Getting your yard in tip-top shape can be costly. When you consider the type of flowers you want to plant, the grass that is best for your region and the colors you want to feature in your garden, you may find that it’s hard to stay on budget. Luckily, there are a few money-saving tips you can take advantage of when it comes to having one of the best looking yards on your block. Here are a few suggestions to get you started.
Plan Ahead
Before you buy any yard décor, draw your yard on paper and start planning. This way, you’ll know exactly what you need to purchase and you won’t spend extra money unnecessarily. Planning ahead will also help you determine how much “design” you want in your yard. For instance, instead of trying to decorate the entire yard, it may be more beneficial for you to hire a designer to create a space that is both functional and visually appealing. This also keeps you from making impulse buys and purchasing plants that you’ll never display or supplies that you’ll never use.
Buy Your Supplies In Phases
There’s a good chance you may not have all the funds you need to purchase everything for your yard makeover at one time. You can save money by buying the accessories you need for your yard in phases, and complete one outdoor décor project at a time. This also gives you the ability to change or adjust your plans in between each phase, which can save you time and money. It’s also best for you to use your intuition when shopping for yard décor. If you’re not sure about something, don’t purchase it.
Talk to a Professional
While it may not be necessary to hire a landscape architect, you may still want to speak with a design professional as you’re developing your yard décor plans to make sure you are on the right track and to ensure all of your dreams come true.
Look For Inspiration
Whether you talk to a design pro or decide to take on this venture on your own, you’ll need some inspiration to get ideas for the color scheme and design theme you want to showcase in your garden. Take a look at gardening websites, go to Pinterest or ask your Facebook friends for design tips and pictures to get your creative juices flowing. This will help you create the right shopping list for your project, so you’ll save money while designing the garden you want.
Shop Online
In many cases, you can order your yard supplies online. The prices are often cheaper and you may find items that aren’t available in nearby stores. Just make sure that you factor in the shipping costs so you can be sure you’re actually saving money. Even when you’re shopping online, don’t forget to compare prices from several different vendors before making your final choices.
Learn About Fertilizer
Before you start buying plants for your yard, check the pH of your soil. Some plants can’t grow in acidic soil; others need soil that is particularly dry. If you choose the wrong plants for your soil, it won’t matter how much you water or nurture the plant. Don’t waste money on plants that won’t grow properly in your environment. Choose the flowers and shrubs that are native to your area to ensure that your yard looks healthy all throughout the year.
Use Mulch and Sawdust
Mulch is a great money saver because it keeps you from having to water your plants so often. The mulch holds the moisture in the soil and improves the condition of the soil, which means you won’t have to spend a lot of money on fertilizer, either. Mulch can reduce the amount of weeds that grow in your garden, so you can save money on weed killer by adding mulch to your plant beds. Organic mulch is ideal for your garden, but you’ll have to do a little research to see which mulch is best for your garden based on the plants you have. To make your own mulch, you can start by gathering the leaves that fall to the ground in autumn and grinding them with a lawnmower.
Sawdust is a great ingredient for mulch as well, since it spreads easily. You can talk to a local warehouse or sawmill about using sawdust to create mulched garden paths. Most sawmills will give you the sawdust for free if you can haul it back to your home. Keep in mind that sawdust can sometimes strip soil of nitrogen, so be sure to test your soil often to see whether you need to use alternate materials for mulch.
Be Neighborly
You may be able to share the cost of the yard work with your neighbors. You can split the rental fee for neighbors who want to use large equipment like tillers or chippers. Refer your neighbors to lawn specialists and designers and ask them to do the same for you. You could save a considerable amount of money when it comes to upgrading your yard, and you’ll motivate your neighbors to keep their property looking its best as well.
It’s also important not to be too “trendy” when looking for new plants and flowers to put in your yard. Wait until new releases are a little more commonplace at your local gardening store so you can pay less for them. These flowers will be pretty expensive at first, but if demand for the plants grow, the price will go down. You can save money and grow beautiful plants by asking local farmers for manure and making your own compost to keep the soil rich.