For most, gardening has become a way to provide their family with a cheaper alternative to fresh, healthy vegetables. From composting to finding free seeds, finding free gardening resources can be difficult!
Gardening with no money is hard! Luckily, I have the answers for low-cost to free gardening.
Keep reading if this is something you feel you may need in the near future with the upcoming spring gardening season quickly approaching us!
Disclaimer: Some links to products I have an affiliate link to. This means I make a small profit on your purchase. This in no way reflects on the quality of the product as I only recommend things I myself love!
What is the cheapest way to do a garden?
There are many ways to help decrease the overall cost of your garden. Finding free supplies on the side of the road and on the internet locally can help reduce your costs by a ton!
Starting your plants from seed is usually the most economical way to start plants, and propagating can help duplicate your plants as well!
No-till gardening and companion planting can help reduce the costs of things like fertilizer and pesticides. Having a biodiverse garden helps to discourage pests and diseases within your garden.
How can I grow vegetables without spending money?
This is difficult to achieve but it can be done. Save seeds from foods you already are buying like peppers, squash, and others.
Check your spice cabinet as well. Seed spices like fennel, dill seed, and celery seed can be planted and will grow into the plant they came from!
Keeping the space you plant smaller will help to minimize any upfront cost of your garden as well!
How can I get free garden supplies?
There are a few methods to make gardening even cheaper. Resources that with a little effort you can get cheap and even free items for your garden.
- Seed library
- ChipDrop
- Local coffee shops
- ShareWaste
- Equestrian center
These resources can provide free materials for your garden. Either compost, mulch, or even seeds!
Seed libraries can be great ways to get free seeds. These are usually inside actual libraries. Another way to get seeds free is through swaps. Look in your local area for seed swap events.
43 Assorted Vegetable & Herb Seeds by Black Duck Brand is another option for inexpensive seeds.
ChipDrop is a company that teams with arborists to deliver free wood chips to gardeners. Forewarning: This is a lot more wood chips than you think it is.
Sometimes, local coffee shops or even Starbucks will let you have their spent coffee grounds. This can be composted to make amazing compost for your garden!
ShareWaste is a program that connects gardeners with those who want to compost and either do not have the time or space to do it. You can customize what items you will take. This can be a wonderful way to help make more compost.
Some areas have a local equestrian center where you can pick up horse manure for your garden for free. A word of caution: you do not know if it may contain weed seeds inside the manure; but if you hot compost it, it will kill off the seeds!
Can you grow food from the grocery store?
Absolutely! As I said above, that is a wonderful way to reduce your costs. Foods you can grow include:
- Seeds like fennel, poppy, etc.
- Potatoes like sweet potatoes or even regular potatoes
- Garlic
- Herb plants
- Seeds from various vegetables.
This can be cost-effective to start your own garden.
Conclusion
Growing a garden does not need to be expensive. You do not need to break the bank to grow your own food. I hope this guide helps you grow you and your family healthier foods!
Happy planting!
Literature and Farms 