A beautiful garden— for less
Looking forward to having a gorgeous place to relax and dream this summer? Your oasis doesn’t have to cost a fortune with these smart money-saving tricks
Gather free starter seeds at an online swap
It’s easy to find gardeners happy to give away their extra seeds. Just search “seeds” in the “free” section of the “for sale” section on Craigslist.org or create an account on Nextdoor.com and search the “for sale & free” section. Have your own extras? Swap them at exchanges, like Facebook’s the “Sow in Love Seed Exchange,” where you mail people your seeds in exchange for theirs. Or visit in-person seed-swap events hosted by your local library! Find details at Eventbrite.com.
Save 60% with ‘spring Black Friday’ sales
Retailers have recently launched a “spring Black Friday” annual event that occurs between midMarch and mid-april, when they slash the prices of planting needs by up to 60%. Past discounts included 60% off garden hose nozzles at Harbor Freight, 37% off whiskey barrel planters at Ace Hardware and 33% off mulch at The Home Depot. Sale dates vary from store to store, so visit Theblackfriday.com/spring-black-friday to find out when your favorite retailer is hosting theirs.
Snap up no- cost fertilizer at your local Starbucks!
If you’re a fan of using coffee grounds to enrich your soil and compost with nutrients, you don’t have to spend a dime on coffee to get them. As a way to reduce waste, participating Starbucks stores give away used coffee grounds to gardeners for free. Simply walk into your local Starbucks and ask for a bag from their Grounds for Your Garden program, and you’ll be given one at no cost. No Starbucks near you? Many local coffee shops also give away complimentary grounds.
Snag serious discounts by joining garden clubs
Many nurseries offer free enrollment in garden clubs that save you cash on gardening essentials. For example, The Home Depot gives you a $5 coupon upon joining theirs (Pages.homedepot. com/garden), plus additional coupons throughout the growing season. And ask the sales associate at your local nursery if they have a money-saving club. Many do, like the Louisiana Nursery Garden Club (Louisiananursery.com/ garden-club), where you get exclusive coupons.