by Chiot’s Run
Low-Cost Garden – 4 “Trademarks” Of Inexpensive Gardening Supplies!
Take up gardening? Oh, but it is so expensive! This is exactly what you might feel, considering that you have seen other gardeners spending large sums of money on trying to create and re-create beautiful vistas! Actually, if you have a well-designed plan all thought out, it should not be too difficult to produce a low-cost garden with the aid of inexpensive gardening supplies. And one which is equally magnificent!
Okay, how do you go about creating the low-cost garden of your dreams?
(1) If you should take a reality check, gardening expenses shoot up mainly because people are trying to grow things where they should not! You can be a little more sensible by first taking a good look at your surrounding environment. Gain knowledge about climatic conditions (weather and seasonal changes), as well as the natural resources available in the garden site you have chosen.
To illustrate with an example, say that you dwell in Arizona. This is a dry area; so a xeriscape will prove to be most suitable. This type of garden has plants that are able to conserve water and protect themselves in drought conditions. Yes, these plants can prove to be very colorful too! And with your perfect understanding of the composition of soil, water requirements and amount of sunlight needed by the plants–you are well on the way to creating a great low-cost garden with inexpensive gardening supplies that does not require much in the way of maintenance!
In contrast, if the area is like a farmland or maybe a bog, select plants that can sustain in this sort of environment. Extend a hand of friendship to the environment, and it will help you in return!
(2) Yard Sales are the best place to obtain affordable gardening supplies for your low-cost garden. Advertisements can be seen in the Friday newspapers, sometimes accompanied by the actual tools being put up for sale. Make a beeline for such sales before other customers pour in, and you could pick up good bargains even with a limited number of items displayed.
The second-hand supplies like lawn mowers are generally in good condition, and cost much less than brand new ones. After all, your low-cost garden is not going to complain because you did not purchase a new tool for it–it only asks for a little love and care!
(3) There is a difference between the term “low-cost” and the term “cheap”. “Low-cost” indicates that the product is of the best quality for the amount of money you paid for it; yet, the price is affordable as compared to the price tag set on a brand new piece. “Cheap” simply means skimping on price without you bothering too much about quality!
Thus, as a good gardener, select easy-to-handle tools for your garden. They should be inexpensive and strongly built.
(4) Low-cost gardening supplies for your low-cost garden are available at plenty of local gardening centers too. These stores offer discounts during fall season, to clear out old stock. Then, there are end-of-season sales as well as gardening catalogs.