With the world currently as it is, we’re all leading very stressful lives and are having to spend more time at home.
Having a garden whether it be outdoors or indoors can provide a place of sanctuary and well-being and help take your mind off things.
With money being in short supply for many people, here are some tips to help you save you money when creating your little space of heaven.
Choose Perennials
Choose perennials rather than annuals for your flowerbeds as they come back each year for many years, they also grow bigger each year. This will save you having to purchase new plants.
Make your Own Compost
Recycle and make your own compost from kitchen scraps, as well as your coffee grounds. There are some reasonably priced composters and compost bins available at Sutton’s.
Once you have a composter in the garden start adding grass cuttings and kitchen scraps to it, you’ll have a regular free supply of compost which will save you pounds in the long term so it’s worth the initial investment.
Compost helps the soil to retain water and also provides essential nutrients that plants need.
Save on Ground Cover
Instead of using mulch, try pea gravel (Wikes) which is super cheap to buy or small rocks in your garden as ground cover. This will save you lots of cash since you won’t need to buy mulch in the spring and Autumn every year.
Buy Better Quality Gardening Tools
By initially spending more money and buying better quality gardening tools, you will save in the long run, the same goes for gardening gloves. They will last for years and you won’t need to keep replacing them.
Go for the best quality you can afford and store them in a storage cupboard so that they keep dry and don’t rust.
We recently purchased a Keter Storage shed from Argos (see below) it didn’t take too long to put up and it houses our new lawnmower and tools.
We bought this McGregor lawn mower which I’m super pleased with, not only is it priced reasonably, it is so much easier to use than my old Flymo! Both of these items were delivered together on a day to suit!
Why is Gardening Good for Your Health?
Gardening provides physical exercise and keeps you fit, not only that, when outdoors in daylight it helps the body produce vitamin D which helps boost the immune system. Many people have low levels of Vitamin D due to spending most of their time indoors.
Gardening can also improve your mental health and help with sleep due to the physical exercise and fresh air.
Create an Indoor Garden
If you don’t have the luxury of an outdoor garden, creating an indoor garden is the next best thing. Having plants in the home helps to increase air quality and boost our mood.
Grow herbs in the kitchen windowsill to use when cooking. Grow flowers in a window box and place house plants around your home.
Growing plants from seed is a great activity for kids to take part in especially if you’re all stuck indoors.
Try growing your own vegetables inside, there’s nothing more satisfying than tucking into a salad made with your own homegrown tomatoes!
