How to Garden on the Cheap

Have a great garden without spending a lot of money by following these tips.

Step 1: Shop Shop end of season sales at your local garden store. If you are lucky, you can find perennials big enough to divide.
Step 2: Purchase by flat Purchasing plants by the flat can sometimes save you 20 percent. Share the cost with a friend if you don't need all the plants.
Step 3: Purchase smaller size Purchase smaller perennials, evergreens, and flowering shrubs. Eventually they will grow to full size.
Step 4: Purchase seeds Grow plants and vegetables from seeds. Lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, and string beans are easy plants to grow.
TIP: Choose plants that grow vertically such as beans, tomatoes, and cucumbers if space is limited.
Step 5: Go to special events Go to garden clubs, botanical gardens, and special fund-raising events to save money and find unusual specimens.
Step 6: Divide perennials Double or triple your plant supply by dividing. Good perennials to divide include hostas, coral-bells, daylilies, and geraniums.
FACT: Perennials should be divided in the fall or early summer to avoid stress on the plant.