How to Save Money in Your Home Garden

Home gardening is a great way to save money at the super market. By planting fruit and vegetables in your garden can greatly cut cost in your produce department. Planting is also a great way to relax and reduce stress and you also benefit by saving money. Below are some tips in starting your home garden without spending a lot of money.

Step1:
Soil preparation- You will need a garden hoe and shovel and purchasing them used at a yard sale or flea market will save you some money. You might get lucky and find someone giving away garden tools at Freecycle.org.

Step2:
If you have limited space for planting you can utilize large containers to support a produce plant. You can recycle 5 gallon buckets, bushel baskets, large pots or anything else that you can put drainage holes into.

Step3:
Planting more expensive produce like, tomatoes, strawberries, and lettuce will provide the most savings in your grocery budget.

Step4:
Use seeds instead of seedlings when planting. Seedlings will cost you more money. You can start the seeds in small flower pots, or whatever you have around the house that can be used to plant seeds. You can recycle egg cartons and old ice trays for seed starters.

Step5:
Weeds are going to be your worst enemy. Use a hoe to disturb the soil regularly in between rows and prevent weeds from starting. You will still have to hand weed in between plants. After plants are of substantial size they will over power the weeds.

Step6:
Use natural pest control whenever possible. For example you can mix 1 tbsp dishwashing detergent with one cup of vegetable oil. Use 1 to 2 teaspoons of this mixture per 1 cup water, in spray bottle or sprayer and spray on plants.

Step7:
Use natural fertilizers- Compost food waste, grass clippings, and dried leaves make great compost for your produce plants.