Simple ways to save money while you garden
A packet of seeds can cost less than a single trip through the grocery store’s produce aisle, but does growing your own food actually save money? The answer depends on what you’re planting, how much you harvest, and whether you’re comparing your garden against everyday grocery prices or weekly sales. Some vegetables are so inexpensive…
That $150 backyard makeover might seem like a brilliant way to improve your outdoor space without spending thousands of dollars. A few bags of gravel, some inexpensive landscape edging, or a small DIY water feature can completely change how your yard looks. But what happens when that budget-friendly improvement starts causing drainage problems, damaging nearby…
A $20 tree at the garden center might seem like one of the best landscaping bargains you’ll ever find. It’s small, healthy-looking, and promises years of shade, privacy, or beautiful seasonal color. But that inexpensive purchase could eventually lead to thousands of dollars in unexpected expenses if you plant the wrong tree in the wrong…
Every fall, homeowners spend hours raking leaves into bags, dragging them to the curb, and sometimes paying someone to haul them away. Then, a few months later, many of those same homeowners head to the garden center to purchase mulch, compost, and soil amendments. There’s something wrong with that picture. Those leaves you’re throwing away…
Imagine spending $200 on a few beautiful bamboo plants to create a natural privacy screen in your backyard. Within a couple of years, you’ve got the lush, tropical-looking barrier you wanted, and you haven’t spent thousands of dollars installing a fence. Then your neighbor knocks on the door because bamboo shoots are appearing on their…
Your garden might look finished for the season, but those empty patches of soil between plants could be warning signs of problems waiting to happen. What looks like a harmless bare spot in October can become an area vulnerable to erosion, winter weeds, and soil compaction by spring. The good news is that you don’t…
A row of beautiful evergreen shrubs seems like the perfect solution when you’re tired of neighbors looking into your backyard. Instead of spending thousands on a privacy fence, you can plant a few shrubs, wait for them to grow, and enjoy your own secluded outdoor space. But what happens when those shrubs grow twice as…
You spend an entire weekend planting a beautiful new garden, only to discover a letter from your homeowners association demanding that you remove it. Suddenly, the flowers, vegetables, or trees you purchased to improve your property have become the center of an expensive neighborhood disagreement. It sounds ridiculous, especially when you’re paying for the plants…
Your neighbor’s beautiful oak tree might be costing you hundreds or even thousands of dollars, and you may not realize it until the damage is already done. Its roots are lifting your patio, branches are scraping your roof, and fallen limbs are destroying plants you’ve spent years growing. Naturally, you assume your neighbor should pay…