As warmer weather signals summer, it sparks ideas of planting a garden and reorganizing your yard or outdoor space. A thoughtfully designed garden not only boosts your home’s value, but it can also be a smart financial move. Growing your own produce can reduce grocery bills, while smart planning keeps outdoor decor costs reasonable, creating an affordable staycation spot. Here are practical tips to help you achieve these benefits while

avoiding summer spending pitfalls

and breaking your budget.

The benefits of growing your own garden

Growing your own garden is a fantastic way to

cut down on food expenses

while enjoying fresh, homegrown produce. Cultivating fruits, vegetables, and herbs such as tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, basil, mint, chives, or parsley is straightforward and rewarding, as these plants offer generous harvests with little effort. Leafy greens, such as spinach and lettuce, are perfect for small spaces and can be harvested repeatedly, keeping your savings growing.

If you’re new to gardening, it’s tempting to plant everything, but to stay within your budget, focus on foods you enjoy. Start with a few varieties that tend to do well in your region and with the space you have. You can always trade extras with friends or neighbours to add variety to your table and extend your savings.

Beyond the financial benefits, gardening offers health advantages as well. You can have access to pesticide-free produce, and the physical activity involved in tending to your garden can improve your overall well-being.

Pre-plan your yard to avoid overspending

Diving into gardening or landscaping without a plan can lead to costly mistakes and impulse purchases, but a little

pre-planning for your home improvement

project goes a long way toward keeping your budget on track while creating a beautiful, functional yard. Start by setting a clear budget for plants, tools, and decor, and make a commitment to stick to it.

Next, draw a simple sketch of your yard, marking areas for planting, seating, or pathways to make sure it all aligns with your vision. This step keeps you from purchasing items that don’t suit your space. If you’ve recently downsized or are working with a smaller area, blend your garden and yard plans with raised garden beds, planters, or living walls to maximize your space efficiently.

Prioritize essentials such as quality soil, seeds or starter plants, and basic tools, saving extras such as ponds or fancy planters for later if your budget allows. With

thoughtful planning

, you’ll craft an outdoor space that’s practical, lovely, and free of unnecessary splurges.

Choose low maintenance plants for long-term savings

The plants you choose play a big role in how much time and money you’ll spend maintaining your garden. Low maintenance, climate appropriate plants require less water, fertilizer, and care, saving you both effort and expense. Native plants, suited to your local environment, are naturally hardy and need fewer resources to thrive.

Perennials such as lavender, hostas, and daylilies return each year, eliminating the cost of replanting annually. Drought tolerant options, such as succulents, ornamental grasses, and certain herbs, flourish with minimal watering, minimizing your water bill. By selecting these types of plants you’ll enjoy a lush garden that’s economical to maintain and sustainable for years to come.

Composting boosts your garden for free

Composting is a simple, cost-free way to enrich your garden soil without relying on store bought fertilizers. Your kitchen scraps, such as vegetable peels, coffee grounds, and eggshells, along with yard waste, such as fallen leaves or grass clippings, can transform into a nutrient-packed soil additive. Setting up a compost bin in your yard is easy and turns waste into “black gold” that boosts plant growth.

Check with your municipality to find out if they offer rodent resistant backyard composters at a reduced price. Composting not only cuts costs but also reduces landfill waste and improves healthy soil, making your garden more productive. With a little patience, composting becomes a rewarding habit that pays dividends in healthier plants and bigger harvests.

Recycle materials for your garden projects

Stretching your budget further is possible by getting creative with recycled materials for garden projects. Repurposing items you already have or can find inexpensively adds character to your space while keeping costs low. Reach out through social media to find your

desired items for free

or at greatly reduced costs before purchasing new. For instance, old tires can become whimsical planters for flowers or herbs, wooden pallets can be turned into vertical gardens or compost bins, and plastic laundry baskets with lots of holes can help make harvesting potatoes easier. Even broken pottery or leftover stones can line a pathway or edge a flower bed. These DIY efforts save money, reduce waste, and give your garden a personalized, rustic charm that store bought decor can’t replicate.

A thoughtfully planned yard and garden offers lasting benefits that make the initial effort and investment worthwhile. By growing your own food, you can trim grocery bills and enjoy recreation with benefits, while smart plant choices and composting reduce maintenance costs for your outdoor space. A well-designed space not only boosts property value but also provides deep satisfaction whether you’re harvesting vegetables or relaxing in your personal oasis. With warmer weather approaching, now is the time to start planning. Start small with plans you can realistically tackle this year, think strategically, and watch your garden become a source of savings and joy all summer long.

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Mary Castillo is a Saskatoon-based credit counsellor at Credit Counselling Society, a non-profit organization that has helped Canadians manage debt since 1996.

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