‘In The Garden’ — Gardening On A Budget
By AMANDA ZAMBRANO
Master Gardener Intern
Gardening can be an expensive hobby. Quality plants are expensive, as are soil amendments and tools. But gardening isn’t just for those with extra income – anyone can have a lovely garden or landscape with some sweat equity and the willingness to get a little creative.
I’ve purchased some plants for my garden, but many of my perennials were gifts. Mother’s Day, birthdays, even Christmas, is a great time to ask for a gift card for a gardening center or gardening catalog. If you have a loved one who enjoys sending cut flowers, ask them if they’d made a change to potted perennials, like miniature rose bushes. You can enjoy them inside for a while, and then move them to the yard to continue to enjoy your gift.
Some of my favorite items were given to me by someone dividing their perennials. I have daisies from my mom, daffodils from my brother-in-law, lily of the valley from a friend and daylilies from a coworker. Get to know nearby gardeners – this is a great way to get (FREE!) plants – look for anything that grows in clumps, without single taproot or single central stalk. Plants like hosta, bulbs, coneflowers, herbs or astilbe will make a beautiful addition to your garden.
Plant propagation is another option for free plants. This year I’d like to propagate some boxwood for the front of my house. Sometime between July and December, gather 4-6-inch long cuttings and trim the leaves off the bottom 1 inch. Rooting hormone can be used, but is not necessary. Well drained flats, trays or small pots should be filled with a potting soil enriched with peat moss, or an equal mixture of peat moss, sand and perlite. Keep them moist with misting or even by creating a little greenhouse with an empty plastic bottle. You should start seeing roots in 6-12 weeks. Depending on when you take your cutting, they may need to be transplanted to a larger pot prior to planting in the spring.
Next year I’d like to propagate my Vanilla Strawberry hydrangea. There are a number of different rooting methods for hydrangea. Here are the instructions for the water method I hope to use. Take your cuttings from branches without flowers or buds from the bottom of the plant. Cut 4-5 inch pieces, and then trim off all of the leaves except the very top leaf. Remove the top half from the top leaf. Place in a clear glass vase or jar and fill with water. To prevent mold, be sure to change the water often. Once some healthy roots appear, pot cuttings and nurture them until they’re hardy enough to plant.
If you’re looking for gardening tools on the cheap, check out Craigslist free listings, Freecycle, Goodwill, a dollar or discount store and garage sales. You never know what bargain you may find. Happy (frugal) gardening!
Amanda Zambrano is the director of advancement at Grace Village Retirement Community. She is a master gardener intern, just learning the ins and outs of successful gardening.
Along with her master gardener volunteering, Amanda serves on the board of directors for the Wagon Wheel Center for the Arts, the Symphony of the Lakes committee and a Kosciusko County Community Foundation scholarship committee. She plays flute for the Symphony of the Lakes and enjoys hand-quilting, baking and reading. She is also an occasional blogger. Amanda lives in Warsaw with her husband Dan and her son Alexander.