Frugal Gardening: How to Save Money on Water and Pest Management
As a gardener, I’ve learned that being frugal doesn’t mean sacrificing the health and beauty of your garden. In fact, with a few simple tricks, you can save money on water and pest management while still enjoying a thriving garden.
Frugal gardening tips to save you money
When it comes to choosing the right crops to plant, it’s essential to consider the local climate. Planting crops that are well adapted to the local climate means you won’t have to spend a fortune on water. As I always say, “Plant things well adapted for the local climate so you don’t have to spend much money on water.” Sometimes, you may need to water extra during the first year, but you don’t want to set yourself up for wasting lots of time and money on watering.
Smart plant positioning can save you money on water
Another crucial consideration is plant positioning. By placing drought-tolerant herbs and perennials far from the water source, you can reduce your water bill. Being smart with resources and understanding what a plant needs also applies to sunlight. Try to leverage natural light. If a plant doesn’t need full sun, it might be easier to manage in a spot where it gets some shade during the hottest parts of the day.
Companion planting can help with pest management
But what about pests? One of my favorite tricks is to use companion plants to keep pests at bay without using pesticides or chemicals. For example, I keep lots of dill and borage around my brassicas. These attract good predators to help control the cabbage worms, which is less effort and money than using Bacillus thuringiensis every few weeks.
Minimizing grass can reduce maintenance
A maintenance tip that helps me prevent grass from overcrowding my lawn is to minimize the amount of borders. This means connecting planted and mulched areas and reducing the amount of grass. In my case, this is a compromise because my kids like having some grass as a play area, so I leave more than I’d prefer from a gardening standpoint because it’s all for the greater good.
Choosing the right barrier borders can prevent weeds
Similarly, if you’re using some kind of barrier as a border, think about what it’ll be like to deal with grass growing up between the large rocks (for example). In general, a more complete barrier like bricks would be better because it does a better job blocking the growth of weeds/grass. But we’re on a budget here, and reality is all about compromise, so we do the best we can with the materials that we have available and/or can afford.
By following these frugal gardening tips, you can save money on water and pest management while still enjoying a beautiful and thriving garden.
“You can get REALLY into companion planning and overwhelm yourself, so don’t stress too much about it.” - A wise gardening tip to keep in mind.
Frugal gardening tips to save you money
Remember, being frugal in the garden doesn’t mean sacrificing quality. With a little creativity and resourcefulness, you can create a stunning garden on a budget.
