How to save in a garden? Taking good care of it requires time, and it also entails certain expenses, but the truth is that if we organize ourselves well, if we choose the plants and their location correctly, and if we also give a second chance to the things that we have stopped using, we can boast of an amazing place for little money.
If you have no idea how to achieve that goal, don't worry. We love gardening and we love helping you too, so Next we are going to give you a series of tips that, we hope, will be very useful to you 🙂.
Choose native plants
It is tremendously tempting to buy alien plants (that is, plants that are not native to our area), because of how rare they are sometimes, how colorful they are, and ultimately, because of their great ornamental value. But ... can they live with the climate we have? Some surely yes, but to find out what they are we have to do a little research and look for that information, for example in this blog.
And even so, the ideal is to buy native plants, because these they will be species that will resist pests, diseases, periods of drought and / or rain, temperatures, wind, etc.. We may not like them too much, but if we want to save money - and time - they are the best option. Think that if you buy one that is not for your climate, you will have to be much more aware of it: that it does not lack water, that it does not get too hot or cold, that pests do not affect it ...
Wouldn't you like to go to the garden just to hang out? Read, be with friends or family, enjoy playing with your dog if you have. If you grow delicate plants, you will have less time to do all that, and your financial expenses will be higher.
Better a carpet of various plants than grass
The grass is wonderful. It allows you to lie down, have picnics, and ultimately have a good time. But having it perfect, or almost perfect, takes not only time but also costs money: lawnmowers, fertilizers, insecticides for pests, ... and water. Water is a very precious commodity, and limited, especially in areas where it rains little. In addition, its biodiversity is less than that found in an area where different plant species coexist.
Therefore, if we want a low-maintenance garden that is really alive, it is much more advisable to opt for herbs that produce brightly colored flowers and that resist footfall, or that at least they have a bearing and beautiful leaves, such as the Ophiophogon, the Hedera helix (ivy), or Ficus repens.
Group the plants according to their needs
It can be nice to put cacti together with conifers, but it is not ideal, since the needs of one and the other are different: while the former need the earth to have excellent drainage, be in the sun and receive moderate irrigations in summer and little ( almost nil) in winter, the latter require fertile soils, and receive water regularly throughout the year.
Sectorizing plants is a way to save water, to have a much more efficient irrigation system, and also to control expenses. Therefore, if you have doubts about the needs of a specific plant, you already know that you can contact us.
Make your own fertilizers
Besides water, plants need food, that is, compost to be healthy. And it is that nobody can live only having the thirst quenched, because the body needs nutrients that the liquid does not have or has in little quantity. But although ready-to-use fertilizers are available in nurseries and garden stores, most are chemicals that, if misapplied, are harmful to both plants and the environment.
So, if we have this in mind, the ideal is to make the fertilizers ourselves. It is not difficult, because in kitchens we already have several things that can serve us as such (egg and banana shells for example), but if we want something more elaborate and nutritious we must compost taking advantage of garden waste, such as pruning remains, and also certain foods. You have much more information in this link:
Grow your own food (or part of it)
Orchards and flowerpots should be part of all families. They are a great way to stay in good health while learning how to grow plants and save money in the process. Going to the supermarket to buy is good, it is fast, but… it is not educational, nor fun. Due to this, regardless of the size of your garden, it is very interesting to reserve an area for edible plants: lettuce, aubergines, tomato plants ... and even fruit trees.
Taking care of them with fertilizers and natural remedies against pests, I am convinced that you will have very healthy and delicious plants 😉.
Do you want light? Put solar garden lamps
To be able to spend much more time in the garden, or to celebrate meals or family gatherings in it, it is very interesting to install solar lamps. Today there are several models: some have a more decorative than functional use, and there are others that, on the contrary, are used so that a certain area is bright.
In any case, you have to put them in places where they are exposed to direct sunlight, so that when night comes you see your garden with different eyes 🙂.
Avoid wild grasses with gravels and the like
Image - Kilsaran.ie
The ideal is to put a anti-weed meshAlthough if you already have the garden done, you can avoid wild herbs (badly called weeds) by placing gravel, volcanic clay or the like around the plants. It will give a very beautiful appearance, and you will also ensure that the soil remains humid for a little longer.
In areas such as the Mediterranean, or similar climates, it is something that is done a lot, not only for herbs, but also for saving water, since this is a very important issue as there is little rainfall. So don't hesitate to add gravel if drought is a serious problem in your area.
What do you think of these tips? Do you know others?