Money-Saving Gardening Tips

Gardening is an amazing pastime that can bring with it many benefits and joy. Although some deem gardening to be expensive, there are in fact many ways to garden on a budget and reduce costs. Here we discuss 9 money-saving gardening tips.

Make your own compost

There is no need to buy compost when you can easily make some yourself. Not only is it cheap to make, having a compost heap in your garden can reduce the amount of household waste you are producing whilst also creating a haven for wildlife. It is an environmentally friendly way to get rid of any raw fruit and vegetable scraps you have in the kitchen, along with any cardboard, lawn clippings etc. Having a range of materials can help create nutrient-rich compost to feed your plants.

Grow your own food

Even if you don’t have a large garden, or only have a balcony or small patio, you can still plant your own food. Growing food from seed is extremely cost-effective, all it takes is some planning and patience. When choosing which food to grow yourself, try and pick foods that are more expensive to buy in the shop. This will help you cut more costs in the long run. Try and grow vegetables like asparagus or runner beans rather than onions which are very cheap to buy. Also plant some berries such as raspberries, strawberries and blackcurrants. The great thing is about this is that you can freeze whatever you grow for later use. Plant a herb garden as well to always have a stock of your favourite herbs to hand. 

Grow your plants from bulbs

Although many people want to buy plants that are already in bloom so they have an instant flower display, buying flowers from bulbs can be a lot more cost-effective over the long term. Planting flower bulbs may take more time to see the flowers appear, however, once they do bloom, they can continue to bloom to several seasons. Also, if flower bulbs such as daffodils, bluebells or snowdrops get planted, then they naturalise well, meaning that although you only plant one bulb, over time you will end up with more flowers. With these money-saving gardening tips, you can soon fill large spaces with beautiful blooms on a budget by doing this.

Upcycle

Before you buy anything for your garden, take a minute to see if there is anything else you already own that you can upcycle. For example, there are many things you can use instead of plant pots. As long as you have drainage holes in them you can use wellies, baskets, old pots and pans and even tyres. Not only does this save you money, but it can also create amazing unique features to a garden. Also, keep some washed out yoghurt pots or ice cream containers to use as seed trays and general garden storage.

Mulch

Placing a layer of mulch on flower beds can be beneficial to the plants but it can also help you economically. Mulching helps the gardener save water as it helps retain the moisture in the soil. It also helps prevent unwanted plants from sprouting in random places. Therefore less time will be spent weeding and less money is needed on herbicides. 

Used coffee grounds or the contents of a used teabag are both great to use as they would otherwise just be thrown away. The tea leaves will increase the nitrogen levels of the soil, improving the soil structure and fertility.

Buy second hand

Buying gardening tools can add up to a big expense. You can lower this amount by trying to find the tools second hand first. There are many places you can pick up a good deal.

Install a water butt

Although there will be an initial cost for the water butt, having one installed with save money over the year, especially for those that use a water meter. During the wet months, the water butt will gradually fill meaning that the plants will have plenty of water reserves during the dryer summer months. The great thing about this is that a lot of plants prefer rainwater and it makes an environmentally friendly option. If you do not have space for a water butt, place containers outside to collect rainwater. Or keep them inside to carry any water from washing dishes or running a bath.

Use cooking water

Once you have boiled or steamed any vegetables or eggs, do not pour the cooking water down the drain. Leave the water to cool then use the water on your plants as it acts as a natural fertiliser. 

Plan in Advance

Forward planning will help cut costs over time. Knowing the exact plants you would like in your garden means that you will buy the correct amount rather than accidentally buying too many. So, it is vital to always measure the area of your garden before purchasing bulbs. It also means you can spread the cost and means that you can plant the correct plants throughout the year in order to see the best results.

As you can see, there are many money-saving gardening tips that can help you create a beautiful garden without breaking the bank.

If you need any help with bulbs and gardening advice, then please contact us. Boston Bulbs Wholesale is a privately owned business with over 35 years’ experience of importing only the finest quality horticultural products through Europe and from farms and growers over the UK. Whether you’re a landscaper, nursery, local authority, wholesale, retailer, private business or individual gardener, give us a call on 01775 769 333 or visit https://bostonbulbswholesale.co.uk for help with flower bulbs, grass seed and more.