10 Cheap Tricks to Great Gardens

Let's start by saying that if you have the money to spend on your garden than by all means spend it! But most of us have to be budget conscious when we plan or prep our gardens. And having an inexpensive garden doesn't have to look cheap. And spending a lot of money doesn't always guarentee a beautiful garden. I like to think that what my garden lacks in cash I make up for in blood, sweat, and tears AND CREATIVITY! Here are some of my tips for a cheap and fantastic garden:

1. Invest in longer living plants. Perrenials will give you a longer bang for your buck but they may not provide the instant WOW you're looking for. But still with a little patience perrenials will provide years of blooms.


2. Choose disease resistant varieties. While there is always controversy over heirlooms versus disease resistant I always choose the latter. My reason is simply I hate to spray chemicals on any plants. Chemicals cost money so I'd rather spend the money on a disease resistant plant and avoid the extra work and worry of spraying.


3. Join a Garden club. You know I can go on FOREVER about the benefits of a garden club but seed and plant swaps are invaluable! Also you know who to call when you have questions regarding your newly swapped plant.


4. Visit your nursery on shipment day. This is a no-brainer but it took me years to figure out~LOL. Grab the healthiest plants before anyone else has a chance.


5. Maximize your harvest by planting in Raised or Framed Beds. These provide better drainage and better soil opprotunities.


6. Group your plants by how much water they need. While this just makes good basic garden sense it is often overlooked when it comes to saving money. Just think how much you could save on the water bill if your not running out to douse the whole garden everyday when it actuality only a few of the plants need that drink.


7. Spend time in the Garden. If you don't have money to spend then spend time. After all, the more time you spend the quicker you'll notice pests, disease and other problems. And the quicker you spot a problem the more likely you can "nip it in the bud" so to speak.


8. Be helpful. I've found many benefits to my garden by helping someone else in theirs! Anytime a gardener says, "I'm not feeling well" or "I have to scale back." Offer your services. If you can help the gardener my maintaining their garden while they recover from surgery or illness they'll be grateful. And more likely to share, cuttings, seedlings, etc. If you can't convince the gardener to continue with their large gardens offer to help them with the "heavy" work as they scale back. Then ask if you could adopt some of the plants they no longer have time for. Obviously, I like to be helpful even if I don't get anything in return but gardeners have big hearts so that rarely happens.


9. Someone else's compost may be your really great garden. Don't be afraid to find plant material in odd places. I got most of my garden material for my backyard bed from a compost pile of a gardening friend. I have another friend who has 5 gallon buckets and garden shovels in the back of her vehicle at all times in case she spots a roadside "must-have".


10. Don't be afraid to ask. A great compliment will you get you just about anything. Another friend was working in her front yard when a local exerciser called to her. "I really love that plant of yours. It's magnificent...What is it?" They delved into coversation. The next day my friend waited for this exerciser to make her way past the house again. When the runner came along she hurried out and gifted her with a small piece of the plant. They've been good friends ever since.

These are simple money savers that can really change the way you garden and the way your garden looks. Be choosy, Be helpful, Be thrifty, Be kind...and your garden will reap the rewards.

The Best Gardening Advice EVER!

When I was new at gardening I went to a meeting of my garden club distraught because all of these really lovely ladies had extremely lovely gardens...and I had just killed yet another unlucky plant! "What did I do wrong?" I cried. I received lots of gardening advice (which I avidly listened to and then promptly forgot). As the meeting neared it's end a short, cute, elderly woman grabbed hold of my arm. Margaret then proceded to give me the best gardening advice EVER! She said,

"You're a Mom and a Gardener

and you want to be successful at both.

But sometimes you are going to fail.

Which one would you prefer to fail at?"

It was like a weight had been lifted off of me! So what if I couldn't raise flowers and children at the same time. My children were my number one priority and the pretty flowers were just decoration for my children's world. As soon as I let go of the "need to succeed" I became pretty successful. Oh, I still have my weak spots...seeds and the unknown veggie garden but I became much more able to absorb the gardening do's and don'ts. Why is that~I wondered? I think it's because I realized that I didn't need to make a magazine-beautiful garden to be a "true" gardener. Instead, I just had to plant a garden that made me and my loved ones happy. And as we turn our attention to our "First Ever Veggie Garden Spectacular" (okay giving it a fancy name makes the kids get excited about veggies...and the hubby too!) we need a clear cut guide of when and what to do. Leave it to Storey's for yet another pearl of gardening wisdom.

Hardy

Plant as soon as ground

can be prepared

asparagus

beets

broccoli

cabbage

carrots

chard

kale

lettuce

onions

parsnips

peas

raishes

spinach

turnips

Semi-Hardy

Plant 1 to 2 weeks before

average date of last frost

cauliflower

potatoes

Tender

Plant on or just after

average date of last frost

New Zealand spinach
snap beans

sweet corn

tomatoes

Very Tender

Plant 2 weeks after

average date of last frost

cucumber

eggplant

lima beans

muskmelon

peppers

pumpkins

squash

watermelon


I'm certainly not growing all of these crops on my first attempt but at least I've got a good "guideline" as to what I should be doing...and when I should do it!
Now if it would only stop snowing...

How to Start a Gardening Club...and Why!

About ten years ago I saw a small announcement in the local newspaper stating that a gardening club was holding a wreath making event that would be open to the public at a cost of $10 for supplies. I went to the event and enjoyed the people so much that I asked if I could join their club. They said yes and I paid my first membership dues of $5 that night. Before I joined the average age of the gardeners was at least 60 and I was in my early 20's. My hubby would giggle and say, "My wife isn't here right now she's at her old ladies club." However, I wasn't the only young gardener who wanted to learn from these wonderful ladies in only 10 years the club has gone from the 7 original members to 40! And I'm from a small community. Truthfully, I would never have dreamed that there were even close to 40 other gardens in my area.

Now, I tell you all this to get the WHY of why you should be a member of a garden club. While I love the internet it does pose some limitations. One of the biggest benefits of my membership into my garden club has been free plants. Many I had never heard of. Many I would never would have tried to purchase. If you are a gardener with a shoestring budget being in a garden club is a great way to try new varieties with very little risk. Although, it is difficult to admit to your club friends when you've killed their plant. LOL. How do you get free plants? My garden club holds two annual plant swaps. If you bring 5 plants you take 5 home, bring 2 take 2, etc. There is never a disappointed customer!

That just leaves us with the How.

1. Well, first check to see if there is a local club. Although many small community clubs (like mine) may not choose to be part of a national club.
2. So what to do now. Ask your local nursery. Small nurseries (who are forced compete with Lowes and HomeDepot) often know of local gardening clubs. If after asking around you've determined there is no club to be found...Start one! It's worth it for you and your community.
3. Ask your small nursery if they would be willing to allow some of their loyal customers to meet at their store for an hour or two once a month. The store reaps the benefits of their best customers returning (and probably shopping) and they offer a service that other small nurseries don't.
4. If they agree then run off a stack of flyer's stating the time and date and mission of the new club to put in the shopping bags of shoppers. You'll be surprised how many gardeners are looking for someone to talk to.

Gardening can be a very isolating hobby and a Gardening Club is a great way to meet local people who are dealing with the same soil, pests, and growing climate as you are. And more importantly, a great way to share your Gardening Triumps!