Jackie Gower - How does your garden grow?

With summer on the way, many of us are keen to give the garden a bit of a makeover for with some nice new plants.  However with garden centre prices we can't afford always enough to make much of an impact!  Fortunately there are plenty of cheaper ways to get your garden growing.  Here are some easy, low cost ideas to get you started.

Check out the bargain tables.  Many large stores such as Bunnings, Mitre 10 and even supermarkets have a clearance table or bargain corner.  You can often buy a whole tray of seedlings for as little as 50c. Sometimes the plants have grown too big for the punnet or have already had their first flowering, but a good drink and some new soil usually helps revitalise them very quickly.

Ask your nursery for plants in need of TLC.  Another cheap way is to go to the local nursery and ask if they have any plants that have seen better days, which are no longer saleable. They are usually happy for you to take them off their hands and may give them to you at no cost to save on tip bills.  You could also ask them about tube stock. These are seedlings which are grown in long narrow containers and are around 10-15cm high.  This is a great way to pick up plants which will grow into large shrubs or trees for as little as $2.

Have a chat about cuttings.  Talk to your neighbours and ask them for cuttings and hints as to what grows in your area. Many neighbours love their gardens and are only too happy to give you cuttings or even swap with you.  Many varieties of plants grow by cuttings such as plumbago, bougainvillea, hibiscus, succulents, cigarette bushes and frangipani – all of which would cost a small fortune to buy from the garden centre.

Join or start a plant swap group.  Gardening clubs are everywhere and memberships are reasonable. As well as usually having an informative guest speaker, members often bring potted plants and cuttings for the 'trading table' which raises money for the club, and provides cheap plants and a big variety of cuttings for its members. Or, if you are unable to find a gardening club in your area, how about starting a plant swap group among several friends who are keen to swap seedlings.  It's also a great way to pick up tips and get help with your garden if you need it!  

Dry out your own seeds.  Once your bargain plants are established, you can enjoy a beautiful garden year after year without buying seeds each season. Simply save last season's annual flower seeds, such as marigolds and zinnias, dry the flower heads out, then pop them into paper bags until next season. Ask your friends to do the same with different seeds so you can swap with one another!