Gardening on a Budget

I like to joke that I tend to spend more money on plants than clothes, especially since retiring. However, with increasing costs around the world, life’s essentials take precedence over plants and flowers. That’s where gardening on a budget comes in.

Propagate Your Own Plants

I have shared several posts on this theme. Propagation is not difficult, it just takes patience. The good news? It is very rewarding when you get the hang of it and it saves you an incredible amount of money.

Starting Plants from Seeds

Probably the most rewarding adventure, growing plants from seeds takes the most time, effort, and paraphernalia. Pots, heating mats, and grow lights all add up. Without those things, your success rate will inevitably be low and frustrating.

You also need space to set up your nursery. I am an empty nester so have spare rooms in my home that I easily convert in the winter months for the propagation of all types.

Using Leaves to Create New Plants

I’ve had great success with propagating succulents with little to no work or failures.

Simply remove a few leaves from a mature succulent and lay them (horizontally) on top of a shallow bowl of chunky, made-for-cactus/succulents, soil. Light spritz with water every day until a baby develops. That’s it!

I grew over thirty new succulents last winter for my niece’s wedding decor. I started with four succulents (I had two and purchased two others for variety), two large saucer-like pots, succulent soil, and a sunny window. Although I had great success without a heating mat, I did add one part way through the process to speed it up. That was my impatience kicking in, I would have been better off keeping them smaller for the driftwood project I had in mind.

Divide Perennials When Gardening on a Budget

This is by far the easiest way to increase your plants if gardening on a budget. Many perennials thrive when divided every few years too. Some will divide easily, others might require the use of a sharp spade or fork.

Simply place the severed chunk in a new pot with fresh soil or straight into a new spot in your garden. Either way, water well after the split.

I also used lots of divided perennials for the recent wedding I put together floral displays for.

Share with Neighbours, Family, and Friends

The best (and most economical) thing about propagating is the fact that you will have lots of baby plants to share, trade with, or sell. Markets on Facebook or other forms of social media are full of plants every spring.

Houseplants can be Propagated as well

I’ve also extended my collection of houseplants over the years with various propagation methods and success rates.

The bottom line? Gardening on a budget is easier than you think!

Visit and follow Loreeebee on Pinterest to see ways of extending your garden season as well as some of my favourite garden accessories. These items are not so budget-conscious but they are nice to dream of.