Just back from H. Depot and W-Mart. I wanted to buy some garden
fertilizer and a patio tomato. For 10-10-10 fertilizer the price was
just $20.00 for a 40 lb bag (or $0.50/lb) in each store. ISTM that the
price has taken a huge jump this year. IIRC the last time I bought
fertilizer (two years ago) it was about $0.10/lb. Is my memory correct?

For a single patio tomato W-Mart wanted $3.48. The clerk was dumbfounded
when I told her to take it back. My logic goes like this...If I nurture
this plant and it grows well, and sets fruit etc, I can expect to get
about three pounds of fruit from it. This will occur at about the same
time that the Jersey tomato crop comes in and they sell for about
$0.39/lb. So my $3.48 investment and work will return me about $1.00.
Does this seem to be good sense to you?

Could it be that because people cannot afford food the stores are
gouging of gardening stuff? Your thoughts??

EJ in NJ