10 Green Tips to Help Save Money in Your Garden

I recently found a great post that helps us do two things we love: spend time in our gardens and save money.

The original post is called 8 ways to save money on costly lawn care and is from the bankrate.com site. What's really cool is that most of the things listed are very eco-friendly, too. I added a few suggestions of my own to round out the list to 10!

Read the full post for more details on their suggestions, which are:

1. Xeriscape your yard - The savings can be big. One estimate by the University of Illinois Extension puts the amount of water a lawn needs to stay green in summer at 1 inch of water per week, which translates to an average of about 2,500 gallons of water per week to keep a 4,000 square-foot lawn green, assuming no rainfall. If you pay $3 per 1,000 gallons, that's almost $400 per year to water your lawn. Xeriscaping cuts that in half, according to the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension, making the savings almost $200 per year.
2. Plant fruit trees - Not only can fruit trees save money by providing shade for your home to reduce heating bills, but they're also a great source of free fruit if properly maintained
3. Compost organic waste - Grass clippings, vegetable scraps and other organic waste can be turned into free compost to augment soil, to mulch around trees and to fertilize your lawn.
4. Plant perennials instead of annuals - Annuals must be replanted every year. Save money by planting perennials that will last three years or more
5. Plant leafy shade trees around your home - Once trees take hold and get big enough, their shade can keep your home significantly cooler and help you save money.
6. Start with seeds and smaller plants - You can cut your costs down by a half to two-thirds if you just buy quart-sized plants instead of gallon-sized containers.
7. Don't replace outdoor furnishings; paint them - You can save money on yard furnishings with some creativity and a little elbow grease.
8. Shop plant sales in the fall - Especially in the northern part of the country, you can save money as nurseries clear their inventory for the winter with plant clearance sales in mid to late fallHere are my extra two suggestions!
9. Participate in conservation rebate programs offered locally - Montgomery County Rainscape program, District of Columbia Smart Homes Program and others.
10. Shop at local thrift stores for garden goodies - Helps keep your garden costs under control while you support local charities.

How to Earn Green ($$$) by going Green

How would you like to earn a little green ($$$) by going green in your landscape? There are several programs in the area that offer rebates and financial incentives to help encourage you to go green and conserve water in your landscape.  

Montgomery County Maryland Residents – Create a RainScape - Rebates of up to $1200 for participating in RainScapes Rewards Rebate Program. Maximum rebates available for various landscape changes: for installing rain gardens ($1200), conservation landscaping ($750), urban tree canopy ($600), permeable pavers ($1200), pavement removal ($1200), green roofs ($1200), rain barrels ($200), cisterns ($500), dry wells ($600)

Gaithersburg Rainscapes Rewards Program - $50 rebate for rainbarrels; up to $500 for conservation landscaping

Rockville Rainscapes Rewards Program - $50 rebate for rainbarrels; up to $500 for conservation landscaping

District of Columbia RiverSmart Homes Program - This District-wide program offers incentives to homeowners interested in reducing stormwater runoff from their properties. Homeowners receive up to $1,200 to adopt one or more of the following landscape enhancements: Shade Trees , Rain Barrels , Pervious Pavers , Rain Gardens , BayScaping

For more information about these programs, check out the links above.

Free mulch and other garden goodies

I was just standing in line at the local dollar store listening to a couple of women talking about how they just MUST bring home toys for their dogs every time they go shopping so that Bowzer and Fido don’t get their feelings hurt.

I thought it was kind of amusing that people would admit to being so well-trained by their pets.

Then I looked at what I was buying and realized that I am the same way with my gardens.

Today I was buying ten-for-a-dollar packages of flower seeds, a small misting bottle and a watering can. But truth be told, I rarely come home from running errands without bringing SOMETHING home for the garden. This could get pretty costly, but some of the things that I bring home are free (or pretty close to it).

Take compost and mulch, for example. Compost and mulch are both great for putting nutrients back into the soil and for retaining moisture, helping your plants through times of heat and drought. And there are plenty of ways to get free compost and mulch.

Many gardeners already know that Starbucks introduced Grounds for Your Garden back in 1995, which offers customers complimentary five-pound bags of used coffee grounds to enrich garden soil. Even if you aren’t a coffee drinker (is there still anyone out there that DOESN’T drink coffee) you can stop by your nearest Starbucks to pick up a bag of these garden goodies (and maybe just ONE little sweet goodie for yourself, too, while you are there.)

Another thing that I’ve learned to do is to ALWAYS buy the largest produce, when it is sold by the piece rather than the pound. I used to be on the lookout for the smallest cucumbers or packages of Romaine because I didn’t want to be wasteful and then I realized “Ooooooh. The leftovers are free compost!”

I’ve also been known to ask my neighbors for piles of leaves they just raked up or the grass I see them emptying after they mow their lawn (although I don't know why anyone uses a grass catcher when it is so much healthier to just let the grass fall where it may.)

You can also get mulch from various waste management departments in the area. It is always best to call ahead of time to make sure that mulch is available.

Frederick County offers low cost single ground and double ground mulch as well as premium compost for as little as $8.00 a ton. They’ll even load it into your open bed truck for you. This mulch is made from collected yard trimmings, brush, landscape debris and other valuable organic matter. More information about this low-cost mulch, including where and when it can be picked up, can be found on the Frederick County Government site or you can call 301-600-2960 for more information.

Residents of Arlington Virginia can get free mulch or even have the mulch delivered. More information can be found on their Brush, Mulch and Fill Dirt page or call 703-228-6570.

The City of Falls Church also has free mulch available. The do not provide delivery, but their website includes a Residential Mulch Hauling Referral List to help you find someone who will deliver the mulch for you. For more information call 703-248-5176.

Do you know of any other great sources for free or low cost garden goodies? If so, let us know!