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Connecticut

What do people budget for the year on their patch? What do people usually spend per year on their patch?

This was really a building year for me, so a number of items I won't have to spend money on next year, but here's what I have so far:

12 yards of compost: $300
8 bags of sand: $40
Fertilizers: $200
Fungicides: $50
Gas water pump: $300
175' of hose: $200
Water: $0
Pumpkin lifting straps: $100
Tension weight scale: $200
Stakes and tarps, etc: $45
Cistern: $65
Spray nozzle: $6
Sediment fence: $40
Gasoline: $40
Diesel (trucks and tractor): $100

TOTAL: $1676

It's really scary after you add everything up! Maybe about $900 of that is a one-time expense, leaving $776 as a possible recurring cost. Yikes! (it's worth it to me though - it's my summer hobby)

9/3/2007 3:08:50 PM

Pemberton, BC

Well when you figure that a round of golf, where I live anyways, is between $80-$150 per round and at some of the premium courses you can double that. $776 doesn't sound to bad for a whole summer! And when I consider how pissed off I am after my round of hack and whack I'd rather be in my pumpkin patch anyways.

9/3/2007 3:23:41 PM

Minnesota

75$ fertilizer, I got sand, manure, compost free, I just had to go pick it up. I have'nt had the giant pumpkin yet, doon't need the straps, and all that.

9/3/2007 4:10:14 PM

Farmville, Virginia ([email protected])

I've got about $250.00 in the game this year. Items like manure, compost, sand, shade tarps and accessories I found for free. Spent $80.00 for a lifting tarp and the rest was insecticides, fungicides, fertilizers and sprayers. I'm only growing 3 plants so it doesn't take a tremendous amount.

9/3/2007 5:05:13 PM

Mill Bay, British Columbia

You golf Chad? Got "special clubs" to get around that Canuck beer belly you got going :)

Worth every penny I'd say, alot of startup costs but once you are going all you need are a few of the ingredients to have a successful and fun year in the patch.

Glenn

9/3/2007 5:12:02 PM

[email protected]

It all depends on how extreme you want to be.
Where I am, with the weather conditions, it can get costly

850.00 for a 1068 Wallace
1600.00 for heating costs
Undisclosed amount (Niagara Seminar)
350.00 per month for electricity, Fans, heating cables etc.
1000.00 for water, I haul in all my water
Original set up costs, about 15,000.00

Beating the Wiz Priceless

9/3/2007 7:41:16 PM

[email protected]

I should rephrase the first sentence
It all depends on how INSANE you are

9/3/2007 7:46:26 PM

South Bloomfield, Ohio

Budget?

9/3/2007 8:18:03 PM

Wallingford,CT

it's an addiction....will consume all available funds

9/3/2007 9:50:18 PM

Eugene,OR

The cost per hour is pretty cheap compared to other things you could be doing. It beats playing golf, although it can be every bit as frustrating!

9/3/2007 11:41:24 PM

Minnesota

Yeah, kind of like golf, clubs can run you a few hundred, shoes, balls, using the course. I'm kind of at the, use someone elses clubs, rent clubs stage of pumpkin growing.

9/3/2007 11:46:11 PM

Puyallup, WA

Bart...you are so correct! I once thought that the "start up costs" would be a one time expendature. No matter how long I grow, it still costs $500 to bring a pumpkin to 800+ pounds. Perhaps, I'm not very efficient! For every ten plants, I lose five.

9/3/2007 11:46:14 PM

Rexburg, Idaho

Don't think of it that way but rather, how much would you have spent doing some other hobby. Probably a whole lot more. ie. a new camp trailer 15,000$, a week long summer vacation someplace 1-5,000$. Three day guided fly fishing trip 1500$. Hunting trip to someplace exotic 1-20,000$. By growing pumpkins I'm actually saving money! The correct attitude is "There is a lot I can do that would cost me more money". I really have thought this out and done well convincing my wife of the same.

9/3/2007 11:50:48 PM

Port Alberni, BC, Canada

I golf and grow pumpkins. Had to sell the boat to support both. Oh well, the fish were costing me at least $200.00 per pound. lol. Already spending money for next year's patch.

9/4/2007 2:20:48 AM

Westford, MA

My Handicap is my clubs.

9/4/2007 10:36:56 AM

[email protected]

Budget whats that? Tarps, etc. we already had from our years of camping. The manuer I got for free. Just had to go pick it up. Water tank was free, it came with the house. Hoses, I've had from my garden, and the sprayers for miracle gro I already had, so it just came natural to start a pumpkin patch. I have sand bags left over from last year, and this year I bought 5 bags at less than 40.00.

I did buy fungicide this year, and liquid sevin, which is something I've never used before. And a couple of other bottles of fertilizer, neptunes seaweed and quite a few bottles of fish emulsion, but I would have bought fertilizer for my garden so, I really don't look at it that way. Brian C is right, how much more would another hobby cost you, and if you look around you can probably find a horse farm that would be more than willing to donate to your cause. I have a couple of leads already.

The rest, I would buy for landscaping anyway.

9/4/2007 10:39:51 AM

Sparta, NC

I prefer not to know how much I have spent. Doesn't matter anyway this is what I enjoy doing.

9/4/2007 11:01:59 AM

Johnston, R.I.

Like Sam I dont want to know how much I spend on this hobby, but I do try and keep the number as small as possible.

9/4/2007 12:31:14 PM

salamanca,NY

SOOOOOO TRUE,im scared to pull out all my receipts....but it is my First year and know its probably going to be the most expensive,but my goal has been reached as i have 2 pumpkins on the same plant over 500lbs and gaining,a world class grower 20 miles away(andy wolf)and a hobby i enjoy.WHAT MORE CAN YOU ASK FOR BUT TO SEE THE LOOKS ON THE NIECES/NEPHEWS/SONS/DAUGHTERS FACES WHEN THEY SEE THE PUMPKIN AND THAT PUMPKIN THERE GETTING FOR HOLLOWEEN WILL HAVE TO BE CARVED WITH A CHAINSAW!! PRICELESS

9/4/2007 1:10:42 PM

Elk Grove,Ca USA

Getting out of the house and growing a monster = PRICELESS

9/4/2007 2:19:25 PM

Little-TON - Colorado

Hey dont we need to put "Cost of Lawyer" - Ouch.....
Divorce due to Pumpkins Pumpkins Pumpkins.....Ouch....
Eddy you crack me up.....and losing to Eddy......Maybe...Ouch.......But getting to grow with my BRO...and watching peoples faces when they see the big ones.....Priceless,
Grow'em BIG

9/4/2007 2:34:51 PM

Louth , Ireland

cost of a season : $1676
Biggest pumpkin in town ....... priceless


that should be a mastercard ad

9/4/2007 3:28:00 PM

ordinary,VA

lifting tarp? Mark you need more than tarp to lift that monster.
makes my good arm hurt just looking at your beast.

Cost to darn much every year,but worth every penny!!

9/4/2007 3:44:44 PM

[email protected]

I've learned it is best not to put a price on the joy of growing.

9/4/2007 4:31:29 PM

Sloughhouse, CA

I don't keep track. Just good fun.

9/8/2007 1:36:33 AM