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Category: Planting

How to garden for next to nothing - next year

Here I go again already thinking about next spring's garden. I've recently found ways to garden next year more cost effectively. Some of these ideas you may want to start getting prepared for now so you can garden for next to nothing next year.

You can grow seeds outdoors in the winter and you don't need a greenhouse! Bat will just love this one because I've been wanting a greenhouse forever. How is it done?

Well, you can sow seeds into mini greenhouses made from recyclables. After they are sown, you place them outside until the end of winter. As the weather warms the seeds start to germinate. You can find out more by going to the Winter Sown Web site. I'm starting to save my recyclables to do this.

How about a seed exchange in which you try new plants without spending too much money? I thought about doing one here and I had the Web site up and ready until I found out there are many good ones already going. There's a seed exchange at the Backyard Gardener Seed Exchange , The Garden Web seed exchange and the Blossom Swap Seed Exchange , plus many more listed on the Internet.

Did you have too many hostas, lilies or Black-eyed Susans this summer? You can swap some of the extras at a local perennial exchange. My library has one every year and I've always thought about going, so this year I will do it. I already know which plants I want to exchange - the Black-eyed Susans have taken over my flower garden this year and I know someone will want some. If your community doesn't have a perennial exchange maybe you can exchange with friends or neighbors.

Craigslist is another source. Under the "free" section many people give away dirt and plants that they have divided.

The ultimate way to garden for next to nothing is to save your seeds. You'll be able to grow wonderful pumpkins, heirloom beans and tomatoes from the seeds you saved this year. You just can't get any cheaper than that!

You can catch up with my garden at Gardening in Lower MI.