That first sun-warmed tomato picked straight from the vine can feel practically free. After all, you planted one little seedling and several weeks later you’re carrying tomatoes into the kitchen by the armful—or at least that’s how the successful years go. Start adding the price of the plant, fertilizer, cage, mulch, water, pest control, and everything else you bought along the way, however, and the cost of homegrown tomatoes becomes considerably more interesting. A tomato could effectively cost less than $1, or your first one could be the infamous “$20 tomato” after an expensive garden setup. Let’s run several realistic scenarios to see when growing tomatoes actually saves money and when you’re really paying for the gardening experience.
