Planting flowers, herbs, and veggies is my passion. Each year I scour seed catalogs and visit greenhouses and nurseries looking for the perfect plant. I’m not alone. More and more people are turning to gardening as a hobby or as a way to grow their own organic plants. The only downside of gardening is the cost. With plants ranging anywhere from $3.99 to $29.99, purchasing several plants can put a serious dent in your wallet. Thanks to the Master Gardener classes I recently completed, I’ve found 5 Tips Here’s some tips to save money on plants. Saving money while having a beautiful garden? It’s a priceless experience.
5 Tips to Save Money on Garden Plants
1. Purchase perennials instead of annuals. While you won’t get the instant gratification of masses of flowers blooming, perennials will come back year after year. Once they’re established they will (usually) spread, producing more flowers each year. These flowers can be transplanted to different areas of the yard or different flower beds.
It will take a few years to produce a lovely garden but it will save money in the long run. Tip: Plant mostly perennials and fill in with a few low-cost annuals for color if you prefer an overflowing garden with a riot of color.
2. Grow Plants from Seed. This can seem like a daunting task for a new gardener but it can give you an abundance of plants for much less than purchasing individual plants. If you would like to grow plants from seed for the first time, here’s a few tips to help you get started.
- Purchase seeds from reputable companies. This will help ensure you receive disease-free seeds.
- Check the germination rate of the seeds. The higher the germination rate, the more plants you can produce. If you’ve never grown seeds before, you might want to start with easy-to-grow seeds.
- Follow the planting instructions exactly. Planting seeds at the wrong depth can prevent seeds from sprouting (if they are planted too deep) or to have problems with their root systems (if they are planted too shallow.)
- If planting outside, do not start seeds too early. Frost and cold weather can kill or stunt young plants. Always check the proper time for planting in your zone. You should be able to do this through your local or state extension office.
3. Share and Swap Plants from Friends and Family. If your family and friends have been gardening any amount of time, they are likely to have an abundance of a few types of plants. My garden tends to overflow with oregano, mint, beebalm, marjoram, and Lamb’s Ear. I’m always happy to share excess plants with others. In turn, people have shared their spare plants with me. It’s an easy, economical way to get new plants.
4. Purchase Native Plants. One of the easiest ways to ensure that plants will grow in your area is to purchase natives. If you’re wondering, “What is a native plant?” Here’s the USDA definition, “A plant that is a part of the balance of nature that has developed over hundreds or thousands of years in a particular region or ecosystem.” Basically, it’s just a plant that grows naturally in your area.
You can usually find a list of native plants that grow well in your area through the university associated with the Master Gardener extension program in your state or through your state’s native plant society. Google “list of native plants (your state)” to find resources.
5. Propagate Your Own Plants. This simply means to save seed from your plants, divide them to make new plants, or in some cases, like succulents, remove a piece of the plant for replanting. We’ll go into greater detail on how to propagate plants in a future post. (Legal disclaimer that I have to add: some plants are patented. It is illegal to propagate patented plants or seeds.)
If you have any gardening questions, feel free to contact me. What are your favorite ways to garden on a budget?
Thank you for the great tips!
Good advice. . I have many perennials planted over 20 years that keep on producing. . so I keep dividing and replanting. I’m keeping my eye on some clearance perennials to add this year 🙂
We started some things from seed earlier this year and it worked out well. Our garden sprouted about 25 extra tomato plants this year, most likely because I spread out the 3 year old composte. I guess I’ll be learning to can this season!
Great gardening tips. Thanks! 🙂
These look great!
I am running behind on getting my garden going but you inspire me! Maybe I’ll even save money for falling behind schedule. lol.
I never really thought it was a good purchase to buy annual either. Some do come back the next year here in Florida. I loved the idea of trading with others.
I especially like your advice to wait until “mid-Summer” and purchase during a clearance sale. That makes good sense to me!
Wow! Great buys! You are a shopping champ!