Gardening is the ultimate way to save money and planting a frugal garden is every penny pincher’s dream. However, as much money as you hope to save by planting your own fruits and vegetables, you could end up spending the same, if not more if you don’t do it right. Take it from me, a somewhat experienced gardener with big hopes and plenty of failed attempts at growing my own food and saving money in the process, there’s more than one way to spend more and save less when it comes to gardening. To avoid these pitfalls, I’m going to share with you the things I’ve learned along the way for planting a frugal garden.
Plant from Seed if you can
The cheapest way to start your garden is from seed. Seeds cost very little and you get a lot for less. Having said this, I don’t recommend you run out and buy a ton of seeds if you aren’t willing to put the effort forth to care for the delicate plants that spring forth.
New plants that grow from seeds are very, very delicate and require a great deal of care to prosper. One wrong move, and those tiny little seedlings will die instantly, costing you more money than you planned to spend. It’s important to do your research on proper temperature, water content and care for your new plants. If this level of care doesn’t appeal to you (Don’t feel bad if it doesn’t. I fall into this category, too.), you’re better off purchasing seedlings.
Seedlings Saving you Money
I am more apt to plant my garden from seedlings just because I always manage to kill the new plants that sprout from seed. Although seedlings are more expensive than planting from seed, it’s much cheaper than buying seeds, killing the plants that sprout, and then having to purchase more seeds to start over.
If you have friends that garden, you may be able to get seedlings from them if they have extra.
Watering your Garden
If you live in a drought area, you’ll need to water your garden when the rains fail to fall. This can get really expensive, especially if you pay for water. There are several other water sources besides your garden hose you can use to water you thirsty garden.
- Dish water – Instead of pulling the plug and letting the dish water run down the drain, scoop it out into a bucket and use it to water the plants.
- Bath water – Stop up the drain when showering and transfer the used water in the garden.
- Laundry water – Rather than letting the washer drain out to the septic, catch it in a barrel and haul buckets to the garden.
- Rain barrels – Place rain barrels under downspouts to catch rain water that would otherwise be wasted on the ground.
Planting and caring for a frugal garden is easy once you know how to do it. If you’re new to gardening, use the tips above to get started. Be sure to do your research and learn as you go. Do you have any frugal gardening tips? We’d love to hear them!
Image Credit: Thinkstock
