I have been working really hard this year on my garden. My three goals were : to not spend a lot of money, use what I had, and learn something I did not know last year. Each year is different in our garden. One year the zucchini will grow great and the tomatoes will not. Other year’s we will have a ton of tomatoes and nothing else. Each year I try hard to have a frugal home garden. Frugal home garden’s are part of the purpose of having a garden. Spending a lot of money to have a garden when buying plants and garden supplies can be avoided.
My goals were accomplished because I used most of the seeds that I had from last year, and that took care of goal one and two. My final goal was to learn something that I did not know last year. Our peas we planted in late August did well.
Here are some ways that I implement to save money in frugal gardening.
Plan out the garden layout.
Summer gardens are popular. This year I am trying my hand at a few plants for a fall garden. My hope is to have more vegetable to freeze. As as avid gardener and stay at home mom I don’t have a lot of money to spend. The need to budget has spurred my creativity in gardening.
Order from a catalog well in advance of planting. Ordering or buying when garden season starts means higher prices possibly and not as many plants for the price. Ordering from a catalog is a great way to know what you are getting, how much and for what price.
Keep a journal.
The best way to predict what to plant next year is to look back at previous years. This is the best way I have found to plant my garden. It helps me to see my plants from the year before and helps me decide if I want to continue with the same layout, or try something new.
Without my journal, I probably would not have remembered the trouble we had with vine plants. After looking at what happened the year before my husband and I made a change to our layout. Now, our tomatoes and other vegetables are safe from being entangled.
Research before planting
I planted carrots and corn one year without any idea that corn would not grow well in our fenced in yard. I had not done my research.
It is wasted time and resources. When I finally did do my research I found out that we do not live in an area good for growing these vegetables. Corn needs space and carrots need a different soil than what we have.
From my journal I know that I need several tools to make my gardening successful. Starting at growing from seeds and plowing to harvest.
I write in my journal what I used, saves or need more of for the next year.
Have a soil sample taken before starting a garden.
I would recommend doing this before planting. I did not, and regret it. Now, I am backtracking and trying to get a soil sample. Having the knowledge before growing will help in the gardening process.
Not wasting time is a huge money saver. Having all of the information prior to buying and planting helps with random purchases. Frugal garden tips show that planning in advance saves money.
Summer Idea Posts to Look at:
Summer Routines for Homeschoolers: Project List
Summer Routines for Homeschoolers: Planning
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