Frugal Fall Gardening Tips
This past weekend while flipping through the channels, an NBC
special called Ultimate Cheapskates caught my eye. On the show, a man named Jeff Yeager admitted to various confessions on how he
saves money, some of which even include weekly fiscal fasts where he and his wife
go for a week without spending a single dime! While that seems impossible for
most of us, we can use some of Jeff’s advice on fall gardening the frugal way.
Below are tips for homeowners.
1. 1. Deals on
End of Season Nursery Stock- Jeff says if you're
going to put down sod,
fall is also generally the best and cheapest time to do so.
2. 2. Best Prices
on Garden Tools and Equipment- With the
possible exclusion of snow blowers, chain saws, and snow shovels, he tells
consumers to go hunting for used lawn mowers,
weed trimmers, and other lawn and garden equipment, since many people dump
their used equipment at thrift stores, flea markets and yard sales at the end
of the season. Just last year, he scored a deal on a used lawn mower from a
landscaping company.
3. 3. Love Your Tools- Take
great care of your tools to avoid having to purchase new ones next season. Some
pieces of advice he offers are using aluminum foil to remove
dirt and rust from shovels, hoes, and other metal gardening tools and to oil
all metal surfaces on your tools – used motor oil works fine for that – and put
the business ends of your gardening tools in a plastic bag along with a couple
of pieces of leftover summer charcoal to keep tools from rusting. To clean equipment
properly, air and fuel filters should be changed (along with the oil). Most
experts agree, the gas tank should be kept filled with gasoline that has been
treated with a stabilizer; this keeps the gas fresh and prevents condensation
and deposits from developing in the engine (run the engine for about 10 minutes
after adding the stabilized gasoline).
4. 4. Divide and Multiply Perennials- Jeff advises
to first thoroughly water and then dig the entire plant out of the ground, with
its root ball intact. The root ball should then be separated into smaller
plants by pulling it apart with a pitch fork or, in some cases, even cutting it
apart. The smaller plants should then be immediately replanted in the ground
and watered again.
Do you have any gardening tips to save money?
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