July 04, 2024

5 Money-Saving Tips for Gardening

Gardening, whether ornamental or edible, can take quite an investment—seeds, plants, soil, and tools. With all the household expenses, it’s easy to push gardening to the bottom of the priority list or even out of it entirely. Plus, if you’re not careful, gardening costs can sprout faster than your veggies, eating up any savings you were hoping to harvest.

However, it doesn’t have to be this way. There are many ways to save money, from swapping seeds to buying discounted plants. In this article, NutriPod®, a trusted provider of fertilizer for grass and garden plants, focuses on some less obvious tricks to save money while bringing your garden to life.

Key Takeaways

With strategic planning and resourceful practices, you can significantly cut down on gardening costs, making it a more affordable and sustainable activity.
Incorporating cost-effective techniques such as propagating plants, buying bare-root plants, and upcycling household materials helps maximize your garden’s potential without breaking the bank.
Using NutriPod® slow-release fertilizers ensures your plants get the nutrients they need with minimal waste and effort, helping you maintain a healthy garden while keeping costs down.

1. Plan Your Garden

It's so easy to fall in love with the most beautiful or colorful plants at the garden center. However, there are many factors to consider, such as the hardiness of the plant and whether it is adapted to your local climate. There's also the decision between annuals and perennials.

Annuals complete their life cycle in one season and need to be replanted each year, whereas perennials come back year after year. The seasonal interest that annuals add to your garden is undeniable, producing fresh blooms that can last through the season. However, their fleeting nature means you'll have to replace them annually, which can add to costs. It's wise to balance these temporary blooms with perennials to keep your garden looking lively while keeping your expenses in check. With their dependable return every year, perennials provide a solid foundation and continuity in your garden.

So, work out roughly how many plants you need for an area and give yourself some ideas about colors and shapes, ensuring a balance between perennials, shrubs, and annual bedding plants. This will help you avoid impulsive purchases and get the best value for your money.

2. Grow Strong Plants and Propagate

Whether you plant from seed or buy a full-grown plant from your garden center, propagating is a great way to make the most out of your purchase. Herbs, ornamental, and flowering plants can often be divided to make more plants. When you buy them, don’t plant them immediately—split them first. Depending on the plant, you can either cut the root ball in half or cut the little offshoots growing around the main plant, ensuring they have roots intact for successful replanting. These will grow eventually, providing you with more plants for your garden.

Another cost-effective option is to buy bare-root plants. These plants—trees, shrubs, or some perennials—are dug out of the ground when dormant and sold without any pot or soil around the roots. They are cheaper to buy compared to pot-grown, in-season plants. While they initially require a little extra care, they are otherwise easy to plant, grow, establish, and propagate. This approach can help you stretch your gardening budget while opening up opportunities to grow a successful garden with diverse plants.

3. Upcycle Materials for Your Garden

Get creative and upcycle materials for your garden to save money and reduce waste. Repurpose old net curtains as netting to protect your plants from pests or use old pallets to make raised beds. Disassemble old pallets and use the wood to create raised garden beds for a structured area for your flowers and vegetables.

Meanwhile, you can transform old plastic bottles into plastic labels and use twigs for plant support. Cut plastic bottles into strips, write the plant names with a permanent marker, and stick them in the soil. This will help you keep track of your plants without spending on fancy labels.

4. Maintain Your Tools

Cleaning gardening tools such as spades, scissors, and forks regularly prevents rust and keeps them in good working condition. After each use, wipe off any dirt or sap and wash them thoroughly with soapy water. Dry them completely before storing them. Sharpening blades and oiling moving parts will also help keep your tools functioning smoothly and efficiently, making your gardening tasks easier and more fun.

Store your tools in a dry, sheltered place to protect them from the elements. Hanging them up or storing them in a toolbox can also help prevent accidents and damage. Overall, regular maintenance not only extends the life of your tools but also saves you money by minimizing the need for frequent repairs and replacements.

5. Use Slow-Release Fertilizer

Slow-release fertilizers offer long-lasting effects, saving you from frequent applications that can add to your cost. It also reduces the risk of over-fertilizing, which can cause costly damage to your garden. One excellent option is NutriPod®, which is recommended for use during planting. We offer a wide range of slow-release fertilizers for grass plugs and other garden plants, including shrubs, annuals, palms, and vegetables.

NutriPod® consists of granular fertilizer pre-measured and encased in dissolvable pods for precise, mess-free application. With a balanced NPK ratio tailored to your plants’ needs, NutriPod® helps them grow up to two times faster. The gradual release lasts up to 45 days, supporting plant health and saving you money by preventing overuse of fertilizer during the establishment stage.