How to Save Money This Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day is on a Sunday this year so you don't have to impress your partner's co-workers with an expensive dozen-rose flower arrangement. That's good news, because a dozen rose arrangement is going to cost more than 100 dollars this year because of weather problems in prime rose growing locations such as South America and California. If you are giving a gift this year, can't afford roses, and want to stay with a floral theme, here's some less expensive alternatives:

Potted Tropical Plant- A potted tropical plant can be purchased for a fraction of the cost of a dozen red roses. Just stop by the floral department at a large grocery store or call a florist. The florist plant will still cost twice as much as the one from the grocery store, but it will be delivered. A green plant in a six-inch pot is the smaller size, where a plant in an eight-inch pot is about right for a nice gift. A ten-inch pot is really large and you'll need to rearrange the furniture to accomodate it. A florist, or someone at the floral counter, can add a few roses to the plant by putting the stems into water reservoirs and pushing them into the potting soil. Once the roses fade, you can repot the plant in an attractive container. A tropical house plant can live for years. Only buy healthy plants with unblemished leaves. Typical Cost: 50-60 dollars without delivery charge.

Blooming Plants- Blooming plants like begonias, gardenias, mini-azaleas, mini roses, or chrysanthemums look pretty and can look goodfor three-four weeks. However, the plants are often the wrong varieties for our area so the plants don't last long, even if relocated outside. A six-inch pot is the average size for a blooming plant that is dressed with cellophane and a bow. Look for plants with fresh leaves and blooms in different stages of maturity. Available at large grocery store floral centers and florists. Typical Cost: 15-35 dollars without delivery charge.

Make a Container Garden-Buy a large decorative flower pot, some potting soil, and some colorful annuals such as snapddragons, dianthus or calendula at your local nursery. Plant the blooming annuals in the pot with the taller plants in the middle or in the back, depending on how you will look at your creation, and enjoy color until late spring. When the plants fade, pull them out and replace with other colorful seasonal annuals. You can also add some favorite herbs. Some nurseries may be willing to do the work for you and deliver. Typical Cost: 85 dollars.

Make a Flower Bed: Make a new flower bed for your partner or rehabilitate an old one. Then, give your partner a gift certificate from his favorite nursery. Or, you can plant some blooming plants yourself, such as low maintenance antique rose bushes or salvias. They'll survive with little care. Typical Cost: 25-50 dollars.

Plant a Tree: Nothing says eternal love like a tree planted to commemorate Valentine's Day. Choose a long lasting tree such as a Monterrey oak, Chinquapin oak or Cedar Elm. This is a good time of year to plant trees if you can supply extra moisture and mulch once the weather heats up. There is a fresh supply of trees at all local nurseries now. Total cost: 25-50 dollars.

Save on Fresh Flowers: You don't have to spend 100 dollars on roses if you simply want fresh flowers in the home this Valentine's Day. Think about buying less expensive flowers such as daisies or carnations or just buy a simple mixed bunch. You can walk into a florist and ask them to fix you a 50 dollar bouquet that your partner can put in a vase. Call the florist ahead of time so it can be ready when you arrive. Avoid any flower arrangements from the grocery store. The price is too high for what you get. However, fresh flower bunches can be purchased for less than 10 dollars each from the same floral department. Try choosing several cheap bunches and ask the floral department manager to combine and rewrap them in decorative paper with a bow. To check for freshness of flower bunches, look at the stems. Bruised and black stems around the cut area means the flowers are old. Buy a bunch with some flowers open and some closed for a longer show. Typical Cost: 15-65 dollars.

More gardening info and book, plant, seed, and bulb sources at www.biglump.com