I don’t care how much money or time you may have, nobody wants to waste either. So when it comes to our gardens, if we can have beautiful and healthy gardens while saving a few bucks, that’s a win-win. And saving money simply allows you to buy more plants next time you’re at the garden center, right? I knew you’d agree, so here are our top 6 garden hacks to save money while growing more in your garden, and create a little fun in the process.
6 Garden Hacks to Save Money While Growing More in Your Garden
1. Start Plants From Seed
This one’s a no-brainer. Pay $2 – $12 for a small plant, or pay $2- $3 for a packet of plant seeds that grow into dozens of plants. It’s simple math, but the hands-on experience and satisfaction of participating in the full lifecycle of a plant are pretty cool, too.
2. Make Your Own Compost
Sometimes it’s necessary to purchase compost, bagged or in bulk, because of the project you’re doing or because of your own space limitations. But learning how to compost on your own? It’s some serious good for your garden, gets rid of some waste from your yard and kitchen, and best of all — it’s free.
3. Water Properly
When you water your garden or plants improperly or inadequately, both your plants and your bank account suffer. Improper watering is simply wasting this resource — water too much and it runs off (not much use there) or rots the plant; water too little and you’ve just wasted the water because it didn’t do any good. Create a water-wise garden by aiming for less frequent but deeper waterings, and try not to allow water to puddle or run off. And those automatic irrigation or watering systems? Ensure they are functioning properly and have a rain sensor installed so you’re not wasting precious water when it’s actually raining outside.
4. Propagate Plant Cuttings
This is a fun and satisfying project to do yourself or with kids — I do it with coleus cuttings every year. Do a little research ahead of time, then take cuttings of your favorite plants and root them in water, or dip the cut ends in a root stimulating material like honey before placing into your growing medium. One note: Make sure that the plant you want to propagate is not a patented plant before proceeding.
5. Regrow Plants
I’ve successfully regrown plants from a part of the original plant, and it’s easy and free. You’ve already bought the celery, so use the end of it to grow another full head of celery by placing it in a shallow bowl of water. Same with green onions, carrots, garlic, basil, some lettuces, and many others. Do a quick internet search for a full list of foods to regrow from scraps, doing a happy dance because of all the money you’re saving.
6. Host a Plant or Seed Swap
I have a fun garden group in my city that gets together regularly and swaps plants and seeds. Agave pups, coneflower seeds, extra liriope — we all bring what we have too much of, and trade with other gardeners. There aren’t any hard and fast rules (there’s no Plant Swap Police monitoring what you’re taking), just a general good will to share plants, save money, and have a good time. Throw a happy hour into the mix and you’re golden.Kellogg Garden OrganicsAll Natural Raised Bed and Potting Mix
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