Published on Monday, May 17, 2010.
This past week Becky and I were out shopping. I dropped Becky off at a fabric store, and while I waited for her I decided to check out a nearby parking lot plant sale. Most of the plants were commonplace; items you would find at any Walmart or Menards. What caught my eye though was the price. Ten inch hanging baskets were being sold for $27.00! Twenty-seven dollars for a plastic pot worth fifty cents, filled with dirt which the last time I looked God was still making for free, and some plants which, let's face it, are weeds in some remote section of our world. Twenty-seven Dollars.
Who can enjoy gardening at prices like that? With the economy the way it is, who can afford prices like that?
Below are a few tips I have used over the years to both save money and enjoy gardening.
Make annuals last for years. There are some beautiful annual plants but I hate having to buy them every year. With annuals, I let the flowers go to seed and then collect the seeds. I store the seeds in baggies out in my garage and write on each baggie what type of seeds they are. Be sure to leave the baggie open a portion so moisture doesn't build up and rot the seeds. The following year I plant the seeds early in small pots and then transplant them when the weather allows.
Make the cut. Perennials can be shared with friends and neighbors after they reach a certain size by making cuttings or divisions. Some plants require little more than snipping off a five-inch segment and sticking them in dirt while others may take a little more work, requiring a rooting compound to help them get started. Research the internet for what method and time of year is best for propogation.
Composting. Compost is dead leaves and other organic matter which have broken down over time to create a very fertile dirt which plants love. If you have a yard large enough to set aside some space to make your own compost, you will be amazed at how well your plants respond. My city has it's own composting area and offer compost for free if you bring a truck and shovel the compost, or they deliver for $5.00 a cubic yard. You can't beat that price! Along with compost, Valparaiso also offers mulch.
Tender Loving Care. Be sure to water your plants as needed. This may sound like a "no-brainer", but if the plant dies from lack of water, you will find yourself back at the store buying a new plant.
Plants grow. Most plants grow at quite a fast pace. Step back and take a look at the big picture. You do not have to buy a large number of plants if you can be patient and allow a few years for your plants to spread and multiply. Several years ago I bought a sedum from a seed catalog. It came as a 3" stem with a small root in a small plastic bag. When my wife saw it she laughed. Four years later, that 3" stem now lines my entire driveway.
One man's junk is another man's treasure. Finding unique treasures to mix with your landscaping is always fun. Growing up my grandparents owned a cabin on the Kankakee River. This cabin had no electricity or running water and accordingly, they had a pump outside the door you had to prime to get water. The time came for the cabin to be sold and the pump laid in storage in a basement for years. One morning I got the brilliant idea to turn that pump into a water feature in our front yard. My only cost was the electric pump to recycle the water.
My neighbors have several unsightly utility boxes in their front yard. They found a piece of old wood fencing, placed that in front of the utility boxes, added some plants and made something unsightly quite attractive. Check out garage sales and let your imagination run wild.
These are just a few of the money-saving tips I have to offer when it comes to gardening. You do not have to spend a fortune to enjoy playing outside in the dirt. If you have a money-saving landscaping idea that you have used, I would love to hear it.
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