Achieving the garden of your dreams doesn’t have to break the bank. Whether you’re envisioning a colorful flower-filled yard, a lush green screen for your patio, or charming porch pots, there are savvy ways to save money on your plant purchases. By keeping these plant shopping dos and don’ts in mind, you can make the most of your gardening budget and still create a stunning outdoor space. So, the next time you’re tempted to buy a plant every time you leave the house, use these expert tips to stretch your gardening dollars and enjoy a beautiful garden without overspending.
Research plants before going shopping
Avoid wasting money on the wrong plants for your garden by conducting thorough research beforehand. Identifying plants that are well-suited for your region’s climate, sunlight availability, and soil type is essential. This preparation will prevent you from purchasing plants that are not compatible with your local growing conditions, ultimately leading to their demise.
According to Hillary Swetz, a certified Master Gardener and founder of the frugal living website Homegrown Hillary, researching plants in advance provides valuable insights into their natural disease resistance, drought tolerance, and potential benefits for native pollinators. Additionally, consider the plant’s growth timeline and whether it has sufficient time to flourish in your gardening zone. For instance, tropical plants might struggle in northern climates. By making informed choices, you can save money and ensure a successful and thriving garden.
Buy plants from local nurseries
Purchasing plants from local growers can be a wise and cost-effective choice for your garden. These growers specialize in selecting plants that thrive in your specific location, putting in extensive research, trial-and-error testing, and consulting with experts to identify the best species and varieties, as shared by Swetz. As a result, the plants available at local nurseries and garden centers are of higher quality and better suited to your area compared to those offered by large nationwide retailers.
Moreover, local farmers possess valuable knowledge of proper seed-starting techniques and have the expertise to maintain plant health for sale. If they offer seedlings for purchase, the slightly higher price tag may be more budget-friendly in the long run due to the superior quality and well-adapted nature of the plants. Choosing local growers not only benefits your garden but also supports the community and ensures a successful and rewarding gardening experience.
Time your plant purchases carefully
Smart gardeners are aware that spring is the peak season for plant prices. After a long winter, everyone is eager to get outside and start gardening, which drives up demand and prices. However, a cost-saving strategy is to hold off on plant purchases until after the spring rush, typically in early summer. During this time, many plants go on sale, allowing you to get more value for your money. Although the selection might be slightly smaller, the savings make it worthwhile.
Another opportune time to shop for plants at a reduced cost is during fall end-of-season sales. At this time, stores are eager to clear their shelves of inventory before winter, making way for the next season’s goods. Additionally, fall is an excellent season for planting perennials, trees, and shrubs, as the cooler weather provides optimal conditions for their establishment and growth. By taking advantage of these seasonal sales, you can build a beautiful garden without breaking the bank.
Purchase seeds and smaller plants (rather than huge ones)
The cost of labor to start, grow, and maintain nursery plants, coupled with the inclusion of risk factors like crop failure and drought in their profit margin, contributes to the higher prices of larger, more mature plants, according to Swetz. To save money, Swetz suggests taking on some of that risk and labor yourself by purchasing seeds and small seedlings instead.
While larger plants offer instant gratification, if you’re looking to stretch your garden budget, opting for smaller sizes of your desired plants is a wise choice, advises Andrychowicz. Often, you can purchase a whole flat of plugs or several smaller plants for the same price as a single larger one. Though it may take an extra season for them to grow in, this approach allows you to fill more garden space at a fraction of the cost of buying all those larger plants. It’s a cost-effective strategy to create a lush and beautiful garden without overspending.
Look for plants that can be divided
While strolling through the nursery or garden center, keep an eye out for plants that appear exceptionally lush and full. When you bring your new find home, you might have the opportunity to divide it into multiple pieces, essentially giving you two or more plants for the price of one. This method works best with annuals and perennials that have multiple stems growing up from the pot.
“I always prefer to purchase plants that are on the verge of outgrowing their pots, as I can then divide them into two or more sections before planting them in my garden,” suggests Andrychowicz. This simple technique not only helps you save money but also enables you to expand your garden with thriving plants that quickly fill up the space with their beauty.
Save seeds and let plants go to seed
Harnessing the natural reproductive instincts of plants can be a smart way to save money on your garden. Allowing some of your plants to go to seed enables you to collect and use those seeds elsewhere in your yard, multiplying your favorite plants without additional costs. Moreover, propagating cuttings, tubers, bulbs, and rhizomes from your existing plants is an excellent method to expand your garden collection without breaking the bank, as pointed out by Swetz.
“If you wish to take cuttings from your beloved plants, simply place them in water until they develop roots, and then transfer them to a pot,” advises Swetz. “Alternatively, you can use a budget-friendly rooting hormone powder, which costs around $5, to encourage even faster growth.” Embracing these propagation techniques empowers you to cultivate a flourishing garden while staying within your budget.
Shop local and community plant sales
During the spring season, numerous civic organizations, schools, public gardens, and garden clubs organize plant sales that should not be overlooked. These events can offer excellent opportunities to find bargain-priced plants. “Typically, the plants are either donated by local nurseries or cultivated with care by members of the community,” explains Swetz. “Participating in these sales not only helps support local causes but also allows you to snag fantastic deals on plants.” Keeping a lookout for such plant sales can be a fruitful endeavor, providing you with both affordable plants and the satisfaction of contributing to your community’s green initiatives.
Check for a clearance rack
Garden centers are well aware that flowering plants are highly sought after and tend to sell quickly. As a result, they often relocate plants that have finished blooming to a clearance section at the back of the store, according to Andrychowicz. “This presents an excellent opportunity to purchase these plants at a significantly reduced cost,” she explains.
When it comes to the bargain plants, if they happen to be perennials, shrubs, or trees that aren’t currently blooming, they typically have the potential to flower again next year, provided the overall health of the plant is maintained. For annuals, with a little tender loving care, you can often encourage them to bloom again. This may involve ensuring they receive adequate watering, trimming off any faded blooms, and perhaps giving them a boost with some fertilizer. By rescuing these discounted plants and caring for them, you can enjoy beautiful blooms and save money at the same time.
Make friends with other gardeners
Gardeners are known for their generosity and willingness to share their passion for plants. Swetz points out that they are often eager to offer gardening advice, share local plant insights, and happily distribute extra plant divisions, seeds, and seedlings. “You can likely find gardening groups specific to your area on social media, local garden clubs, and of course, each state has its own Master Gardener association,” she suggests. Volunteering at public gardens is another excellent way to connect with like-minded plant lovers who are enthusiastic about sharing their knowledge and plant resources. By tapping into these gardening communities, you can not only expand your plant collection but also build rewarding relationships with fellow garden enthusiasts.
Check for a refund policy
To safeguard your investment in plants, it’s always wise to inquire about the return, refund, or exchange policy at the nursery or garden center, according to Caitlin Eckvahl, the former “plant doctor” at San Francisco’s upscale plant shop Leon & George. This way, if your gardening endeavors don’t go as planned, you may have the option to get your money back or exchange the plant for a replacement and try again.
Eckvahl advises that return policies can vary, with some stores offering a 30-day return window, while others may extend it up to a year. For example, Lowe’s provides a replacement or refund for trees, shrubs, or perennials purchased within one year of the original purchase date, and other plants can be returned within 90 days. Larger chain retailers generally tend to have more flexible return and refund policies, whereas small independent garden centers and nurseries might have slightly stricter policies. It’s essential to be aware of the specific terms and conditions at the place of purchase to ensure you have the best options available if needed.