One Hundred Dollars a Month

Gardens save you money. That’s a fact I’ve discovered is always true after years of gardening. Growing your own food is simply cheaper than buying it at the grocery store {and we’re not even factoring in the health benefits for years to come that come with additional savings}! But it costs money to save money, so of course, there are ways to cut down on those costs when you’re looking at planting your spring garden. Here are just a few ways you can save while gardening:

Over Plant: Seems like an odd thing to say, but it can actually help to plant crops thicker than they actually grow. If you are normally a stickler when it comes to planting directions, be a little lax and see how it works. You can plant crops like beets, carrots, onions, lettuce, basil, and arugula closer together than traditionally prescribed, thin them out and eat the thinnings while the crop continues growing. So maybe instead of planting seeds 10 inches apart, plant them 5 inches apart.

Buy Seeds Early and In Bulk: Many seed companies will give you a discount if you buy before March. If you wait, the price will go up. Snag them starting in January for the best deals. You can also often score even better deals if you buy in bulk, so gather your friends, family and neighbors and go in together on a seed order!

Start Your Garden From Seed: Let’s be honest. Those little overpriced plant starts are tempting to buy, because they are already growing. Starting your garden from seed requires a little time and a little patience. But trust me when I say it is sooo worth it! A packet of seed can run as low as $0.25 while a 6 pack of veggie starts or even individual plant starts can run a few dollars per container. The savings really adds up! Even better? Save your seeds from previous years, and then the cost is nothing!

Shop Plant Sales: If you don’t have the patience for seeds, make sure you buy your plant starts on sale. Hit up a local farm’s harvest sale or an annual or semi-annual plant sale. That is where I have found the very best prices on plants!

Utilize Seed Libraries: Google “seed libraries” and you might be surprised to find that you can score free seeds near you. You can often take all the seeds you need for free with only a promise of letting one of your plants go to seed. You then gather those seeds and contribute them back to the seed library. It’s a win/win for everyone!

Bulk Up Your Soil on the Cheap: Sure you can go buy materials to improve and strengthen your soil, but why pay for them when you can often get them for free. Ask a local farmer for some manure, save your used coffee grounds {or grab some from a coffee shop}, or even bag up the leaves in your yard! Those are all ways to pack your soil with a nice mineral-rice punch for free!

Don’t Plant it Just Because You Can: I know it’s tempting to have a massive, full and beautiful garden, and I’ve made the mistake myself of planting a veggie knowing in the back of my mind there was a good chance it might go to waste because it wasn’t a favorite. Plant what you know you will eat; don’t buy and plant something just because the seed packet was beautiful or the plant itself is pretty. I know that’s hard to resist sometimes because those seed packets are gorgeous!!

Buy Equipment on Sale: Getting a garden started is expensive! Aside from seeds and soil, you’ll need shovels, spades, rakes, and buckets. That can add up! If I ever need to replace something, I try to wait until the season is over. Come fall, you’ll see huge sales and deep discounts on all things garden! Most stores do this to make room for their holiday inventory, and you reap the savings rewards!

And there are just a few ways you can save A LOT of money on your garden, which will in turn save you A LOT of money! Did I miss any great money-saving tips? What do you do to save money on your garden?

Get your garden on,

~Mavis