Tips On How To Garden Inexpensively

I’m sure you’ve all heard it; gardening is expensive.  From the soil, to the tools, seeds/plants, fertilizer, pesticides, and herbicides, to the time spent (time is money, right?)…the list goes on and on.  And the truth of the matter is, gardening CAN be very expensive–if you don’t do it right.

Many new gardeners fall into the trap of buying the latest and greatest, thinking that the most expensive supplies must mean they are the best supplies.  This is not necessarily the case.  In this blog, I will highlight some tips on how to make your gardening less expensive and more enjoyable, because we all enjoy saving money!

Your Soil:

• I cannot stress to you how important it is to do your research.  Know what kind of soil your plants will need: sandy, rocky, high in clay, high in peat (organic matter decay), etc.
• Know what pH level your plants will require.  Do they like acid, or are they sensitive to it?  Do they prefer sweet, sour, or bitter soil?  If you do your research, you’ll know what I’m referring to in this question.
• How nutrient rich does your soil need to be?

Your Tools:

• There are really only a handful of gardening tools one needs to be a successful gardener.  They do not need to be the latest and greatest, chrome-plated, warranted for 10 years, etc.  They just need to do their job and you need to be comfortable with them.
• These basic tools include: shovel, rake, hoe, hand trowel, shears, bucket or cart, and gloves.  Many gardeners like to use kneeling mats/kneelers.
• Again, nothing fancy.  Comfort is just as important as functionality, so be sure to purchase tools that work with you ergonomically.  I can suggest “window shopping” at your local garden center, and then checking online to see you can purchase the tools for less.

Your Seeds/Plants:

• You have many options for where to purchase your seeds and/or plants when planting season comes around.  The important thing to remember is to know your source.
• If planting from seed, see if your friends save their seeds and if you can purchase from them.  If not, I can suggest a few seed saving/sharing websites:
• http://www.seedsavers.org/
• http://www.halcyon.com/tmend/exchanges.htm
• http://www.southernexposure.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=SFNT
• Try and buy heirloom seeds, or at least be sure the seeds are open-pollinated.  Hybrid seeds will not produce plants that will grow again the next year, so you will get stuck in the cycle of having to buy new seeds every year.

Your Fertilizers, Pesticides, and Herbicides:

• Once again, do your research!  Know beforehand what kind of fertilizer your plants will need.  Know how often you will need to fertilize and how much to use.  Know what kind of pests threaten your plants and how you will need to take care of the weeds that may invade your garden.
• There are TONS of organic fertilizers available, but many gardeners don’t realize that we “produce” organic fertilizers every day.  Some examples: coffee grounds, egg shells, fish tank water, fireplace ash, and the good “ole” compost pile, full of our thrown-away organic matter, leaves, pine needles, etc.
• Home-made pesticides and herbicides are a great idea!  For some “recipes”, check-out these websites:
• http://www.paystolivegreen.com/2008/12/make-your-own-homeade-pesticides-and-repellants/
• http://tipnut.com/weed-killers/

Your Time:

• Your time is important to you, so spend it well.  The easier you make things on yourself, by using the right soil, purchasing the right tools, planting the right seeds, and tending your garden correctly and efficiently, the more fun you will have with your gardening and the more time you’ll have to enjoy the fruits of your labor.
• I always encourage gardeners to communicate with each other.  Talk to your neighbors and friends and share tips with one another–you might be surprised how much you can help each other out!

Until next time, take care and happy gardening!