Once the buzz of Christmas has passed, the task of paying off bills
can leave many gardeners on a strict budget. Gardeners who need to make
frugal decisions at this time of the year can take heart in a number of
alternatives that will not only lower the cost of gardening, but will
also enhance the pleasure! Here are five steps every budget gardener
should follow:
Plan ahead.
Make a list of what you'd really like to see in your
garden and stick to it. There's no use growing winter cabbage,
regardless of how lovely it looks in the frost, if no one in your family
eats cabbage. A list will also keep you under control when you see the
end-of-season sales and are tempted to purchase something on a whim. In
addition, if you plan exactly where plants are going to go, you won't
make last minute mistakes such as placing sun loving plants in the
shade.
Start a compost pile.
It's surprising to see how many gardeners
haven't constructed their own compost pile and still pay to have their
grass clippings and leaves hauled away and then, in turn, purchase
fertilizers every year. Compost is free food for the garden! It helps
break up heavy clay soils, absorbs water in sandy soils, and encourages
microbial life, thereby decreasing that chances of any one disease
becoming rampant in the garden.
Compost piles don't require anything fancy. The walls can be made of
recycled 2 x 4s, chicken wire, or even hay bales. All that you need is
access to the pile and enough space to turn it every now and again.
What can you put in the pile for free? Grass clippings and leaves are
a great choice since you probably have your own source as well as your
neighbors'. Check with local tree care companies to see if they have any
wood chips to give away. Coffee grinds from the local café make
excellent compost, as does shredded newspaper. Don't forget to include
your vegetable scraps and egg shells. Once you get hooked on composting,
you'll even start going after the local barber for hair, and even saving
dryer lint!
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If you're an apartment gardener or are cramped for space, a great
alternative to a compost pile is a worm bin. The requirements for a
successful worm bin include a good size container, usually a Rubbermaid
bin, about 1/2 lb. of red wiggler worms, shredded newspaper, and then a
steady supply of kitchen scraps. The resulting "worm casts"
make excellent fertilizer for garden & potted plants. For more
information, City Farmer has this article on worm composting: >www.cityfarmer.org/wormcomp61.html#wormcompost
Recycle.
Many of the expenditures that gardeners make for
containers and equipment can be cut down by re-using items you already
have at home. Margarine tubs, yogurt & cottage cheese containers and
egg cartons are fantastic for seed starting. Old gardening boots,
wheelbarrows, and toolboxes can make whimsical substitutes for expensive
outdoor containers. Window frames can be converted into cold frames and
plastic milk jugs and pop bottles can be used to make a mini greenhouses
or hot caps.
Start from seed when you can.
One packet of tomato seed is often
equivalent to the price of one tomato start yet you get the potential of
at least 30-40 plants in each packet. While it may take longer and
require advance planning, starting the majority of your plants from seed
can be a big savings, especially if you're using recycled containers. No
need for expensive heat mats - the top of the VCR or water heater is
ideal. Fluorescent tubes make a suitable substitute for expensive grow
lights and can be rigged up under a table or on a shelf in the garage.
Don't forget to try to save your own seed during the season. Not only
will you save on the seed purchase the following year, but you'll also
be able to select seed from plants that you know did well in your
climate. Most communities now arrange for seed swaps in the early spring
where you can trade your excess seed for new varieties. Make sure that
you save seed from non-hybrid plants.
Choose plants that keep on giving.
In the vegetable garden,
climbing peas, tomatoes, beans & squash tend to provide more produce
than their bush equivalents. If you're limited in space, growing these
plants vertically can be very successful. In addition, plants like
zucchini are notorious for their yields. Trade with neighbors for food
you didn't grow.
Among the flowers, try growing multi-purpose plants to get more bang
for your buck. Many flowers like bachelor's buttons, violas, calendula,
pansies, & roses are edible as well as beautiful. Yarrow, alyssum,
fennel, cumin, & coriander all attract beneficial insects as well.
Find a friend.
Not only can you share ideas with a gardening
buddy, but you can also share the costs and make it cheaper for both of
you. Very few of us require a whole packet of seed for the gardening
season; most packets contain 40-100 seeds. Why not split the packet with
a friend or else trade seed for a variety you didn't buy? A gardening
buddy is also a great person to share tools with. If you've got a
fantastic hoe and your friend has an excellent pitchfork, why double up?
Sharing with a gardening partner will also allow you to purchase
certain inputs in bulk. If you require potting mix, why not go for the
bale size instead of the small packages? Compost, if you can't make your
own, is much cheaper if purchased by the yard and shared with a friend
or two.
Joining a garden club is a great way to meet gardening enthusiasts if
no friends or family are willing to team up with you. Most clubs also
hold plant exchanges or sales where you can get plants for a real steal.
About the Author:
Arzeena
is an agronomist and gardenwriter for Organic Living Newsletter.
Subscribe to this free e-newsletter at http://www.tvorganics.com
Stay at Home Moms - Money saving ideas and tips for frugal stay at home moms
