For many, gardening is a great way to get outdoors and save money by growing some of your own food. Even better, it doesn’t have to cost the earth. So green fingers at the ready, here are some top tips from Faith Archer at Much More With Less for gardening on a budget.
Buying packets of seeds is always going to be cheaper than shelling out for seedlings or plants. Check out garden centres in your locality or roam around. Also look out for end of season sales at garden centres. Also think about focusing on varieties that you like to eat and grow them yourself, and in doing so reducing your household budget expenses – such as tomatoes, herbs, etc.
You don’t have to blow the budget on seed trays and pots when you can reuse items around the house. Think yogurt pots, loo roll tubes and egg boxes to get seeds started. Reuse plastic trays from supermarket fruit and veg packaging, and other plastic containers. Cut the tops off big plastic water bottles, then turn them upside down to make mini cloches. Make the most of small spaces. You don’t need a big garden to get growing. Think pots of herbs and salad leaves on the kitchen windowsill, cherry tomatoes and strawberries in hanging baskets and peas and beans up poles against a wall.
Rather than buying big bags of compost, start your own compost heap. Add in fruit and veg scraps, grass clippings, dead leaves, sticks and shredded paper for a good mix.
Instead of buying brand new gardening equipment like spades, forks, rakes and shears, think second hand. Stalk car boot sales and garage sales and team up with local, or overseas, gardening lovers communities, and see what you can source out.
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