Want to add to your garden without purging your purse?
You’ve come to the right place!
1 Make your own seed
pots. Newspaper, a glass and some string is all you need to make a whole
batch of seed pots for your nursery. They’ll decompose in the ground, too, so
when you transfer your littl’uns outside you won’t need to disturb the roots.
2 Propagation and
patience. I saw a spider plant priced up at £4 today. £4! Spider plants can
be so easily propagated if you have a friend or family member with a spawning
plant. Cut off a young plant from the main, and place in a glass of water.
Leave to root, which normally takes around a fortnight, and transfer to a pot
of compost. Before you buy more plants, think about what you could do with your
existing ones. You could even do a swap with someone – giving away a lavender (Lavandula spica) cutting for your
neighbour’s jade (Crassula ovata) cutting,
for example.
3 Eggshell goodness. Pass
on that pricey feed and add some crushed eggshells to soil for a nutrient
boost. They’re a good source of calcium, and are particularly useful for
fast-growing plants. Wash and finely crush the eggshells before mixing them
into the soil.
4 Veggie goodness. When
you’re gorging yourself at the Sunday roast, think about your plant folk. Put
aside the water you’ve cooked your veg in, allow it to cool, and water your
plants with it for a kick of goodness.
5 Trellis? Ain’t nobody
got time to buy that! Planting a climber and planning on buying trellis?
Learn a new skill and save money at the same time, by making your own trellis
or supporting frame. All you need is string and bamboo canes, and a little
ingenuity. Position your canes in the design you would like – for instance, in
a V shape with bars, or a # shape. Then tie the string around each joint by
running above and below each cane, and knot every several wraps, to ensure a
tight hold.
6 Love your charity
shops. I’ve bought most my pots and glass containers from charity shops –
and at no more than £3 each. My best buy was perhaps a cut glass bowl for £1,
which is now home to my succulent display. If you’re looking for a larger
container for an indoor plant, you can find a wicker basket or small bin (the
kind you’d put in a bedroom or office) in a charity shop and adapt it. Line the
bin or basket with a black bin bag (double-layer if not very thick), shovel
gravel into the bottom to allow for drainage (three inches should do it…) and
fill with compost and the plant of your choice.
7 Linger, then meander
a little, too. Keep an eye on the plant sections in supermarkets and
non-specialist shops for reduced products. Retailers don’t water the plants
once they’re on the shop floor, and are forced to reduce their price when they
show the effects of the negligence. It means you can find some bargains,
although they’ll need a little extra watering and attention for the first week
or so.
8 Size isn’t
everything. Garden centres up the price for plants as they get bigger,
unsurprisingly. So you might find a small thyme (Thymus vulgaris) for £3, while a more mature plant is £7. The
resolution is clear: spend within your means. Although a larger plant may give
you instant gratification, a smaller one can be much more satisfying to train
and watch grow.
9 Tap into local
resources. Local coffee shops often give away their used coffee grounds,
which can then be used to invigorate your soil. A valuable source of nitrogen,
as well as magnesium, calcium and potassium, the grounds can be added to the
soil in the same way as eggshells – mixed in with, or added on top of, soil. Pebbles
from the local beach can be used in trays to increase humidity for potted
plants (by placing them in a tray, filling with water, and placing the potted
plant on top).
10 Just ask. Need
some storage for your tools or pots? Ask at the local supermarket to have a
couple of the cardboard boxes they receive vegetables in. They’re attractive,
free and practical – how great is that?! Wondering whether your local café
throw away their eggshells and coffee grounds? You know what to do.
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