Starting a garden from scratch might seem like an expensive endeavor, but it doesn’t have to be. By utilizing the right resources, you can create a thriving garden while keeping your wallet full. Here is how to save money when starting a garden while ensuring you have everything you need.
Gather Used Tools and Pots
Don’t fall into the marketing hype—you don’t need brand new fancy tools and supplies to start gardening. After all, they’ll be dirty during your first day of using them.
Instead, check out thrift stores for necessary items, scan the sidewalks during bulk trash pick-up week, and use the “free stuff” section of Craigslist to get all that you need.
Get Advice From Friends or Neighbors
One of the best ways to save money when starting a garden is to eliminate unnecessary mistakes. While there are many resources online to help you start growing, none compare to an experienced fellow gardener in your region. This is invaluable because they already know the environment and climate conditions in your area, saving you lots of headaches from trial and error! Chances are, they may even donate some supplies that they don’t use anymore.
Start With Seeds
The only downside to starting from seeds is that you’ll have to wait longer until your plants grow. However, the wait is worth it, and you’ll save so much from not starting with saplings and young plants. While it can be tempting to pick up these plants, the markup on them is incredibly high compared to what you’ll save by starting with seeds.
Propagate Your Older Plants
Once your plants grow up, you can propagate them to begin new plants. This saves you time and money. It’s a lot faster to start a plant from a branch clipping than a seed. All you need is a little bit of soil and a pot or a spot in the earth! Learning to propagate your plants is a valuable skill to have.
Utilize Local Compost
Often, neighborhoods will have some community compost initiative. Search your region for these and pick some up when you can. They are excellent ways to get cheap soil and form connections in the area.
Starting a garden is a fantastic hobby. When done correctly, it can be highly affordable to begin with bountiful payoffs in the following months.
