Having a garden means investing money both to create and maintain it. Fertilizing, planting, harvesting, pruning, and monitoring pests can become expensive in the long run. However, there are some great ways to cut back on costs. It pays to bear in mind that, on average, a well-kept fruit and vegetable garden can save you at least $600 per year. So if your garden is looking quite unkempt and you’re searching for budget-friendly ways to revamp it this summer, here are some useful tips to help you save money.

• Go for second-hand tools

A well-maintained garden requires supplies, such as buckets, shovels, rakes, lawn mowers, hedge trimmers, and so on. All these tools are rather expensive when bought brand new, but there’s nothing stopping you from buying second-hand gardening tools. Of course, you have to check that it’s still in reasonable condition and won’t break after a short time. Look out for used products that come with a minimum guarantee period; your wallet will thank you.

• Make compost yourself

One of the common garden expenses is fertilizer, as plants need compost to support strong growth. Store-bought fertilizer is sometimes quite expensive. But you may not know that you could easily make your own compost at home. You just have to check the numerous articles online that talk about how to make compost for your plants. And the best part is that it’s not an excessive effort; on the contrary, you will end up reusing the food waste that you would have otherwise thrown away. This waste is definitely ideal for providing the nutrients your plants need. Remember that strong growth also requires regular weed control, so if you cannot commit the time required for this task, consider using a local professional service such as http://masterscapes.com/. These experts can also take care of all your gardening repair and maintenance requirements.

• Your garden can cut your grocery bills

If you have a reasonable amount of space outside of your home for plants, flowers and trees, then it’s possible to intentionally create a garden to cut back on your spending at the supermarket. Of course, maintenance is something you can’t avoid, but what if your garden is designed to not waste money? You can analyze this by separating the cost of the garden from the money you will save. For example, if you have fruit trees, this means free fruits you no longer need to buy. This saves you money in the supermarket, and some of your savings can be spent on garden care products.

• Make the whole family responsible for gardening

Having a garden means taking responsibility. Plants need regular care – you must prune them, compost them, and tend to them when they are sick. All this effort can become highly time-consuming. So what about if you set up gardening maintenance as a family activity?

Just as everyone in the house has a regular chore to do (cleaning, washing dishes, clearing the table, and so on), you can use this method in the garden to get everyone involved.

In addition, it is good practice for children because you will teach them how to take care of their environment and nature. And the back garden is a great place to start learning these skills.

• Choose plants that are productive for you

Most avid gardeners are familiar with the feeling of falling in love with the gardens they’ve seen in pictures and magazines. The desire to recreate these dream gardens is sometimes unavoidable. However, before you commit to a compulsive purchase, you need to consider whether or not these plants will actually do you any good. Is it a plant that you will use for the kitchen? Maybe to take care of your health? Or is it just decorative? We’re not saying you can’t have a beautiful garden, but that shouldn’t be all. You must design a productive, functional garden that positively impacts your purse strings.

• Recycle products for garden usage

It’s true that a garden with recycled products may not look as pretty and stylish as one with all branded accessories, but you certainly save a lot of money and also protect the environment. So it’s worth sacrificing the normal definition of beauty in order to be practical and avoid waste. For example, you could use forks to discourage certain animals from spoiling your plants. Likewise, you can use boots, plastic bottles, or similar containers as flower pots.

• Use your own seeds instead of buying

A common mistake that is often made is the belief that you have to buy all the plants, seeds, and trees for your garden – this is certainly not the case. You can also plant them from the seeds of fruit you’ve already consumed. This is cheaper than seedlings or trees. While it will take years for some of them to bear fruit, don’t think solely about the duration; rather, focus on your future savings.

In this way, saving money on gardening is not only workable but can also be the solution you have been looking for to take the first step and build your garden.