Unlock Your Garden's Hidden Potential
Maybe you’ve spent a lot of time doing up your house to the highest possible standard… but what about your garden? It’s just as important, yet many people overlook it, with some fearing it’s too expensive to do anything with. Never fear! Here are 35 cheap ways you can change your patch of land into a beautiful backyard oasis.
Use Recycled Containers as Planters
Do you have a lot of old containers lying around your house? Give them new life, and save money, by recycling them as planters. All you have to do is drill holes in the bottom of them and fill them with soil. They make your garden look cute and quirky.
Start a Herb Garden in Mason Jars
Have you ever dreamed of growing your own herbs? It’s really easy to do! Mason jars are easy to get hold of, and then you just need to plant the herbs and put them on an outdoor shelf. It adds interest to your garden and means you have something to cook with!
Make a DIY Pallet Wall
If you want a rustic garden, pallets are the way to go. You can purchase them for cheap, or even get old ones for nothing in some places. Lean one against a wall and add potted plants in the slats. Once they’ve grown, it’ll look great.
Plant Wildflowers
Packets of wildflower seeds are very affordable and easy to get hold of. Scatter them in bare spots and watch your garden transform into an oasis of color. Plus, wildflowers will attract bees, and it’s very important that people are doing all they can for bees.
Use Mulch From Free Community Sources
Why spend money on mulch when you can get it for free? Ask around your local area, especially tree services. You need it because it helps retain moisture and cancel out weeds, plus it gives your garden beds a finished look.
Create a Garden Path With Broken Bits
Do you have some broken bricks or tiles lying around, things you never quite got around to throwing away? Then good news! You can use them to create a stylish garden path. Just dig a shallow trench and lay them in securely.
Grow Plants From Kitchen Scraps
If you’re worried about your garden having few actual plants in it, look no further than your kitchen. Do you have any old potatoes or the remains of green onions? Into the ground they go! It brings new plants to your garden and gives you a new source of food.
Decorate With Painted Rocks
This is a great one to do if you’re a crafty, arty person. All you need is paint and, well, some rocks! Paint them with any design you choose and return them to the flowerbeds. It’s a great way to brighten up your garden without spending much money.
Use Old Furniture as Garden Features
You should hesitate before throwing out old furniture! It might make a great focal point for your garden instead. For example, you could easily turn an old dresser into a herb garden. Don’t forget to paint it with outdoor-suitable paint first!
Build Compost Bin From Wooden Pallets
Plastic heavy-duty compost bins from stores cost a lot of money. So why not make one yourself? All you need is pallets, which you might be able to get for free, and screws. And having a compost bin will save you money on fertilizer!
Hang String Lights
String lights are usually pretty cheap, and they can really transform the look of your garden. Just hang them over whatever area you choose and wait for night to fall! Many people find the look of string lights so magical that they spend a lot more time in their garden at night.
Build a Raised Bed From Scrap Wood
This is a great low-cost idea if you’re a woodworker. Leftover wood from other projects, or reclaimed lumber, can be turned into raised garden beds. These keep plants organized and improve drainage, plus they look nice.
Propagate Plants From Cuttings
Instead of buying new plants, multiply what you already have. Many plants, like mint or hydrangeas, can grow from cuttings. Simply root them in water or soil. Be careful with mint though, it will spread across your garden like wildfire!
Use Old Tires as Flower Beds
One great way to add interest to your garden while simultaneously saving money is to use old tires to plant things in. Paint the tires to match your garden theme, and fill them with flowers or herbs. Upcycling helps save the environment, too!
Make a DIY Bird Bath
Do you really love birds and want more of them in your garden? Don’t buy an expensive bird bath from a garden center, make one instead. Just put an old bowl, saucer, or shallow dish on top of a flower pot or stand and fill it with water.
Add a Mirror to Create the Illusion of Space
Most people don’t think about adding mirrors to their garden, but it’s a great way to create the illusion of space. And you don’t have to shell out lots of money for an expensive mirror, a cheap one from a thrift store will work just fine.
Repurpose Tin Cans Into Hanging Planters
Don’t throw away tin cans, reuse them! Clean your tin cans, add drainage holes, and string them with wire or twine to make hanging planters. Then paint them to match your garden decor and fill with trailing plants. They’ll look fantastic!
Use Gravel or Crushed Stone
Work out which areas of your garden people are going to be walking over the most, and put down some gravel there. It’s much cheaper than buying paving stones and many people prefer the look.
Craft a Trellis From Branches
If you have the craft skills, this is a great one to do. Gather strong sticks or pruned branches and lash them together with twine to make a trellis. Then you can use it to grow beans, peas, or climbing flowers, and also have a bit of a rustic look to your garden.
Start a Seed Swap With Neighbors
Instead of buying new seeds every season, organize a seed swap with neighbors or local gardeners. It’s a free way to diversify your garden, share growing tips, and perhaps most importantly of all build a community.
Make Popsicle Sticks Into Labels
If you want an organized garden, popsicle sticks are the way to go. Instead of buying labels for every plant, simply write the name of the plant on the popsicle stick and put it in the ground. You can add little drawings to the popsicle sticks too!
Create a Rock Garden
Find out the best places to collect rocks and take some home with you. From there, you can put together your very own rock garden. Put some cool succulents around the rocks and you’ve instantly got a point of interest.
Use a Rain Barrel
Install a simple and inexpensive rain barrel under your gutter to collect rainwater. Then, use that to water your garden during dry spells. It reduces your water bill and even better, supports sustainable gardening!
Build a Simple Garden Bench From Cinder Blocks
Want somewhere to sit down in your garden, but don’t want to break the bank? Stack a few cinder blocks and slide in wooden planks to make an easy, sturdy garden bench. You can then paint it to fit in with the rest of your garden.
Plant in Layers
There’s an easy way to get the landscaped look in your garden without having to pay for it. Arrange your inexpensive plants by height: tall in back, medium in the middle, and low growers in front. This instantly makes your garden look more professional.
Create Custom Stepping Stones
This is the sort of thing you’d expect to be expensive, but it isn’t. Use cheap concrete and molds (or even old pans and trays) to create custom stepping stones. Then you can decorate them with pebbles, glass, or your own handprints!
Grow Perennials That Come Back Every Year
When you begin planting your garden, focus on perennials. Planting them means you have fresh flowers growing every year, and you don’t have to spend money on any more. Daylilies, hostas, and black-eyed Susans are all good examples.
Edge Garden Beds With Bottles or Bricks
Here’s another great upcycling trick that could prevent waste items going to landfill. Line your garden beds with upturned glass bottles or old bricks. It keeps mulch in place and gives borders a tidy, creative look.
Use Newspaper as Weed Barrier
Newspapers are really easy to get hold of – some stores will give them away for free at the end of the day – and they’re great for your garden. Laying sheets of newspaper beneath mulch to prevent weeds is thought to work just as well as commercial weed barriers.
Make a DIY Wind Chime
Wind chimes add a bit of interest and a bit of nice sound to your garden, and they’re so easy to make! You can use old utensils, seashells, beads, pretty much anything that makes a nice noise when clinked together. Definitely a great craft project to try.
Build a Vertical Garden With a Shoe Organizer
Don’t throw away your old shoe organizer, save it for your garden! Hang it on an old fence or wall and fill the pockets with soil and small plants or herbs. It’s a fun way to garden vertically and it’s great if you only have a small garden.
Use Egg Cartons to Start Seedlings
If you’re starting a garden, you should be saving your egg cartons. Fill them with soil, plant seeds, and place them in a sunny spot. When ready, you can plant them directly into the ground, carton and all. It’s a great project for kids!
Paint Terracotta Pots
This is another great one to do if you have a bit of artistic flair to you. Buy some inexpensive terracotta pots and paint them according to your tastes and the style of your garden. It’s much cheaper and much more fun than buying already painted pots.
Use Epsom Salt for Plant Boosting
Epsom salt is good for the body and it’s also good for your plants! It contains magnesium, which helps plants grow to their full potential. Simply dissolve it in water and spray onto your plants!
Install a DIY Drip Watering System With Bottles
Plastic bottles are an absolute scourge on the environment, so here’s a good way to recycle them. Poke holes in the plastic bottles, fill them with water, and bury them near plant roots. They slowly release moisture into the soil, keeping plants hydrated.
