By: Nikki Phipps

Gardening is the most addictive hobbies in America. As a gardener myself, I know firsthand just how addictive this pastime can be. I once considered myself blessed if I could keep a houseplant living for more than a week. So when a friend of mine asked if I would be interested in helping out with the maintenance of his plant nursery, I was to say the least, skeptical. In return for some plants from the nursery, he wanted me to put them in a garden. A garden, I thought. I wasn’t sure where to begin, but I agreed. That was over ten years ago, and nearly everything I know about gardening grew from that moment.  

I was surrounded each day by the scent of fresh soil and an ever-growing mound of beautiful plants waiting to be placed within the hoards of pots that were stacked near my feet. I was given a crash course in the care and propagation of a variety of plants. I’ve heard the more you learn, the more there is to learn. The more I learned about gardening, the more I wanted to learn. I began to read as many gardening books as I possibly could. I planned out my designs, and I experimented.

I was like a child at play with gritty dirt beneath my nails and beads of sweat above my brows. Not even the hot, humid days of summer or painstaking hours of weeding, watering, and harvesting could keep me away from the garden. I became a bone fide garden junkie; I wanted to grow everything. As my addiction for gardening grew, I collected numerous gardening catalogs, usually ordering from each. I scoured garden centers and other nurseries for new plants. Before I knew it, one small flowerbed had transformed itself into nearly twenty of them, all with different themes. It was getting to be expensive. I either had to give up my hobby or cut costs.

That’s when I decided to use my creativity to save money. Instead of buying expensive ornamental pieces for my garden, I started collecting interesting items and transforming them into unique objects. I dressed up an old mailbox as a haven for birds. I created a birdbath from old bricks and a round, plastic tray. Instead of continually buying new seeds or plants each year, I decided to start my own. Seeds could be purchased for next to nothing, but to really cut costs, I began collecting my own seeds from the garden. I also divided many of the plants that I already had. Family, friends, and neighbors are always good sources for trading plants and cuttings. This not only saves money, but it provides an opportunity to share ideas with other passionate gardeners.

Since my beds were growing as quickly as my addiction, I learned how to make the most of my space by creating raised beds. Not only did this help with space, but the looser soil was better for the plants. I also began adding organic matter to the soil and I used horse manure, crushed egg shells, and coffee grinds as fertilizer. Creative paths throughout the beds made maintenance chores easier. I saved on mulch too by using pine needles and leaves collected from the nearby woods. I also enjoyed gardening with containers. A good way to save money here is by reusing containers already on hand and items such as worn-out boots, wheel barrows, and wash tubs. I have even used jars, an old bath tub, and hollowed-out stumps as containers. I found that incorporating certain plants into my garden such as marigolds, garlic, and nasturtiums also helps deter many pests.

Gardening may be addictive, but it shouldn’t have to be expensive. It should just be fun. Gardening is about experimentation. Growing plants and becoming successful at it, for me, came forth simply through the experience of trial and error, at times more error than anything. You learn as you go, and you find what works for you. Success isn’t measured by how grand the garden is or how exotic the plants are; if the garden brings yourself and others joy, then your task has been accomplished.