Gardening can get expensive if you let it. Personally, I’m not very big on DIY stuff for the garden. My chronic illness makes it difficult to spend too much time tinkering and toiling. Instead, I have to rely on cheap garden tools to make things work. It can take some time before you discover which tools are worth spending money on (even small amounts) and which are worthless. The right tools for the job depend a lot on the kind of gardener you are and what tasks you need help with. Here are some of my favorite cheap garden tools:

Cheap garden tools

These are some of the cheap garden tools I use to make my life easier as a frugal gardener.

• Garden gloves. A good pair of garden gloves is a must-have if you’re digging in the dirt. But the thing is that I almost always end up losing them by the end of the season. If you’re a chronic misplacer of things like me, don’t spend a ton of money on fancy gardening gloves. Gloves from the dollar store are typically sturdy enough to last a season. They also provide adequate protection from potential irritants. And, bonus: They’re usually super cute!

• Bamboo sticks. You can get these in bundles for a steal at most hardware stores, and they’re a staple in my garden. I use them solo to support peppers, tomatoes, and eggplants. Need support for cucumbers or pole beans? Tie em’ together, and voila! You’ve got an inexpensive support system that costs you a fraction of what you would have paid for a fancy trellis.

• A flexible hose. Water is a vital part of gardening. But until recently, I really hated doing it because I had to lug around an insanely heavy hose. Once I replaced my clunky hose with a flexible one, watering has become a much easier task. Just make sure to bring your hose in for the winter to ensure its longevity.

• Plastic plant markers. I know that plastic isn’t an ideal choice because it’s not environmentally friendly, but the fact is that I’m still using the same pack of 150 markers that I bought 3 years ago. I just cross out last year’s crop name or write it in a different color. You can also cover up old names with tape. They’re super durable and can be reused over and over again. And, knowing what I planted where is a huge key to my success as a gardener.

• Google sheets. Okay, this one is actually free! I used to use a notebook but found that digital recording was a lot faster. I use sheets to record notes about seedlings, plants, and anything other notable garden-related observations about each season. It allows me to look back on previous seasons and see what went right and wrong.

While these cheap garden tools are a staple in my gardening toolbox, your kit might look entirely different. And that’s okay! This is what works for me. Sure, sometimes I’ll splurge on something fancy, but these are the basics that get me through each season.

For over a year now, many people have spent more time indoors than usual. The bonus? More time to admire your indoor plants? The downside? Well, truthfully, there are a lot. But plant-wise, it’s probably realizing that most of your pretty plants don’t do much to refresh the stale air in your home. So add these indoor plants that produce soothing aromas to your space to freshen up your living quarters.

Set Realistic Expectations

A lot of people have unrealistic expectations about what their houseplants can do. No, adorning your home with plants won’t remove every single airborne toxin. And while these indoor plants that produce soothing aromas can help deliver a dollop of fragrance, they won’t envelop your home in a floral perfume. Tamper your expectations. Because these plants won’t replace your trusty air freshener, placement is key. Save these plants for walk-by areas so you can enjoy a pleasant whiff as you pass by.

Most Herbs

Most herbs are easy to grow indoors and have a strong scent. The type of herb you choose obviously depends on your scent preferences. Keep in mind that herbs require a bit more maintenance than many popular houseplants. You’ll have to water them more often and harvest the leaves to prevent flowering.

Keep herbs near the kitchen, so they’re easy to grab when you’re cooking or plating.

Eucalyptus

You can grow eucalyptus indoors, but dried eucalyptus branches are even easier to deal with. You can style them in a large vase or hang them in the bathroom. Then, when you take a shower, the humid space will fill with a burst of freshness.

Scented Geranium

Not all scented geraniums are made equal. Some give off more pungent smells that are better for outdoor growing and keeping away mosquitoes. But there are also plenty of geraniums that give off pleasant aromas like lemon and chocolate.

These plants need lots of light and some pruning to keep their shape. They also like consistent moisture levels.

Citrus

A little trickier to care for than most houseplants, citrus plants like lemon, lime, and grapefruit, produce fragrant blossoms with a heavenly scent. You’ll need to give these plants plenty of light and adequate humidity levels. Keeping them away from drafty parts of your house is also key to preventing stress-related problems.

Hoya

I’ve currently got a little hoya plant on my office bookshelf, but it’s not even close to big enough to produce flowers. When it eventually blooms, though, the blossoms will give off a subtle, sweet scent. To bloom, hoya needs a lot of light, so keep it in a bright area. Water only once the soil has dried up between waterings.

A Word of Caution

Many scented plants are bad news for pets, and some can even be harmful to humans. So if you have cats, dogs, or other domesticated animals wandering about, be sure to check whether a plant is toxic before putting it within reach of curious noses and mouths. Want to find out if a plant is poisonous? Check out the ASPCA’s list of toxic and non-toxic plants.

Read More:

• Where to Buy Seeds for Microgreens
• How to Get Plant Spacing Right
• A Frugal Gardener Is a Patient Gardener

Microgreens are ultra-trendy right now. But where do you buy seeds for microgreens? 

Microgreens have been popular for a while, but lately, there’s been an enormous burst of interest in these tiny, tasty sprouts. Here’s why you should consider growing them at home and how to buy seeds for microgreens.

What are microgreens?

Microgreens aren’t a variety of plants. They are very young plants harvested when they are in a micro-growing stage before they get much taller than a few inches.

Microgreens offer a burst of flavor that you’d get with a full-sized plant but without the lengthy growing season requirements. They’re also packed with nutrients and easy as pie to grow. 

Ideas for using microgreens

You might be wondering about how to use microgreens. Why grow tiny sprouts when you can have a full-sized broccoli plant? 

Microgreens have a unique fresh taste and texture that you can’t get with a full-sized plant. They’re great for using as a garnish, but they also taste delicious in salads, sandwiches, and stir-fries. 

Where to buy seeds for microgreens?

Not every plant works well as a microgreen. A few edible plants that work well as sprouts include:

• Leafy greens like kale, lettuce, and mustards
• Herbs like cilantro and basil
• Brassicas like broccoli and radish
• Flowers like sunflowers 

You can use regular seeds to grow microgreens. But you need to make sure you choose untreated seeds when growing microgreens. 

Some companies sell unique microgreen seed mixes. These mixes simply contain a variety of seeds that germinate at similar times. They’ve also been tested for maximum germination rates and flavor. 

That said, because you’ll need many seeds for a decent harvest, it’s best to buy microgreen seeds in bulk. 

You can buy regular seeds to grow microgreens or special mixes. Both are typically available from popular seed retailers like Johnny’s Seeds or High Mowing Organic Seeds. 

Want more info on how to grow microgreens at home? Take a look at this video:

When I started gardening over a decade ago, I was so excited to grow things that I would cram many seedlings into tiny spaces. My first garden was my pride and joy, but looking back on it, I made so many mistakes. Mistakes are good! They help you learn. But some of them are entirely avoidable. Spacing plants properly is one of those preventable mistakes.

Cramming lots of seedlings into a tiny planter or jamming in 10 tomato plants into a raised bed with enough room for maybe 9 at most seems like a bright idea. It’s all about maximizing space, after all, right? Except, improper plant spacing can easily leave you with a disappointing yield. It seems like filling in every bare spot in your garden is a brilliant way to maximize the harvest, but, in reality, it can actually harm your efforts. Frugal gardeners should pay close attention to plant spacing because ignoring those guidelines can cause you to waste a lot of time, effort, and money.

What’s the big deal?

Okay, so why is plant spacing so important? Who cares?

For one, your plants do.

Putting plants too close together means they may not have access to enough nutrients. You may end up with spindly, weak plants if you don’t space them far enough apart.

Suffocatingly close plants may also experience higher instances of pest and disease activity. That’s because there’s usually limited airflow between squished-together plants. The foliage can’t dry quickly after it gets wet and becomes a hot spot for nasty bugs.

What’s the correct spacing?

Close quarters aren’t always a bad thing. You don’t need miles of space between plants to be a successful gardener. In fact, too much room between plants makes it easier for weeds to settle in your garden.

Most seed packets will give you exact spacing requirements for particular plant varieties. When in doubt, check Madame Google or ask a fellow gardener.

Sometimes, close spacing is ideal for harvesting things like baby greens. If you plant the seeds or seedlings too far apart, you’ll leave more room for weeds. Moisture loss is also likely to occur with spacing that’s too far apart.

I like using the Square Foot Gardening method for help with spacing. I hated geometry as a kid, so as an adult, spacing requirements on the backs of seed packets give me vertigo. 2 inches? 2 centimeters!? As someone with poor spatial abilities, I’m not about to take out the ruler to make precise measurements. Instead, I go by SFG measurements which specify plant spacing per square foot. A stamping tool helps me get spacing precisely correct.

Here are a few SFG spacing guidelines for common edibles:

• Tomatoes: 1 per square foot
• Peppers: 1 per square foot
• Kale: 1 or 2 per square foot
• Lettuce: 1 or 4 per square foot, depending on size and whether you want to harvest baby leaves or not
• Carrots: 16 per square foot
• Beets: 9 per square foot
• Beans: 9 per square foot

Here’s the thing, though. Sometimes, different varieties have varying spacing needs. While I follow these guidelines, for the most part, I sometimes stray from the set rules regarding spacing to experiment. Sometimes it’s a win, and other times it’s a big disappointing failure.

If you want to experiment with spacing, I recommend taking notes so you can remember what works down the line. There’s no use making the same mistake twice!

People love to put avocados on everything. I’m as much an avocado fanatic as the next person, but they don’t come cheap. Here’s how to start an avocado seed at home.

Growing avocados at home

I’ll be upfront with you. Growing an avocado tree takes time and patience. And it’s not a task suited to beginners who kill most of their indoor plants.  Your homegrown tree is unlikely to bear fruit, even if you’re a meticulous pro. And it can take over a decade for some trees to produce fruit. Yikes!

But even if you don’t manage to cultivate any edible fruit, starting an avocado seed is a fun project to do with kids. It’s also a challenge all on its own.

Steps involved in starting an avocado seed

Before you attempt to sprout an avocado, you’ll need an avocado pit. So get ready to make some guacamole and save that pit for later.

Make sure you keep avocado out of reach of any pets in your household. It can be toxic to some animals.

You can start an avocado seed one of two ways: In a glass of water or in soil.

The glass water method is slower but it’s fun to watch the seed sprout.

In soil, everything happens out of view.

If you’re starting an avocado from seed as an educational activity with kids, use the glass water method because it’s more visual.

To start your avocado seed in water:

• Pop some toothpicks in the avocado
• Set the tooth-picked seed atop a full glass of water, half of the seed should be submerged in water
• Put the water glass set up on a sunny windowsill or under a grow light
• Make sure to add water as needed to keep half the seed submerged

It can take several weeks for the seed to sprout. Small sprouts will appear and, eventually, the main stem will emerge. At this point, go ahead and plant the avocado seed in potting soil.

To start your avocado seed in soil:

• Pot the seed up in potting soil destined for houseplants
• Make sure the pointy end juts out slightly from the soil
• Keep the potting mix moist but be careful not to overwater
• Fertilize regularly

Need a visual? Here’s a helpful video on how to grow avocado from seed:

Recently, I’ve mentioned that this year I just don’t have the bandwidth to garden like I usually do. But that doesn’t mean I’m completely abandoning my favorite hobby. Although I didn’t start seedlings indoors, I still have a vast collection of seeds at my disposal, and I’ve already started sketching a plan for what I want to plant. There are plenty of things I can direct seed and grow without much intervention. A bit of thinning here and there is all that’s required.

Some plants are great for direct seeding because they grow quickly. Others do best direct-seeded because they don’t transplant well. When I started gardening, I direct seeded everything. I didn’t have the space to commit to starting seeds indoors, and I didn’t really understand that some plants needed long growing seasons to reach maturity. Through the years, though, I’ve learned about the best plants to direct seed—with a lot of trial and error.

I’ve even had success direct seeding some dwarf tomato varieties! With gardening, the sky’s the limit. But to get you started off on the right foot this year, here are 10 plants you can direct seed just before or after your last frost date.

Plants You Can Direct Seed

Here are some of the easiest plants to direct seed in the garden.

• Radishes. These pungent, crispy root vegetables are one of the quickest growing edibles in the garden. Like most root veggies, they don’t transplant well. If you’re going the square foot garden route, plant 16 or 9 per square.
• Carrots. I just sowed my carrot seeds in the garden. I normally plant 16 per square, but this year I decided to broadcast sow the seeds because I’m planting so many, and I didn’t feel like carefully pinching seeds into hundreds of holes. Carrots grow slowly, but they’re really easy to grow given the right soil conditions. Once they sprout, all you need to do is thin out the seedlings. After that, regular watering is really all that’s required.
• Kale. Another slow-growing one. BUT kale does exceptionally well when direct-seeded. You can sow kale in the spring before your last frost date. I like the interplant kale with herbs and flowers to entice pollinators and beneficial bugs to settle in. Most years, cabbage loopers decimate my kale crops not under protection. But last year, I had a lot of success pairing my brassicas with flowers and flowering herbs.
• Spinach. This crop is another easy one to grow. You’ll have the best results sowing early in the spring as soon as the soil is workable. Spinach bolts when the weather gets warm, so early plantings can mitigate premature bolting. Grow spinach in partial shade. The hot afternoon sun, even on a cool day, can trigger bolting.
• Asian greens. There are many delicious Asian greens out there, but some of my favorites include bok choy, Chinese broccoli, and frilly mustards. Most of these grow well from seed. You can also harvest them early as baby greens.
• Summer squash. I’m not planting squash this year because I have a squash bug problem. But if you’re lucky enough not to have to deal with these irritating insects, summer squash is an excellent plant to grow from seed. It grows exceptionally fast, and once it starts to produce, you’ll have plenty of food to eat. My favorite variety is patty pan. Sow summer squash right after the last frost date.
• Beans. Beans grow so quickly I never bother starting them from seed. They also don’t love to be moved around. I prefer bush varieties because they don’t require supports, but if you space them too closely, you can end up with a tangled mess. Sow bean seeds right after the last frost date.

Read More

Yes, you can garden for free

Ten ways to get free plants for your garden

How to get free plants

Composting household items is the most efficient way to create nutrient gold for your garden. If you can use up what you have on hand, you can save money and reduce the amount of waste you create.

So what can you toss into the compost bin? Here are ten household items you can compost.

Composting Household Items

There’s one big rule when composting household items: Make sure you cut them into tiny pieces!

Chucking big pieces of anything into your compost bin is an easy way to fail. Composting takes time. The bigger the items inside your bin, the longer it’ll take for them to break down.

• Leaf and grass clippings. When your yard needs a good sprucing up, collect the dead plant matter and toss it into your compost bin.
• Fruit and vegetable peels. You can also throw in the cores of fruits like apples and peaches. Got rotting fruit at the back of your produce drawer? You can toss that into the compost, too.
• Parchment paper. This is also fine to put into the compost bin. Just make sure it doesn’t have a waxy coating.
• Houseplant detritus. Frequent pruning helps keep houseplants looking neat and tidy. Don’t throw away all those dead leaves, though. Pop them into your compost bin. As long as the plant matter isn’t diseased, you can compost dead plant matter right at home. If you’re dealing with diseased plants, throw those leaves and roots into the commercial composting bin—if your city provides one.

Composting Other Household Items

• Teabags. Not all tea bags are compostable. Check the label to make sure the bag will degrade in your compost bin. If in doubt, tear them open and compost the innards.
• Coffee grounds. Regardless of the kind of coffee you love to drink, you’re bound to create a lot of coffee ground waste. It can be annoying to head to the compost bin every time you brew coffee, though. Instead, grab a glass container and fill it with used grounds. When it’s full, toss them into the compost.
• Paper plates. As long as they don’t have a waxy coating, paper plates can go into the compost.
• Bamboo skewers and chopsticks. Again, as long as they aren’t coated in some type of film, these are also fair game for the compost. I also like using these as supports for my tomato, pepper, and eggplant seedlings.
• Cardboard. Don’t expect to chuck in giant pieces of cardboard and successfully compost it. Cut it into small pieces before tossing it into your bin.
• Paper bags. The same goes for paper bags. Make sure you’re adding small pieces to your bin.

Household Items You Can’t Compost

Composting household items is a great way to reduce your waste production. However, you can’t compost everything. Here are some things you should avoid tossing into your compost bin:

• Eggshells. People will recommend composting eggshells until they’re blue in the face, but the truth is that they decompose extremely slowly.
• Meat and bones. Save these for the commercial compost bin. Your at-home bin doesn’t produce enough heat to kill off potentially dangerous pathogens.
• Anything with a waxy or glossy coating. A plastic coating means the item won’t compost, and it may even contain harmful toxins.
• Big branches and large plants. It sounds like a good idea, but…it isn’t. Anything big is going to take way too much time to decompose.
• Cooked food. You run the risk of inviting pests into or around your compost bin by adding cooked food to the mix.

Read More

Yes, you can garden for free

Ten ways to get free plants for your garden

How to get free plants

Spring has sprung! Kind of. Last week where I am in zone 5 Canada, we were hit with a surprise snowstorm. Many people expected a light dusting and for the snow to melt right away, but it stuck around for several days. I know at least one gardener who got a nasty surprise when the snow hit suddenly. They lost a lot of their newly planted seedlings to frost and had to start all over again. I know spring is an exciting time, but it’s important to be a patient gardener.

The Importance of Being a Patient Gardener

Being a patient gardener sounds boring, doesn’t it? I’m with you. I used to be all about taking big risks in the garden, planting my tomatoes early when there was still a chance of frost, and hoping that protection would keep them safe. I’ve had some successes using risky techniques, but I’ve also had lots of disappointments and failures.

Ultimately, those failures also mean losing money. It takes so much time and effort to grow seedlings indoors. Without a dedicated space to do so, I have to turn my basement into a grow-op. This requires sacrificing space and adjusting my routines. It also means investing time—and we all know that time is money—into checking on and taking care of seedlings. It took me a while to equate the effort I put into growing seedlings with money, but now I’m well aware of the connection. I am a lot more careful about transplanting. I harden off seedlings carefully, and I check the weather obsessively before putting any frost-sensitive plants out.

Waiting doesn’t mean I miss out on the gardening season. It means that I’m not worried every second that surprise snow or frost will kill my precious seedlings.

How To Be a Patient Gardener

I didn’t become a patient gardener overnight. It takes some work! It also requires making mistakes. By losing plants to bad weather early on in the season, I was able to see how much easier waiting would make my life.

Now, I am much more conservative in my planting schedules. I use planting charts for my zone found online, and if they say to plant out stuff a week after the first frost, I wait a little longer—just in case.

Scaling back my garden has also helped to make me a lot less impatient. When you’re scrambling to get everything into the ground, it’s easy to get caught up and plant things out too early. A few years ago, I had so many tomato plants that were outgrowing their shelving space, and I had a variety of lettuce and squash that would quickly need to take their place under the lights. I panicked and put the tomatoes out early. They survived, but I remember the yield being bad that year.

But how many tomatoes I netted wasn’t really the problem. I hated being stressed and worried at the start of the gardening season. Spring is supposed to be a time of excitement and wonder about the season ahead.

This year, try slowing down. A little patience goes a long way.

Read More

Yes, you can garden for free

Ten ways to get free plants for your garden

How to get free plants

Should you use diesel to kill weeds? Short answer: Nope.

Weeds can be annoying. They compete with other plants for nutrients and can turn a pretty, organized garden into a patchy mess. Still, I’ll continue to stand up for weeds. Some of the plants we consider weeds are actually beneficial. They offer up food to hungry pollinators and beneficial bugs. True weeds are plants that have been introduced to an environment in which they have no natural competitors or predators. That means they grow unchecked and sometimes harm habitats and ecosystems.

BUT. Even with true weeds, I’m wildly hesitant to recommend something toxic like diesel. As someone who tries to do their best to grow organically, the thought of using diesel anywhere near my garden fills me with dread.

Can you use diesel to kill weeds?

Some people might recommend that you use diesel to kill stubborn weeds. This tactic is often recommended for lawns littered with weeds. I don’t think we should be wasting valuable resources on curating green lawns that have no purpose. Second, even if you’re using it on a non-edible surface, know that diesel is highly toxic and can contaminate nearby areas.

If you’re growing anything edible, stay away from toxic substances like diesel.

You also run the risk of harming animals and beneficial insects like bees and butterflies. With bee and pollinator populations on the decline, it seems incredibly risky and irresponsible to use a toxic substance just to get rid of a few weeds.

“But my weed problem is terrible, and I heard I could use diesel to fix it!”

There are plenty of other ways to tackle pesky weeds. Getting rid of weeds isn’t easy, but if you want a hobby to replace your leisurely walk in the park, gardening might be the wrong choice. Additionally, diesel is pricey and flammable! You’ll do better by spending your money on something else for the garden.

Gardening is an approachable hobby because it’s simple to get started with some dirt and some seeds. But to turn a landscape around involves a lot of work. You can be a frugal gardener, but any kind of digging in the dirt requires some form of effort.

Other ways to get rid of weeds

If you can’t use diesel to kill weeds, what else can you do?

Here are a few ways to get rid of weeds in an environmentally friendly manner:

• Mulch. My favorite way to suppress weeds is mulch. It not only suffocates most weeds but also helps beautify beds and provides a uniform blank slate.
• Stop over-digging and tilling. Most weed seeds sit beneath the surface and won’t sprout unless exposed to sun and moisture. Minimize digging and tilling to prevent unearthing hidden weed seeds.
• Target your watering efforts. Get rid of the sprinkler. It’s a waste of water and money. Use targeted irrigation systems to get water to your plants. No desire to budget to set up an irrigation system? When you water by hand, don’t water where there are no plants. Empty spaces don’t need moisture! All you’ll do is help the weeds along.

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Yes, you can garden for free

Ten ways to get free plants for your garden

How to get free plants

Spring is here! I remember at this time last year, we were at the start of this pandemic and I was so excited to start the gardening season. It was too cold to start planting, but I had a ton of stuff started in my basement, and I was slowly starting to harden things off. This year, it’s unusually warm, and I haven’t started a single thing. It’s my first year doing this type of go-with-the-flow gardening. I’m not sticking to strict schedules, and I don’t have any intention of starting seeds indoors. I don’t have the energy. I’m happy for everyone who is discovering gardening now, but I’m taking a little break. I’m not ignoring my garden completely, but I’ve decided to keep things a little bit more laissez-faire. This year, I’m growing a few edibles, but mostly I’ll be planting food for bees and pollinators.

I’m not giving up on gardening. I still do plenty of gardening indoors (my hydroponic garden has been supplying me with a lot of food through the winter), and I’m caring for lots of houseplants. Gardening has always given me a lot of joy. But I could tell that I was in no place to commit the time and effort to my usual intense efforts this year. I feared that forcing myself to do it would only make me unhappy and turn me against my favorite pastime. Instead of seeing this year as a failure, I’m looking forward to the experiment. I’m excited to grow different flowers and see how many pollinators I can entice into the garden. If I’m spending less time picking off cabbage loopers and other pesky pests, maybe I’ll have time for other projects like finally putting down a pathway between my garden beds.

How about you? Are you taking it easy this summer? Or are you diving right in? I’d love to hear about your gardening adventures. Let me know in the comments what you plan to grow this year!

Reducing waste

Of course, even though my garden activities will be more laid back this year, I still had the urge to order some seeds. I went with quick-growing, easy-to-care-for options. One of my other goals this year,  besides taking things easy, is to reduce food waste. Wasting food is basically throwing money in the trash, so I’m determined to limit waste in our household and garden. Even the most fastidious gardeners tend to waste food before it hits their fridge or plate. Before you throw yourself into the full swing of things, I implore you to plan out not just what you’re planting but how you plan to use it. Are you growing lots of kale and don’t really eat that much of it? Make sure you have a friend or neighbor you can gift it to. Accidentally planted too many tomatoes? Get ready for the harvest and find yourself a tomato sauce recipe for when all those fruits ripen.

And, if, like me, you’re doing a version of go with the flow gardening. Plant less than you usually do, and make sure you use up every bit of what you grow. If you’re planting tons of flowers, feel free to cut a few and put them on display in your home.

Are you a regular frugal gardener whose feeling out of sorts this year? Try some go-with-the-flow gardening. Keep it simple, and don’t be afraid to lessen the load.