There are now so many things you can buy for the garden and plants have become more expensive to buy. We may not all always have lots of cash to spend on the garden and this should not deplete our enjoyment of this wonderful hobby and enjoyment of any outdoor space we have.
Gardening on a small budget doesn’t have to mean sacrificing a lovely garden or a creative approach to gardening, in fact sometimes quite the opposite. Here are some inexpensive or free garden ideas we can implement to save money where we can so that your garden does not need to suffer if you are on a tight budget.
If you do have more to spend you can spend on really lovely items. Many gardeners do these garden tricks without being on a tight budget to save money !
1. Grow From Seed And Take Cuttings.
Growing your own salads, vegetables, annuals, and perennials from seeds is cost-effective and truly rewarding. We can use egg boxes to grow your seeds in rather than buying seed trays.
Rather than buying them part grown from the garden centre or buying salad from the shop start growing from seed. You can use old margarine or yoghurt pots and really any clean washed container really to start the seeds.
If you grow Bamboo you can harvest the canes and use them to make your own plant supports and tripods which saves money on buying them.
Take cuttings of plants you love in your own garden and ask friends, family and neighbours if you can take cuttings of plants you admire in their gardens. You can use these to increase your supply of plants for free. I love taking cuttings and seeing them grow. Do take more cuttings than you need as some may not take.
If you are very successful and do not need all the cuttings you can see if any friends, family or neighbours would consider a swap with you.
You could also try to sell the cuttings at a car boot sale or use an honesty box outside your home to sell the excess cuttings.
2. Repurpose.
Get thinking creatively about materials you already have around the house and garden. Think before you throw anything away if it can be used in the garden in a creative or useful way.
Reuse old equipment as planters, for example old sinks can be reused in the garden as a planter, an old plastic dog bed can become a small pond. You are only limited by your imagination!
3. Buy Second Hand Tools And Share Equipment
Look for second-hand gardening tools or discuss tool sharing with your friends, family or neighbours. Some of our best spades and forks have been found at car boot sales and even at an Antique shop.
You may only need some expensive tools a couple of times a year, so makes sense if you can club together to buy together and share or alternatively see if you can rent any tools.
Get a sharpening stone to keep tools in good order and last longer. Also oil tools that require it to make them last longer.
4.Look for Free And Discounted Plants
Keep an eye out for free or discounted plants.
I am always searching for the section in garden centres where they put the old last season plants that did not sell or ones that look shabby. I call them my "rescue" plant section and usually with a little care and watering you can being them back to life and have paid a fraction of the cost.
Sometimes neighbours or local gardening groups share excess plants.
5. Paint Your Fence
We have just done this to give the garden a different look. Painting protects it from the weather which is always good and smartens up an old fence.
You can either go for black or brown or a dark green to blend or make your fence a bold feature by painting it a bright colour.
All it takes is a pot of paint and a little work.
We went for black Cuprinol fence paint this time as we have found it to be durable and gives a good coverage and colour.
The plants really stand out against it and the black colour helps to make the garden feel bigger as the dark colour recedes.
6. Mulch Pots And Containers.
Highlight your containers and pots by adding a decorative mulch. It is surprising what a difference this can make to a container. As it is a small space you can look to buy decorative mulches like pebbles, slate, shells or black river rocks.
Mulch helps conserve moisture in the soil and suppresses weeds, while also giving your display a beautiful finish. As you will not use much in a container you can use a good quality decorative mulch which will give a dramatic impact.
7. Make Your Own Bird Bath
I advocate for every garden to have a bird bath as it is one of the single most important things for garden birds for water and bathing. If you can afford one of the beautiful iron or decorative ones then that is great.
However if money is tight you can make your own bird bath. You will need a terracotta or stone pot, a saucer, and glue suitable for outside work. Simply turn the pot upside down, glue the saucer to the bottom of the pot, wait until the glue has dried and then fill it with fresh clean water. The birds will love you for it.
Alternatively simply use old plastic or terracotta saucers, or even an upturned bin lid and fill with water. Place them in a safe area for birds and watch them enjoy a place to drink and bathe.
8. Make Your Own Plant Labels.
Reuse ice cream or lollipop sticks or any similar product to label your plants in containers, seeds or in the garden. They may not last as long as more expensive or beautiful bought plant labels, but they are useful as a temporary measure for seeds and you can replace them when they wear out.
9.Lighting In The Garden
Sorting our gardens with lighting makes them a useable and lovely space to be in the evenings.
However employing an electrician to fix up outdoor electrical lighting can be very expensive. An alternative is to use Solar-powered lights which are more cost-effective, portable and require no installation costs.
10. Protect Your Pots.
Instead of buying expensive terracotta feet to raise pots off the ground to improve drainage, prevent waterlogging and frost damage, try using old bricks you may have and placing pots on those.
Even though gardening is one of my main hobbies and interests, I employ most of these money saving tips. It means that I then have money to spend on other things for the garden that I may need or want!
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