How To Source Free Landscaping Supplies
Have you ever found landscaping supplies for free? Well, we did, and so can you.
Finding free landscaping supplies has been successful for us over the years, and I wanted to share a few tips that we’ve learned.
If you’re an avid reader of Canadian Budget Binder, you already know how we enjoy gardening.
Below are a few of our most popular gardening posts you should check out after reading this blog post today.
- How to build a rock garden with weed protection
- Landscaping Your Home On A Budget
- Starting Your Frugal Garden From Seed
- How To Find Free Plants For Your Garden
- Growing a Budget Garden
- How To Grow Pot Potatoes
Today, let’s look at finding cheap or free landscaping supplies to get you started.
Since the beginning of Covid-19, gardening has boomed when many Canadians are stuck at home during a lockdown or working from home.
Whether it be creating a rock garden or learning how to grow a garden, Canadians with a green thumb keep busy.
Even if you’re new to gardening and aren’t sure if you want to invest in landscaping supplies, there are ways around it.
Growing Without Landscaping Supplies
We’ve certainly evolved in terms of what we grow today compared to when we first moved into our home in 2009.
We started from scratch since we had no gardening or landscaping supplies since renting a room.
I sold my gardening supplies and tools before moving to Canada.
Over the years, we bought a few landscaping supplies until we found free or cheap ways to garden.
Perennials Vs. Annuals
In the meantime, our surroundings were blessed with fragrant flowers, from perennials to annuals.
What is the difference between perennials vs. annuals?
Annuals are flowers or vegetables that live for one growing season, and they are done.
On the other hand, Perennials are the opposite, where the plant will grow year after year.
Budget gardening has always been a part of our financial considerations when planning our finances.
There are things you must buy and other garden and landscaping supplies you can get away with for free or cheap.
Ideally, free is what we are looking for but don’t worry if we have to pay less for something used.
Gardening That Fits Your Needs
A few considerations changed the way we garden in the past 12 years.
We are forever thankful for creating a rock garden, as it has been the easiest to maintain.
- Watering flowers when away from home, either travelling or on road trips
- Space was and continues to be an issue as we don’t have a large property
- Eating the fruits and vegetables of our labour became more important than growing flowers.
- Neighbourhood influence as many have opted for maintenance-free landscaping.
Reduce, Reuse and Recycle Gardening Supplies
Both Mrs. CBB and I grew up in families where gardening was a part of our lives.
My father-in-law gave us flower seeds and bulbs from his garden to get us started.
Their garden was large and blessed with flower baskets wherever they could hang them.
Besides flowers, there were vegetables and fruits year-round from the garden and greenhouse.
His motto was to reuse, recycle and reduce to keep costs low and minimize waste.
If there was something he could repurpose, you can bet he’d make sure to do so.
He even taught me how to remove the seeds from his heirloom tomatoes for the next planting season.
I never knew how easy it was to keep the seeds because we always bought them in packets.
Being environmentally friendly and caring about the earth is a great way to keep gardening costs down.
In the UK, my parents continue to garden flowers that look as if you are at the botanical gardens when in bloom.
Oddly enough, we did visit the Royal Botanical Gardens in Burlington, Ontario, when my parents were visiting Canada.
It’s one of those adventures where you close your eyes and become one with the earth.
Free Landscape Supplies
Besides revamping our entire front yard, I also sourced free landscape supplies, lowering some costs.
Going for walks around our neighbourhood and keeping an eye out for free landscaping supplies has proven to work.
Over the years, I’ve picked up a roll of landscape fabric for our rock garden and shrubs.
Can you believe I even found a massive wood fence post and walked home with it on my shoulder?
Friends of ours found a round-shaped wooden garden door on the curb, and when installed, it looked fantastic.
We’ve also found medium-sized rocks on the curb from a neighbour revamping their garden.
That was a big haul, but I used them purposely in the backyard to add decor to the front of our deck.
There’s never a shortage of plastic pots on the curb if you’re looking for free gardening supplies.
Landscaping Supplies We’ve Found Or Received Free
Free Landscaping supplies list of items to keep an eye out for are;
- Rocks to build a rock garden
- Leftover mulch
- Garden Pots
- Hanging Baskets Wire or Plastic
- Coconut Liners for hanging baskets
- Garden decor
- Grass Trimmer
- Compost, soil, and fertilizer
- Sand
- Fencing
- Edgers
- Bricks
- Gravel
- Railway Ties, but we ended up
- Hoe to help dig and get right under the roots
- Garden Rake, also known as a Stone Rake
- Leaf Rake
- Lawnmower or manual push lawnmower
- Pickaxe
- Garden Broom
- Gardening Shears
- Shovels to pick up items on the surface
- Spade to cutting and digging
- Pitch Fork picking up
- Wheel Barrow
- Gardening Hand Tools
- Dolly Cart
Places To Find Free Landscaping Supplies
If money is tight or you want to save a few bucks, do what we did and source free landscaping supplies.
Just remember it may take time to build your landscaping supplies, but if it’s free, it’s free.
It has taken us 12 years of living in our home to collect what we have from various places.
- On the curb for free
- Landscaping companies end of season
- Free landscaping supplies on Facebook and Kijiji
- Garage Sales (cheap)
- Borrowed from a neighbour or was given to us from a neighbour
- Free from my in-laws when they downsized
- Friends who divorced and no longer needed the items
- Scanning Code of Practice
- Garden Centre Recycling
We grow a lot from seeds, like tomatoes, and when they need to be up potted, I’ve used red Solo cups in the past.
However, I have learned that the garden centre will usually have a recycling section outside.
I’ve grabbed all the small pots that I have needed
Just make sure you wash and rinse before you use them because of various plant diseases they might have carried
Recently I received a snowblower and tools from our neighbours moving abroad.
Source: CBB Facebook Reader And Blog Subscriber Teresa Hodgins Power Thanks for this great idea.
Although we don’t have a big driveway, it’s excellent for those massive snowstorms.
There’s an excellent point to being nice to your neighbours because they may appreciate what you can do for them.
One thing is for sure; we will miss them dearly when they move.
On that note, I hope you’ve learned something new or have been motivated to grab a freebie when offered.
Don’t worry about what other people think if they see you picking something on the curb for free.
I don’t because they don’t pay my bills.
Discussion: What other ways have you sourced cheap or free landscaping supplies?
Please leave me your comments below, as I’d love to learn what you’ve done.
Mr.CBB
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Recent CBB Posts That You May Have Missed
Below is a recap of the blog posts I’ve published in the past week.
- Overspending Causes and Simple Solutions (Plus our March Net Worth Update)
- How To Create A Monthly Finance Checklist
- Simple Crispy Keto Almond Cookies
- How A Budget Bootcamp Works (Plus Our March Budget Update)
- Free Budget Binder Printables: How To Create A Donation Tracker
- Should You Ditch A Home Inspector In A Seller’s Market?
Contact me if you have a blog post idea for me or want to share a story.
www.canadianbudgetbinder.com Subject: Blog Post Idea.
THOUGHTS CORNER BY MR.CBB
Many of you who are home because of the lockdown get outside and go for walks.
We do this to remind us of how beautiful our neighbourhood is for mental health and that Canada is a lovely place.
Explore nature this summer, even if it’s in your city, by visiting walking trails or spaces open to the public.
Frugal Recipe Of The Week
I saw the Asian Caucasian blog run by Lesli to check out these beautiful Vietnamese Spring Rolls.
Both Mrs. CBB and I have had these before at her sister’s house, and we’ve made them.
However, we aren’t the best at rolling them, although Lesli included a rolling guide with great tips.
They are easy to make, but they are super healthy and delicious.
The peanut dipping sauce is a must because it’s so good and straightforward to make.
INGREDIENTS FOR MAKING SPRING ROLLS
- 8.5 -inch round rice paper wrappers
- 8 large cooked shrimp
- rice vermicelli or bean thread noodles
- shredded carrots
- fresh large basil leaves
- large lettuce leaves, chopped
- toasted sesame seeds
See the recipe link above.
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Have a great week; spring cleaning and gardening have commenced.
Mr. CBB
