Gardening can be a low-cost activity or an expensive hobby. In these difficult
economic times gardening is receiving newfound interest. So how can we enjoy
gardening without breaking the bank?
My mother and grandmother were able to garden on a shoestring while providing an
abundance of food. Of course I learned some of these thrifty gardening
practices. There are too many to list them all, so let’s begin with a few cost-saving tips for springtime.
A packet of vegetable seed may have 10 to 200 seeds in a packet. Are you really
going to grow 200 broccoli plants? Share a packet of seeds with a fellow
gardener.
As perennial plants begin to emerge in our gardens, some of us begin to realize
that it’s time to divide. Share your wealth of plant material by holding a neighborhood
plant swap. For each container of plants a person brings, they can take a
different container home. Another inexpensive way to get plants is to purchase
them at a local garden club’s plant sale.
Share the rental cost of a rototiller. Several businesses prorate the rental of
a rototiller and other equipment. The more hours you rent the equipment, the
lower the price is per hour.
An inexpensive weed barrier is newspaper. First lay six or more layers (about
one section) of black and white newspaper on the bare ground. (Do not use
glossy colored paper.) Overlap the sections by about one inch. To keep the
newspaper from blowing away, dampen the paper and then cover it with chopped
leaves, dried grass clippings or mulch. The newspaper will keep weed seeds from
germinating and help conserve soil moisture. The paper will eventually break
down and add organic matter to the soil.
Use fertilizer at the proper rate and time of year. Test the soil to find out
the amounts and availability of nutrients in the soil. Use the results to
determine how much and what type of fertilizer to apply. In flower and
vegetable gardens consider using compost, aged cow manure, or horse manure as
fertilizers. If you plan to water your lawn during the summer, apply a full
application of fertilizer during the middle of May. A full application of
fertilizer for lawns is about one pound of actual nitrogen per 1,000 square
feet.
There are several garden uses for 60-inch, 6-inch by 6-inch concrete
reinforcement wire mesh. This makes great tomato cages, trellises and fences
for vegetable plants. Use a 5-foot or 6-foot section of wire to make a tomato
cage. While there is the expense of purchasing concrete reinforcement wire,
benefits include a durable cage that will last for many years.
Good gardens begin with good soil. Composting is a great way to generate a rich
amendment for the soil. Start a compost pile any time of the year. It’s easy to turn yard waste materials into a resource that can be reapplied to a
garden or yard area. Turn leaves, lawn clippings, shredded twigs, and vegetable
and food waste into something that can be reapplied to the landscape.
A compost pile should be contained in some type of structure. (The City of
Springfield requires that compost piles be contained.) Compost bin structures
come in many shapes and sizes. A basic handmade compost bin is about 3 feet by
3 feet by 3 feet but can be as large as 5 feet by 5 feet by 5 feet. This type
of a bin can be made out of wood pallets, lumber, hardware cloth and concrete
blocks. One of the cheapest bins to make is to tie together four old wood
pallets. Organic matter, such as compost, aids in creating a soil structure
that allows good water retention and root penetration. When added to the soil,
the nutrients present in compost are released slowly, so they are less likely
to leach out of the root zone, as compared to regular fertilizer.
Gardening should be a fun activity that provides relaxation and exercise without
being expensive.
This article appears in Apr 2-8, 2009.
