Gardening is a beautiful way to boost the appearance of your backyard, front yard, shed, or patio. While many people might think that buying plants and gardening comes with a hefty price tag, there are many things you can do to garden for cheap around your home. This article will discuss several tips you can use for gardening on a budget.
Gardening Misconceptions
Gardening can definitely be an expensive hobby. And some experts believe growing your own food can actually be more costly than purchasing it at the grocery store. However, this isn’t always the case. Buying pre-cultivated plants can be very pricey, but using supplies from the earth, recycled tools, and starting your plants from seeds can help make it much more affordable. Even a tiny backyard garden plot is the perfect DIY idea to help you save money this season.
Group Small Pots Together
If you don’t have the land or money to carve out a garden in your own yard, you can still grow things in containers. Grouping small pots together with bright flowers or herbs can spruce up your home. Preparing an entire plot of land can seem overwhelming, but filling a few small pots and cultivating some herbs and flowers can be much more doable for a beginner gardener.
Vertical Gardening
Trying out vertical gardening is another way to save both space and money in your garden. There are multiple ways to implement vertical gardening, including affixing your pots to the walls, investing in vertically-growing plants, or making a full-on vertical garden setup. For example, fast-growing climbers like clematis armandii or wisteria are budget-friendly plants. They are cheap to buy and start growing large quite quickly. Additionally, these plants can make a small garden look bigger.
Grow Your Own Instead of Buying Plants
Buying young plants that have already been fed and cultivated is undoubtedly easier than buying seeds or bulbs. However, purchasing fully-cultivated plants is also much more expensive than buying seeds. So, if you really want to garden on the cheap, it’s best to start with seeds and grow your own plants. Seeds cost pennies on the dollar. And yes, it can sometimes be a bit difficult to get them started. But the reward when you see your hard work pay off is worth it.
Invest in Fast Growers
Investing in fast-growing plants is not only one of the cheapest options for starting your own garden but can also make a small garden appear bigger. For what’s known as an “instant garden,” you can invest in other fast-growing flowers, bushes, and trees such as north privets, bamboo plants, coral bark, Japanese maple trees, Asian jasmine, neem trees, oleander, butterfly bush, and more.
Opt for Perennials
It is common for gardeners to use a combination of perennials and annuals in their garden for the best blooming patterns. However, while annuals only bloom for one flowering season, perennials will come back for years and years to come. Therefore, while perennials can be much more expensive to buy upfront, you will not need to replant these flowers in the following years. This process makes gardening much less labor intensive, but it is less expensive to maintain these plants in the long run.
Choose Gravel Grounds
Landscaping can quickly become the most expensive part of your gardening transformation if you don’t pay close attention to your budget. Whether you pay someone to maintain/create your landscaping or do it yourself, choosing the least expensive material for the ground of your landscape will make much more sense in terms of cost. Gravel is easy to maintain and helps to keep weeds down in your garden, so you don’t need to pick them as often. Additionally, gravel is an incredibly cheap landscape material, and it is relatively easy to learn how to lay it yourself.
Use Reclaimed/Recycled Materials
There are plenty of ways to repurpose old gardening and household materials to bring new life into your outdoor space. For example, old pallets can make for an easy do-it-yourself gardening table or display for your outdoor pots. If you’re looking for gardening tools or materials, go to sites like Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist and buy them second-hand. Another idea is to ask your family and friends if they have any gardening tools they are not using anymore. You’d be surprised how many tools are collecting dust in someone else’s garage or shed.
Speaking of asking around, there is another way to save money on gardening too. Avid gardeners love to share their hobby. These people may be willing to share seeds or cuttings to help you get started! You’ll never know if you don’t ask. Plus, you might even get some free advice on getting started.
Work in Some Outdoor Lighting
Outdoor lighting can elevate your garden space in a big way, whether you have a massive garden plot in your backyard or a few big pots on your patio. When you place outdoor lighting in your garden, you can also extend the time you can spend relaxing outdoors. A well-lit garden is a wonderful place to sit and relax with family or friends long into the night. Typically, the cheapest outdoor lights to run are solar lights, which are also good for the environment. However, you can also use fairy lights, string lights, ground lights, or spotlights to illuminate your plants further.
Weed Yourself
Paying landscaping professionals to weed your garden for you is incredibly tempting. However, landscaping is not cheap, and saving time and energy comes at a hefty price. For this reason, while it might not always be the most attractive option, the cheapest option for weeding your garden is to do it yourself. Many modern weed-pullers even have a long handle, so you won’t need to bend or kneel to pull them out. In addition, many gardeners find weeding quite therapeutic, so try it for yourself!
When Paying Professionals, Always Negotiate
If you genuinely don’t have the time, energy, or ability to maintain your garden, paying professionals to do it might be the only option. Look for the most affordable landscaping services in your area. However, don’t just settle for the first estimate someone gives you. Get several estimates, and remember that you can often negotiate with professionals for services. If you have something you could barter or trade with them, you could also suggest that!
Keep Things Simple
Perhaps the most helpful tip to having a successful yet affordable garden is to keep things simple! Complex patterns, exotic flowers, fences, or paths can be lovely in a garden, but they are usually costly to create and maintain. However, simple, straight fences, clear paths, and beautiful flowers are all you need to create a fantastic garden space. Hopefully, these tips have inspired you on the many ways you can create an affordable yet beautiful garden space in your own home!
