Spend less, enjoy more: 7 tips for a beautiful yard on a budget

Spend less, enjoy more: 7 tips for a beautiful yard on a budget


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Spring leaves are budding and summer will soon be in full bloom. As you begin reclaiming outdoor spaces from the hold of winter, remember you don't have to spend a lot to have a beautiful yard.

Here are seven tips to help you spend less and enjoy your yard more.

Clean and repurpose

Gain instant visual impact by making the best of what you currently have. Clear last year's plant debris, weed flower beds, and prune trees and shrubs. Rake up leaves and twigs and hose off patios, sidewalks and siding.

Consider stashing yard and garden tools and toys in a large container or shed. Take stock of old yard ornamentation and patio furniture and decide whether to repair, repaint or repurpose. The carnauba paste wax you use on your car helps restore luster to metal furniture. Castoff patio furniture can be relegated to flower beds to hold pots or support vines.

Photo credit: Shutterstock

A beautiful lawn

Skip bagging clippings when you mow and return nitrogen to the soil, saving dollars on commercial fertilizer. If you allow your grass to grow taller, it will develop a stronger, deeper root system — which equates to less watering and, in many cases, fewer weeds, according to Utah State University's extension service. Watering just a few times a week, enough to saturate the soil several inches down, also encourages deep roots and drought tolerance. Early-morning watering reduces the likelihood of disease.

Edging and paths

For borders and edging, try inverted colored bottles and jars, rain gutters, cinder blocks, or dinner plates or lengths of branches and logs set on edge. Reclaimed chunks of concrete from construction sites or your local landfill can be used to make stepping stones. Create or update paths with recycled bricks or wood chips and other inexpensive mulch materials.

Photo credit: Shutterstock

Dress it up

Shop yard sales, dollar stores and thrift shops for new yard ornamentation. Be creative. Vintage pots and pans, metal buckets or small baskets and crates are ideal for potting flowers and herbs. Old doors, headboards, wheelbarrows, ladders, step stools and bicycles can serve as backdrops and trellises.

Castoff lumber is great for creating raised planters. Shop pre- or late-season sales at garden centers and home improvement stores for additional items such as inexpensive hanging baskets and lighting. Large ceramic bowls work well for birdbaths.

Research and plan

To stretch your landscape dollar, Better Homes and Gardens recommends seeking expert advice. Before buying plants, learn about varieties native to your area. Learn about flowers that self-seed and about drought- and disease-resistant varieties.

Look for gardening books and magazines at your local library and peruse the Internet for relevant tips and suggestions. County extension agents and area universities offer a wealth of information free of charge.

Photo credit: Shutterstock

Involve others

Buying seed, fertilizers, herbicide, top soil, mulch and other necessities in bulk is less expensive — but not always convenient. Share quantities and costs with neighbors. If you need to rent yard equipment by the hour, the same applies. Likewise, trade bulbs, veggie and flower seeds and seedlings, and materials for mulch. Divide and trade perennials and root cuttings.

Compost and mulch

Mulch not only adds a finished look to your landscaping but also serves to retain moisture — saving you money on watering — cut down on weeds, and, in the case of organic mulch, improve soil.

From pebbles and gravel to shredded hardwood and bark and leaves from your own yard, there are many options. The University of Idaho College of Agriculture advises using sawdust and wood chips properly, as they can rob the soil of nitrogen.

When you need advice, local companies that help with landscaping are just a click away.

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