There are ways to save money while
beautifying your flower and vegetable gardens.
Some of my best tips on saving money include:
1.
Before
purchasing any plant, you should know in which zone you reside as many plants
will not thrive nor survive in certain zones.
The web site I recommend is from the US Department of Agriculture, a
very reliable source. By entering your
zip code you can learn number and letter combination for the zone in which you
dwell. Check it out at: http://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/PHZMWeb
2.
Doing
your research is important in planning your garden. Check out books at the library, talk to the
experts at garden centers, and use the Internet. Most plants will have a tag indicating if the
plant is an annual (one year) or a perennial (repeated years), how many hours
of sun it requires, how to plant it in regards to depth and space, any other
special details.
3.
Because
some plants and vegetables come in quantities of more than one, consider the
option of sharing them with someone. By
splitting the cost, you can receive some of each plant, and not be overwhelmed
with too many of the one plant. You can
do the same with swapping plants that multiple and can be either divided or
produce offshoots like Hosta and Forsythia.
Share with your family and friends.
Also, check your newspaper for groups who offer swaps where you bring
your extra plants and go home with some new varieties.
4.
Starting
plants from seed is another option. Start
them now as the number of days to maturity on certain plants may take the date
into mid to late July before you can truly enjoy some vegetables! Building a cold frame using some lumber and
an old glass window with hinges, purchase a seed starter kit, or as I did,
saving the plastic 4-packs from other plants and placing them inside near a
window and watering them. My lettuce and
green beans are started. I will also be
planting a second batch in a few weeks to stagger my crop to keep receiving its
produce.
5.
Create
your own flower container combinations. Why
spend $15 to $20 on a hanging basket? Instead
of purchasing a pre-made basket at a garden center, I create my own
combinations based upon what I find on the Internet and use baskets and
containers in my collection. On the Internet,
there are many great sites for you to view to become familiar with what is
available in our zone and get an idea of prices, growing conditions, and colors
available. My favorite site is the
Proven Winners web site because they have combinations showing a photograph and
a scheme of where to plant the flowers in the pot. Check it out at www.provenwinners.com/container-gardening/container-recipes/search. Although my baskets are smaller in diameter
than they recommend, I adapt their combinations to fit, and sometimes even
change the colors they recommend. Their
products are also available in my local area.
I have also found that the local businesses where I shop (many are
roadside stands and small Mennonite run greenhouses) will take back the empty
pots I purchased from them.
6.
Once
everything is planted, remember to tend to your plants, knowing when to water,
weed, and fertilize to get the best results.
One product to help reduce the need to water is Soil Moist. It is a product that allows you to water less
because the soil stays moist. It is
similar to the granules in a baby diaper that absorb the moisture.
I am very
anxious to begin enjoying the fruits of my labor, eating homegrown produce - tomatoes,
colored bell peppers, eggplant, zucchini, green beans, cucumbers, lettuce, and
herbs! Yum! Not only will I know where and how my produce
was grown, but I will be cutting my grocery bill and if there is abundance, I
will be sharing with family and friends.
In the next week, I
anticipate finishing my planting and mulching.
So what are you looking forward to in your garden this year?
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