Six Money-Saving Landscaping and Gardening Tips

You don’t have to spend a lot of money to have a beautiful lawn and garden. This video by Better Homes and Gardens presents six money-saving landscaping and gardening tips:

1. Start from seed: Many vegetables are easy to grow from seed, and a $2 packet of seeds is much cheaper than a dozen seedlings. Start with tomatoes, peppers, squash, cucumbers, beans, lettuce and beets, which are easy to grow even for beginning gardeners. Sow directly in the garden or start them indoors under light for a head start.

2. Recycle clippings: A good mulching mower pays for itself in two ways: you don’t have to pay for clippings to be bagged and taken to a composting facility, and returning clippings to your lawn is like free fertilizer. In the course of a full season, you’ll return about as much nitrogen as one full strength feeding. When fall comes, do the same with fallen leaves.

3. Use pots in pots: A large container can be expensive to fill with fresh potting soil. To save money, place several empty nursery pots upside down in the bottom of the container. It will reduce the amount of soil needed as well as cut down on the container weight.

4. Watering tweaks: Lawn watering is an expensive proposition in the summertime. To make sure your sprinklers are operating efficiently, have an irrigation expert do a water audit and suggest ways to reduce water bills. If you have an automatic irrigation system, use sensors to make it more efficient. They can help you water exactly as much as needed – and no more.

5. Dividing perennials: Mature perennials are a valuable resource. Most can be dug up and divided into two to four splits which can be replanted elsewhere. You can swap different perennial splits with your neighbors to add variety to your garden.

6. Planning shade: Do you have a hot western wall exposed to the afternoon sun? Plant a tree that will shade it. This can significantly reduce your cooling costs.