In a previous blog I mentioned the Christmas card I received in the mail from one of my best friends, which features a photo of her three older children and her baby—her utterly gorgeous garden. Sure, she lives in Hawaii where she the climate allows her to toil in her soil year round, still it’s not just anyone who can write to Martha Stewart about a gardening dilemma and actually get a personal response from the domestic diva based on the pictures she sent and the information provided in her letter. Yes, my friend has quite the green thumb. It’s enough to make a gardening novice like myself green with envy… sort of. I’m realistic. I realize I don’t have the time, money or space to create the same type of perfectly manicured masterpiece that she has; rather I consider myself a more simple and frugal gardener who is happy to share tips which have served me well over the years.
I mentioned a few in previous blogs. Here now are a few more of my favorites:
Accept Scraps
I should preface that by saying that you should actively seek out scraps and then willing accept them. When I say scraps I mean old plants. For example, it’s a good idea to check with your city or county landscapers to find if or when they plan to remove any plants. Instead of tossing the old plants, they may be willing to let you take them. Also check with banks, universities, or other large corporate institutions that redo landscaping periodically.
Buy Generic
Surprise—they DO work. (At least they have for me.) Take a stroll around your neighborhood lawn and garden store and you’ll see aisles full of name brand fertilizers and insecticides. Rather than buying rose-specific fertilizer or a name brand, consider buying generic. Why purchase super-duper fertilizer at super high prices when you can get the same results with generic?
Conservation Gardening
This tip won’t directly cut your gardening expenses, but it help decrease your energy bill. An example of conservation gardening would be planting shrubs on both the east side and west side of your home. By doing so they will help provide shade during the heat of the day and can reduce your air conditioning costs by as much as 25%. In addition, trees and shrubs planted as wind breaks can also help reduce your heating bills.
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