Space Used | Crop Value |
| Rocket | 2 sq ft | £16.00 |
| Tomatoes (7) | 7 sq ft | £48.00 |
| Cucumbers (2) | 2 sq ft | £20.00 |
| Spring Onions | 3 sq ft | £19.00 |
| Lettuce | 6 sq ft | £12.00 |
| Chillies (2) | 2 sq ft | £11.00 |
| Peppers (2) | 2 sq ft | £15.00 |
| Totals: | 24 sq ft | £141.00 |
Herbs
| Type | Space Used | Crop Value |
| Chives | 1.5 sq ft | £20.00 |
| Mint | 1.5 sq ft | £20.00 |
| Tarragon | 1.5 sq ft | £20.00 |
| Bay | 1.5 sq ft | £20.00 |
| Sage | 1.5 sq ft | £20.00 |
| Basil | 1.5 sq ft | £20.00 |
| Parsley | 1.5 sq ft | £20.00 |
| Totals: | 10.5 sq ft | £140.00 |
Fruit & Veg
| Type | Space Used | Crop Value |
| Courgettes (3) | 12 sq ft | £45.00 |
| French Beans (15) | 15 sq ft | £70.00 |
| Runner Beans (12) | 24 sq ft | £30.00 |
| Sugar Snaps (12) | 12 sq ft | £30.00 |
| Aubergines (3) | 5 sq ft | £9.00 |
| Beetroot | 5 sq ft | £12.00 |
| Apples (2) | 8 sq ft | £50.00 |
| Totals: | 81 sq ft | £324.00 |
Note: Fresh herbs in the supermarket cost between 80p and £1.60 per pack. The season is 20 weeks long and each planted herb will produce the equivalent of 1 pack per week.
Total Money Saved
| Plant | Space Used | Money Saved |
| Salads | 24 sq ft | £141.00 |
| Herbs | 10.5 sq ft | £140.00 |
| Fruit & Veg | 81 sq ft | £324.00 |
| Totals: | 115.5 sq ft | £605.00 |
Our 200 sq ft of planting, saved us £605.00 of shopping costs, approximately £30.00 per week over the 20 week season. All these plants gave enough food for two people with a surplus which was then given to other family members and food banks.
Have Any Questions?
Please contact us if you have any questions. Land for Life welcomes contact from people who can offer services or ideas that would make our land offerings even better. We are very approachable so please feel free to contact us over any matter.