Gardening Tips to Save You Time and Money

These Gardening Tips Brought to You by David Clarke Insurance Agency. Inc. - Missoula, Montana

It's easy to spend good money every year on maintaining a lovely yard. These suggestions can help you save money during this and future gardening seasons.Plan ahead of time. You can achieve several goals by determining the average frost-free date and planting early. This date can be found online or in seed catalogs that detail the various growing zones for various vegetables. Here are some compelling reasons to begin early this year:

• Refrain from purchasing an excessive number of high-tech gadgets. In any case, you'll only use your favorite tools. The key is to keep your tools in good shape – clean and sharpened. A few basic, high-quality tools should last for many years.
• Plan your vegetable garden in accordance with what your neighbors are growing so that you can share your vegetables when they are ready to eat. I've had too many of one type of vegetable that I couldn't give away because my friends were all ripe at the same time.
• Spend more money now on higher-quality gardening tools, and you will save money in the long run. They will last for years, allowing you to save money by not having to replace them every planting season. The same is true for gardening gloves; buy the best you can afford so they will last the entire season.
• Choose perennials over annuals for your flowerbeds. As they grow each year, cut them back and exchange them with your friends to have beautiful gardens while saving money.
• Cooking scraps and coffee grounds can both be composted. The end result is far superior to any potting soil purchased from a nursery or hardware store. The cost is reasonable, and this is recycling!
• Instead of mulch, try using pebbles or small rocks as ground cover in your garden. This will save you a lot of money because you won't have to buy mulch every spring and fall.
• Begin with good soil in your garden. For nutrient-rich planting beds, work in compost, manure, or dried peat moss. Amended soil is lighter, drains better, is easier to weed, and allows roots to establish themselves faster.