Bulb Swaps
May 23, 2007 by Deborah Ng
Filed under General
My neighbors are having a bulb swap! Many of them have beautiful gardens, but some of their plants are getting a bit out of control. Every couple of years they all get together to have a bulb swap. They did up the plants they don’t want and trade them for some of the neighbors cast offs.I got some plants this way last year. My sister in law gave me some Irises and a ground covering plant she no longer wants, all are doing well. I know of another person who dug up all her out of control plants and …read more
Don’t Throw Out that Vegetable Water!
May 20, 2007 by Deborah Ng
Filed under Eco Simplicity, General, Reusing and Recycling, Simple Pleasures, Simpler Thinking
I just learned this great tip from a television gardening program. After steaming or boiling vegetables, save the (unsalted) water and pour on outdoor plants. The nutrients and organic matter in the water make for a wonderful frugal fertilizer. This works best for potted plants, but feel free to use it on all your outdoor plants. Simple, cheap, and organic…can it get any better than this?
Frugal Flowers
May 5, 2007 by Deborah Ng
Filed under Eco Simplicity, General, Simple Pleasures
Today I made my annual pilgrimage to the local garden center for cheap annuals. I love gardening but buying enough flowers to add color to my property can cause bankruptcy. I find that by buying flowers from the clearance racks, I can still beautify my property, but spend very little money. Case in point: this afternoon I bought six flats of petunias. Normally they’re $4.99. I bought them for .50 cents each because they were wilted and some of the leaves were a little brown. That’s easy enough to fix, after I plant them in some nice, …read more
Cheap Gardening Tips: Use Newspaper for Mulch
April 19, 2007 by Deborah Ng
Filed under Around the House, Eco Simplicity, Reusing and Recycling, Simple Pleasures, Simpler Thinking
Mulch is great for the garden. It helps to keep the soil moist and acts as an insulator, keeping your plants warm in the winter and cool in the summer. If purchased by the bag, it can get expensive. Purchasing by the truckload can cost a fortune. Thankfully, you can make your own. My older sisters shared this great tip with me: Most newspapers are printed with a vegetable based dye and can be used as not only mulch, but also a barrier to keep the weeds from ruining your flower garden. It may sound unconventional but it’s inexpensive and …read more
Thrifty Gardening
March 23, 2007 by Deborah Ng
Filed under Eco Simplicity, General, Reusing and Recycling, Simple Pleasures, Simpler Thinking
In another month or so it’ll be planting season. For many gardeners this can be an expensive time. Plants and supplies really do add up. Many plants are worth the investment, for instance, vegetables. It’s much cheaper to grow your own fresh, delicious veggies than to buy produce at the supermarket. Bulbs are another good investment, because they come back every year. Because annuals die out after the first or second frost, they’re seen as a bigger risk. Still there are ways to save.
My marigolds are the gift that keeps on giving. About five or six years ago, my sister …read more
