Billeater: "Dirt Cheap" Gardening Tips

Getting into gardening for the first time can be a little daunting. It's not just a green thumb challenge; it's also a financial one. There are seeds to buy, pots for seed starting, fertilizers, and gardening tools to buy. But if you take your time to get what you need this year, you may be running a "dirt cheap" garden next year.

Find it Cheap

Many of the tools you need for gardening are already in your garage or shed. You'll need a spade, hoe and loom rake. Trays will come in handy for seed starting as well. If you don't have any of these, start yard sale-ing every Saturday and Sunday morning. The trick is to get in early before the crowd. Be sure to put up requests on Freecycle and Craigslist as well. By keeping your eye out now, you'll probably find everything you need for just a few bucks to use next year.

Composting

Yes, it can be stinky, but composting is by far the cheapest way to get fertilizer for your garden. But making compost takes time. Start your compost this year and you'll be using it for fertilizer next year. The cheapest and easiest compost maker is a trash can.

Get material for compost by using a deep pot, lined with a plastic shopping bag. Put bits and pieces of vegetable matter, eggshells, coffee grounds and similar wet garbage in the pot during the day. Dump the garbage (except for the plastic bag) into the trash can each evening. Include leaves and grass clippings too. Put the lid on tight, turn it on its side and roll it a few times before standing it back up. Do this every day and you'll have compost ready next year. The trick is to keep turning it.

Recycle and Re-use

By instituting a program of recycling and re-using, many otherwise unwanted items can be put to use in the garden. Cardboard egg cartons are perfect seed starters that you can plant directly into the garden when the time is right. By cutting and using the top half of plastic milk or juice jugs, you have yourself a mini-greenhouse for seedlings.

Save cardboard and newspaper for between garden rows and around plants. Lay the items flat and cover with about an inch of dirt. They will inhibit weeds and retain water to reduce your water consumption.

Get Social

Just as you are getting some great money saving tips online right now, there are forums that you can join online that will help you get even more ideas to save money in the garden. Join a gardener's forum and start asking questions. In fact, the trash-can compost idea came from a user on our forum at Billeater.

Seed Swap

Seed packets usually have more seeds than you need. Don't buy seeds for all the plants you want, only some. Then use the extra seeds to swap with other gardeners to get the other plants you want. Also, learn to gather seeds from what you grew and swap those next year. Extra strawberry and raspberry runners can also be bartered. Just go on sites like Craigslist to find a swap near you. And while you're swapping seeds, swap some "dirt cheap" gardening tips too!

Jessica Bosari writes for the money-saving site, Billeater.com. The site is devoted to helping people reduce expenses, save money and find great deals. Pay Billeater a visit for more money-saving tips!