By: Katrina
Are there easy ways to save money on gardening?
Yes! While I am not saying to stay away from garden centres as they give you a large selection of plants to choose from, there are a few easy ways to save money on buying plants. It is possible to get free plants or at a fraction of the cost but you have to get creative and maybe get your hands dirty but it’s always worth it since the cost of plants can get pricey.
Why would people give away free plants?
Unless someone grew annuals from seed and have more than they need you are more likely to find a great deal on perennials. Growing from seed is a far more cost effective way to save money in the garden but not everyone has a green thumb like I would for example. I love growing plants and seeds are fairly inexpensive if you compare them to the ready-made plants at the nursery or garden centres in town.
If you take a look around your neighbourhood I bet you will see many plants that come up year after year and seem to sprout up in different spots as well as they multiply. If you are an avid gardener and want to thin out your plants you have some work to do but you also can donate your plants to those who are willing to take them and are in need.
Tips For Dividing Plants
- Divide your plants in the spring to avoid hot weather.
- Use a sharp tool to make the cut, some recommend using a saw but I use a shovel and it works just fine.
- Take a look at how the plant is growing, make the cut where all parts will have a good number of solid roots.
- If not replanting right away place in a pot with some soil and give it some water. If there is a good amount of soil with the clump a plastic bag around the roots will work too.
- Replant sooner than later
What Is A Perennial?
A perennial refers to a plant that will grow for at least 2 consecutive years. It dies back in the fall and regrows on the same roots the following spring. As the roots continue to grow from year to year your plants get bigger and bigger, your garden eventually will begin to look overgrown. An annual plant is just the opposite and only lasts the season and once it’s gone, it’s gone.
Some people enjoy a nice full garden and don’t mind it overgrown. While many do practice the technique of splitting or dividing plants to thin the garden out it takes time and effort to make your landscaping look like it’s from the cover of a magazine. The majority of perennials can literally be cut into multiple pieces and planted elsewhere. Some just do not survive being uprooted and/or fall apart.
The plants could be added to the compost or discarded and wasted. I speak for myself and many other out there when I say I have a very hard time just throwing away a plant. Why not let someone else give it a new home especially if it saves them some money in their gardening budget to take it off your hands.
Where Can I Find Free Plants?
The internet sure makes things easy these days. Ads can often be found on Kijiji and Free-cycle for people offering free plants, you just go pick them up! Check for ads often though, some plants shouldn’t be out of the garden too long so the posts can disappear pretty quick, as long as the plants survive.
Just this past weekend while working with a CBB fan on her property, we posted on Free-cycle free Echinacea and Daylily plants that we divided and had 4 replies within minutes. She was also generous to me and I came home with some Shasta daisies and Forget-me-Nots to add to my garden.
Garage Sales
I am seeing alot more plant sales at garage sales these days just like Mr. CBB found a money tree for a mere $0.50 last week a steal of a deal if you ask me. They may not be free plants but they won’t cost you as much than if you had to go to a garden nursery to buy them.
A family in our town has been doing it as long as I can remember, these days more and more people are selling their divided plants from their driveway. You may get a hosta for $2 or however little the person chooses to charge, as compared to paying $7.99 or more for one from at a garden centre.
Friends, Family, Neighbours
If you know someone who will be dividing plants, say your mother, best friend or the family next door, you could offer to help with the work in exchange for a few plants. Or even possibly trade for plants that you have that you need to divide. Sharing plants between family and friends can also add some sentimental value to your garden.
I am excited and awaiting some Iris’ that a family member is sharing with me. These were originally grown on my Great-Grandpas lane-way. She received them from Great Grandpa and she’s passing some onto me now. They will always be referred to as Grandpa’s Iris.
Mr. CBB recently picked up a massive elephant’s ear hosta from his neighbour down the road. The base root stock is about 2 foot long by 1 foot across, it’s huge. It’s the size of buying at least 3 x $40 plants at the nursery. He says he has some crackin’ neighbours which I presume translates to, pretty awesome.
Since he is landscaping his entire property the elephant’s ear hosta will be used as an architectural piece on his property.
This plant can grow up to 6 feet in height and has huge leaves and is simply a beautiful plant that enjoys the shade. It’s always nice to offer something to your neighbour even if it is a hand in digging out the free plants they are offering to you.
Reduced Section
If you are prepared to take the risk you may get lucky and score a great deal on a reduced plant that needs alot of love and attention. Not all plants at a nursery or garden centre get 100% attention and get missed and generally start to deteriorate.
The nursery or garden may reduce the cost of the plant to recoup some of the loss in hopes will buy it. If you see a plant that looks like it’s on its last legs and you want to try and give it a second lease on life don’t be shy to ask for a discount if it’s not already discounted.
One advantage of buying your plants is that most nurseries and garden centres offer a one year guarantee on perennials. If it dies you get a new plant or your money back so hang on to your receipts. This would not likely apply to reduced plants as you know you are taking a risk when buying it.
Best time to look for free plants…Spring!!
Perennials are mostly divided in the mid to late spring before the hot weather hits. Transplanting is stressful for the plant and the heat would add more stress to that. Doing this in the spring gives the plants a chance to get established in their new home before the hot months. May is a good month to keep your eye out online and while shopping the garage sales especially for the May 2-4 long weekend celebrating Victoria Day when most garage and yard sales begin.
A garden requires more than just plants…
Contact your local waste facility to see if they offer free mulch and/or compost alternatively you can make your own compost for free using leaves in the fall. Our local dump and many others have piles where you bring your own containers, trailer, truck or bags and load your own at no cost. It’s a free way for them to dispose of debris collected around town. I prefer the natural look of mulch as opposed to dyed, so this works just fine for me.
Take a good look at what plants you already have to see if you can divide some and use them to fill in an empty spot or plant in a new garden. If you need or would like more plants, taking a quick look online, or helping out a friend or neighbour, and using local resources are easy ways to save you some hard-earned money.
Post Contribution By:
Katrina is regular contributor for Canadian Budget Binder and is as passionate about personal finance as she is gardening. Katrina is a horticulture graduate with over 10 years experience with landscaping and greenhouse production.
Her goal is to share her knowledge and experiences blogging about gardening and her continued passion for personal finance in hopes of motivating others. While being a single mom of two and an in-store marketing representative for major retail shops she also runs her own Landscaping Services in Southwestern Ontario.
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