For the green-thumbed homeowner, there are few things as pleasurable as running fingers through soft, moist earth, catching sight of the first flowering buds of spring, and inhaling the scent of freshly cut grass. Tending to a lawn and garden can get expensive. Between seeds, fertilizer, and gardening supplies, costs can be high enough to take the pleasure out of lawn care. Here are 10 creative ways to save on spring landscaping so you can have your well-tended lawn and your budget, too.
Go green with your garden by choosing plants that flower year after year. You’ll have to pay more out of pocket when you first plant these blooms, but the cost-free plants you’ll have each year will more than make it worth the price.
Mulch and other soil products may keep your garden healthy, but they’re not as kind to your wallet. Save money by going the DIY route with compost. You only need a designated outdoor bin to collect your old fruit, veggie peels, plant clippings, and dead leaves. After a few weeks, you should have a pile of nutrient-rich soil ready to give your garden the boost it needs to grow and glow.
For a colorful variety of flowers, plant perennials that grow and multiply quickly, like hostas or daylilies. Within a few years, you should have more of these flowers and plants than you need. Then, you can trade them with friends and neighbors for new and interesting plants.
Grow your garden by helping your plants propagate. You can do this by separating an already growing plant into two and replanting, rooting a leaf, or rooting a small stem with leaves. You can propagate new plants in soil or in water. Find out more about propagating here.
For lower-maintenance plants, choose species that grow naturally in your area of the country. You’ll save on extra watering, soil correction, and special plant food.
The plants in the nursery and home improvement store won’t look too attractive in the fall, but that doesn’t mean they’re useless. Plants that look wilted now can grow beautifully in the spring as long as the roots are alive and well. Best of all, you can score these healthy plants at bargain prices.
While you’re shopping during the fall sales, you can pick up discounted potted plants, planters, gardening tools, lawn chairs, and more.
Looking for an easy and cost-free way to improve your lawn? You already have one! Just leave your grass clippings on the lawn after mowing instead of cleaning them up. The clippings will break down quickly, adding organic matter and nutrients to your grass.
Shorter grass attracts more weeds and will need more herbicides. Higher grass will shade out those pesky weeds while also developing a deeper root system, thus requiring less watering. Keep your grass at 2- 2 ½ inches for best results.
It’s important to measure and control the pH level of your lawn. If the ground is too acidic or alkaline, your plants and grass won’t absorb nutrients, no matter how much fertilizer you feed them. Ideally, pH levels on lawns should be between 6.5 and 7. If your lawn’s pH level is too high or too low, you can add lime or sulfur to correct it.
Did you buy too many seeds to plant this year? No worries; you can save them for another year! Most flower seeds will keep well if stored in a cool and dry place. You can even buy seeds in bulk with plans to save the extra for a more cost-effective purchase.
Gardening is fun and rewarding — and it doesn’t need to cost a lot of money. Use our tips to save on spring landscaping costs without compromising on the health of your lawn.
How do you save on landscaping costs? Share your best tips and tricks in the comments. And, if you enjoyed this article, check out more, just like it is on our MoneySmart Tips blog.