How To Plant A Garden On A Budget
If you want to start a garden but don’t want to spend a fortune, you can easily transform your outdoor space with some simple tips and tricks. There are many ways to start a garden without spending more than you can afford. It just takes a little bit of planning and preparation to set up your garden in an affordable way without sacrificing the appearance of it. From saving money on watering your garden to DIY hacks and more, here’s how to plant a garden on a budget.
Buy Flower Seeds Instead Of Transplants
When it comes to gardening, there are many different directions you can take when planting flowers. You can use transplants, which are flowers and plants that have already begun to grow in a container and can then be placed into the ground or a planter. However, if you’re looking to grow a decent sized garden, the price of transplants can add up quickly.
That’s why it’s better to buy seeds if you’re looking to garden on a budget. While seeds take some extra time and patience compared to transplants, they can be well worth it in order to save money. In addition to helping your budget, there are also many other benefits to planting seeds instead of transplants. Check out some of the benefits below.
Benefits To Planting Seeds Instead Of Transplants
- Planting seeds gives you the authority on growing healthy plants. Sometimes you don’t know where transplants have been, which gives you the risk of bugs and diseased plants.
- Start from seeds allows you to choose from a wider variety of plants and flowers. It’s sometimes hard to find the exact transplants you’re looking for, but it’s easier to find the exact seeds you want.
- You can start your seeds early by planting them indoors first. This allows you to grow your own transplants that you can later move into your garden once the spring season hits.
- Seeds can also give you some personal satisfaction. It’s exciting to see your plants start to grow when you start from scratch. It gives you a sense of accomplishment to see your hard work pay off!
Try Out Container Gardening To Save Money
Planting large patches of plants and flowers in your yard can be exciting and beautiful; however, large gardens mean spending a lot on water, soil, fertilizer, and other maintenance necessities. If you want to garden on a budget, you might want to consider container gardening for a more affordable option.
Container gardening is a great way to grow beautiful plants and flowers on a smaller scale. It’s great for those on a budget because it calls for slightly less upkeep and less supplies. Containers also make it easier and faster to catch any pest problems, allowing you to tackle the issue immediately and save money on reparations later on. While container gardening is smaller than creating a full garden in your yard, it can still result in a stunning part of your outdoor space.
Container Gardening Ideas
- Try out raised bed gardening for vegetables or for a small patch of beautiful flowers.
- Use flower pots to create a beautiful display on your front porch or backyard patio.
- Hang container planters on your windowsills for a unique look.
- Display hanging plants to take up vertical space in your yard.
- Think outside the box and use alternative items as flower planters to make your outdoor space look exciting and different.
Make DIY Garden Beds & Planters For A Cheap Alternative
If you’re looking to use a large amount of planters and containers for your garden, that can get fairly pricey depending on the types of containers you want. While a few here and there can work for your budget, you might want to consider other options in order to save money.
Making your own planters is an affordable alternative that won’t sacrifice the physical appearance of your outdoor space. There are so many ways to DIY pots and planters to match your decor style and personal style. Whether you’re already super crafty or if you don’t have a lot of artsy experience, you can easily make some nice looking planters for your garden.
DIY Planter Ideas
- Use recycled tires as makeshift planters by painting them and stacking them.
- Find a cheap thrift store side table with drawers – paint each drawer and use them as individual wooden planters.
- Drain holes underneath an old wheelbarrow for a large planter.
- Wash out old yogurt containers and paint them to use as small flower pots on your outdoor table.
- Craft some cement planters with the help of plastic containers as a template for the shape.
Use Drip Irrigation To Water Your Garden
Hand watering your garden is not only exhausting but it also gets expensive. If you’re looking how to plant a garden on a budget, you have to take the cost of water into consideration. Sprinklers and hoses get the job done; however, they can be wasteful because the water gets distributed beyond the confinements of your plants.
Drip irrigation is a more efficient way to water your in-ground garden. This is a great system to get installed that will save you a lot money and time in the long run. Alternatively, if you’re watering on a smaller scale, you can use self-watering planters or plant watering globes. But if you’re maintaining a large garden in you yard, drip irrigation is the way to go.
Benefits Of Drip Irrigation
- You don’t waste any water because it stays within the confinements of your gardening area.
- The water drips into the soil slowly, keeping it consistently moist without extra costs.
- Some drip irrigation systems have timers, which means you can easily set it and forget it.
- This system is great for weed control because it’s set up to directly water the plants instead of the weed seeds.
- Drip irrigation reduces the risk of plant diseases because it keeps the water away from the foliage.
- It also prevents overwatering because of the way it’s set up and timed.
Tackle Weeds & Pests Early To Save Money On Garden Reparations
Garden maintenance can get pricey, especially if you have a large spacious garden area. While you can’t always prevent your garden from mishaps and diseases, you can take a lot of steps early on to keep your garden healthy. This will ultimately save you money in the long run because you won’t have to buy expensive products for upkeep later on.
Tackle weeds as soon as you see them to prevent them from taking over your garden. Remove weeds from their roots to kill them at their source and prevent them from growing back. If you don’t have easy access to the weeds, cut them at their heads as soon as you see them. You can also use mulch when starting your garden to prevent weeds before they happen – this will keep the soil cool and also block any light from getting to the weeds.
Pest prevention is also key to keeping your garden low maintenance. If you take the steps early on to stop pests in their tracks, you’ll save money on pest removal later in the season. While there’s not always a guarantee that you’ll have a pest-free garden, here are some precautionary steps you can take:
- Give your flowers and plants plenty of space when planting them. Tightly packed gardens are very enticing to pests because of the warm sheltered environment. Let your plants get enough air circulation so they can breathe.
- Water your garden in the morning. This will give your plants enough time to dry off by later in the day. Wet leaves at night are incredibly inviting to pests.
- Include plants with pollen and nectar to attract the beneficial insects. These insects will help your garden and ward off any unwanted pests.
- If you have a vegetable garden, make sure to pick your harvest in a timely manner to prevent pests.
Now that you’ve learned how to plant a garden on a budget, visit our Garden Center for even more inspiration! Find affordable plants and flowers, garden decor, outdoor lighting, gardening tools, and much more to help your garden thrive this spring.
