Montana families find low-cost ways to grow food at home

Montana — As grocery prices stayed top of mind for many families, some people in Missoula looked for ways to grow more food at home without spending much to get started.

NonStop Local’s Kendall Hudson showed how composting and propagating vegetables could help stretch a budget.

At Garden City Harvest, community garden leaders explained that whether someone started from seed or worked to propagate plants over time, the goal was to grow more food at home. They also said composting played a role because healthier soil could support stronger plants and reduce costs over time. [Orchard Gardens — Garden City Harvest]

A survey from the end of the growing season showed some community gardeners reported saving as much as $25 a week on groceries from what they grew in their plots.

“We do a survey at the end of our growing season for all of our community gardeners. And a number of people report that they save up to $25 a week on groceries because of what they grow in their plots. So it it absolutely can save money, um if, if you’re picking the crops that that will save you money,” Lindsey Macdonald said.

Across town at M.U.D., staff showed that people could begin on a small scale, even with just a windowsill. Site steward Dan Garnier used reused materials to start seeds as a first step toward propagating and growing more plants without extra spending. [Missoula Urban Demonstration Project – Missoula, Montana]

The process could be simple. People could use containers such as egg cartons to start seeds, or keep the root ends from leftover root vegetables and place them in a glass jar with a little water. After that, they could set the jar on a windowsill and look for growth within a few days.

Staff at M.U.D. said the water needed to be replaced regularly to avoid damaging the roots. They described it as a simple option that saved space for people who were just getting started.

“I mean I think it’s very, like, cost effective because you’re reusing these materials. Space. You’re not taking up a ton of space. And also, like, these are just going to hang out by, like, one windowsill. You don’t need an entire greenhouse,” Dan Garnier said.

For people trying to save money, growing and propagating food at home offered one practical way to cut grocery costs without needing a big yard or an expensive setup.