Money Saving Gardening Tips

Source: bhg.com

For me, gardening is a way to breathe the fresh air, get a little exercise, and contemplate life. Of course it’s also about having the freshest of vegetables, the most perfectly ripened berries and the longest lasting flowers possible. But the money to do it can quickly add up. Over the years I have found a few tricks to saving money in the garden.

COMPOSTING: It all starts with the soil and one of the most cost effective ways to enhance your soil is with the addition of nutrient rich compost. It can be as easy as making a pile in an out of the way corner of your yard, a DIY project of a wooden bin or a purchased bin with a turning handle. Many cities are now giving discounts on the purchase of composting bins so be sure to check with yours.
Composting improves your soil structure, helps it retain moisture, provides nutrition for your plants, aides in fighting plant disease and, best of all, it is a FREE source of organic fertilizer! At our house we use both a wooden bin and a heavy plastic bin with a turning handle. We also have a small compost bucket, complete with filter, under the kitchen sink to collect food waste such as vegetable and fruit peels. The filter works wonderfully and guests will never know it exists – unless of course you want to share your love of composting with them!Source: worldmarket.com

You can find a wealth of information on composting online, including this source.

SEEDS: A packet of seeds is still one of the most economical ways to save money in the garden. Those little packets of promise contain enough to feed your family and more for little money. Starting your own seeds to get a head start on the growing season rather than buying starts from the nursery not only is cost effective but fun! You can even use recycled materials such as egg cartons, milk cartons or newspaper to fashion your own seed starting containers. Add a little soil, your seeds and keep them moist. Within weeks you will have a head start on the gardening season.
You may also want to consider saving your own seeds from this year’s harvest to plant next season. You can save seeds from beans, to peas to peppers. My favorites to save have always been from our nasturtiums. Harvest the seeds at the end of the season, let fully dry and then store in a dark, moisture free environment. Again, there is a wealth of information online regarding this practice.
Source: bhg.com

MAKING FRIENDS: My best money saving tip is to make friends with other gardeners. Not only will they be more than happy to share their love of gardening by giving you growing tips, they will often gift you with plants! Our first raspberries were the gifting of a very sweet friend who not only shared the starts with us but her tips for successful growing. This year we are sharing with our daughter who is starting her own raspberry patch. Many perennial flowers will eventually need dividing and bulbs dug up and most gardeners are more than happy to share rather than send their beloved plants to the compost heap. Gardening is a learn-as-you go process and what doesn’t do well in your garden may do well in someone that of someone else. We have traded many plants and shrubs with family and friends over the years. By befriending local gardeners you can glean from their years of experience and find out what grows well in your own neighborhood.

Growing your own vegetables and flowers is rewarding, cost effective and so much fun. Enjoy your garden and enjoy the savings!