Does your landscaping need a makeover but you don’t have the budget for it?

Here are a few ideas to give your yard a little spruce up without breaking the bank.

1. Use Recycled Materials

You can find tons of different recycled materials at a Habitat for Humanity store, yard sales, thrift stores, or even on Craigslist. If you want to make a walkway you may be able find pavers at any of these places, or if you want to build a planter, somebody on Craigslist is usually giving away used lumber. There are so many DIY videos on You Tube and great ideas on Pinterest that almost anyone these days can find ways to improve their landscaping.

2. Buy Small

The nice thing about plants is that they grow! You can save hundreds of dollars by buying 1 gallon or even 4 inch plants. If you do this you’ll have to make sure you get your spacing right. Look online to find out how big the plants will get when mature and be sure you give them enough room to grow. It may look sparse at first but in one growing season, your landscape will start looking much more filled in.

3. Plan Ahead

Be sure you’ve done your research on your plants, tested your soil, and have a design plan drawn out. This way you only have to do your landscape once. Sometimes people make the mistake of buying plants that aren’t well suited for their area. They bring them home, and the plants don’t even last a season. Next year they have to replant and spend that money again. Buy perennials and natives that grow well in your climate. This way you only have to plant once.

4. Ask the Experts

If your local nursery has some well informed plant experts, ask their advice. Most of them are passionate about plant education and are willing to help out. You can get design ideas, ask them questions about plants, or even bring them in clippings to identify a species or a pest that might be chewing on some leaves. If you can’t find anyone to help you out in your area, give us a call! We love to help!

5. Compost

You can get gorgeous, rich compost for your soil for free! You can start a compost pile by saving your food scraps, even paper, laundry lint, coffee grounds, the list goes on. Read our blog post about composting (click here) for some ideas. Rather than spending hundreds on compost or soil you can make your own and save lots of money!

6. Start from Seed

This can take a lot of patience but you can grow plants for next to nothing if you’re willing to wait. Read my blog on seed  starting (click here) to get some tips. You can order seeds online from Johnny’s Seeds or from Peaceful Valley.

7. Use Mulch

Mulch can help you save money on your water bill. Mulch is anything that is covering the ground from bark, to grass clippings, to gravel. It helps to lower the evaporation rate of water and keep more in the ground for your plants. During the fall you can even gather fallen leaves and use those as mulch for free.

There are many more ideas out there to help you beautify your yard for cheap. These tips should get you started, but get creative with it and have fun finding good deals. The work will be well worth it once you have a gorgeous landscape and money to spare!