Every plant lover desires a beautiful garden. However, in order to grow beautiful plants, you do not have to rely on expensive seedlings instead there are many ways to access, buy and deploy cheap plants.
You do not have to buy new plants every season and can keep your garden looking exotic and beautiful with affordable plants.
If you want to know how to deploy beautiful plants through affordable means, this article is here to help.
Keep reading below to know how you can access cheap plants without breaking the bank.
Look for Rescuing Cheap Plants
You can rescue plants in areas where there is a new development and there are razed old grounds.
Usually, these areas are razed and you can find plenty of plants to dig up before they are flattened.
These construction lots may get rid of the existing landscape.
In that time, if you can look for a plant that can be rescued, you can plant it for free in your garden.
Remember to contact the construction company before taking it out on your own.
Sometimes retailers will also discard plants that do not look the best for use in garden centers or for florists.
Hence, you can search the trash areas of these places or ask them if they want to discard any plant that you can rescue instead.
Another business that will discard plants is lawn care companies.
These change plants seasonally, hence, ask them if you can get the previously planted rejected plants.
If you do not want to go onto rescuing the plants yourself, you can look into rescue groups.
Similar to rescue groups for animals, rescue groups for plants aim at saving plants from being discarded and preserving certain specimens that are native to that area.
Hence, now you know of several options to rescue the plants that will occupy your garden from now on.
Other ways include…
Dividing Perennials and Planting Kitchen Scraps
Divide the Perennials
Did you know that you can divide several perennials into multiple plants?
In fact, they can be split up every few years.
The likes of dahlias, pitcher plants, hostas and pineapple sage can all be split up after few years.
You can begin by planting spring blooming perennials in the fall and the opposite for spring i..e planting fall blooming perennials in spring.
While you replant them, nourish them with fertilizer and soon they will grow up well.
Utilizing Kitchen Scraps
One way to utilize kitchen scraps is to leave them for composting in a compost bin.
While that is an efficient use of the scraps, another means of using it is in planting in your garden.
Rather than composting the sprouted potatoes, garlic and shallots, consider digging them in your garden.
You can also consider planting an avocado pit, root end of the celery, and sprouted sweet potatoes.
All you need to do is to cut the sprouts and plant the rest.
You can also plant carrot fern. Even if you do not like to eat carrot tops, it does not go to waste.
Let it grow inside your garden till it grows pretty flowers.
You can also sprout a cutting of herbs and mints such as rosemary, thyme and basil in a water jar.
Next plant in your garden and you have an inexpensive way of getting herbs from your garden.
Similarly, you can save seeds from winter squash and then plant them in the spring.
Speaking of seeds, using seeds and cuttings is also a cheaper way to grow plants in your garden. Though one can be easier than the other.
Let’s know more about this in detail below!
Using Seeds and Cuttings
Cuttings
During cutting, you propagate the existing plants and trim their stem and root it.
The healthy portion of the stem is an easy way to make new plants.
Other than that you can divide a mature plant, like dividing perennials.
Trim the small offsets or the young plants that are growing from the older plant.
This way you can grow a succulent garden as succulents grow well enough from offsets or cuttings.
You can take one from a plant in the neighborhood, obviously asking the owner for the cutting rather than stealing it.
Plus, you can also find some social media groups in your community sharing the cuttings.
While using cuttings is an easy way to make new plants, seeds are an extensive way to grow them. Nonetheless, both are inexpensive.
Seeds
If you are looking for the cheapest way to grow plants, vegetable flowers, herbs, etc, look no further than seeds.
While you do need the basics such as proper lighting, water supply, and healthy soil to grow plants from the seeds, you do not need to go into excesses.
In the beginning, you need basic gardening skills.
There is no need to indulge in grow lights or small greenhouses.
Buy the seeds from the market which are the cheapest option of all to grow the plants and sow them in the soil.
However, remember that not all the seeds will sprout.
Though, that is not a huge loss.
As long as you care well for those that could grow, your garden will have plenty of beautiful plants.
We have discussed a few unconventional means to look for plants, how about you also check the markets?
You can find plenty of plants online or in garden clubs.
Let’s find out how you can buy cheap from there.
Looking Around for Cheap Plants
Flea Markets and Farmers Markets
These places are good to look for affordable or even free plants.
The sellers are aiming at moving their inventory while the plants are in good condition.
Hence, they will set cheaper rates.
Flea markets may have garden sales that include plants that are adapted to the local climate.
You can find these for cheap in the community home and garden sales section.
Garden Clubs
Look out for seasonal plant sales in your local garden clubs.
Get involved in horticulture clubs and garden clubs to get a variety of plants at an affordable rate.
Moreover, when you will interact with the rest of the club members, you can also avail tips on how to grow the plants and indulge in free plant swaps.
Check out Sales
You can find garden centers or retailers that sell plants on sale at a holiday or event.
Explore your options by looking into these plants in the sale section.
Just because they are on sale does not mean that they are in bad condition.
In fact, the retailer is just trying to move its inventory.
Similarly, check out your garden center’s yearly sale or clearance section.
You can find returned plants or damaged ones here.
Though, you should assess whether you can nurture the plant back to health or not.
Shop Online
While the best way to buy a plant is to see it and inspect it on your own, you also have the alternative of buying plants at an affordable rate online.
You can meet individuals on online groups that can plant swap with you.
There are also folks that will like to give away the plants to you for free.
Hence, stay active in these groups so that you can find a trustworthy seller.
Other Ways to Get Cheap Plants
Take Garden Tours
When you are deciding what to buy, it is also important to know about your plants so that they can grow well.
Take local garden tours from the garden community to know what plants grow well in your region.
These tours can then offer you cuttings of plants that you can take a long for free or buy for a small price.
Spring is the best time to go for cuttings.
This way you will have plenty of time for their root system to develop before winter hits.
Proplifting
Do you see a few succulent begonias leaves fallen on the ground?
Pick them up and bring them home.
All you need to do is to set them on bare dirt and wait for them to start growing roots.
Other than that, you can use houseplant propagation.
These houseplant cuttings will grow roots in a glass of water.
This is all that’s needed, you won’t even need a rooting hormone and you have a cheap alternative for growing a plant.
Get Plant Gifts
If someone wants to give you a gift, request a plant.
You are getting the plant for free but it is also a thoughtful gift that will stay with you for a long time.
If you want to offer the buyer a cheaper alternative, ask them to give you seeds instead.
Or you can simply make do with a garden center gift card where you can purchase the variety of plant you would like to have yourself.
Finally,
There are plenty of ways to get cheap plants.
Gardening is an easy and inexpensive hobby that should not put you under stress by buying expensive plants.
Try out these ways to get the plants you want at an affordable rate.
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