7 Cheap Gardening Ideas and Tips

Are your green thumbs lacking a ton of greenbacks? No problem. These inexpensive gardening hacks are just for you.

Low Cost Gardening Ideas

1. Organize Tools in a Shoe Holder
2. DIY Kneepads
3. Shop in the Spring
4. From Gardening Tools to Golf Tools
5. From Hose to Bucket-Holder
6. Goodbye, Hose Thieves!
7. Mouse Pads for Knee Pads

Let's explore each tip a little further.

1. Organize Tools in a Shoe Holder

Those hanging vinyl shoe holder can store much more than shoes! Repurpose an old shoe organizer as a storage center for your gardening tools. Just tack it up on the wall in your garage, basement, or shed, and you’ll have organized storage for all of your small items..

2. DIY Kneepads

Rather than buy gardening kneepads at the store, make your own with items that usually find their way to the recycling bin. Fold newspaper into a square several inches across and about an inch thick, then tape to secure. Then place the square into a plastic grocery bag, wrap tightly, and tape shut with packing or duct tape. You can even duct tape them to jeans! Now you have gardening kneepads and you didn’t spend a cent.

3. Shop in the Spring

While you’ll likely visit the nursery or hardware store for gardening supplies, you don’t need to spend a bundle. Such stores always mark up their prices gradually toward the end of the summer, so if you shop early in the spring you’ll get some great deals. Skip the expensive array of gardening tools and look for a multipurpose tool called a hori hori knife. Part trowel, part blade, you can use it for everything from digging to weeding to measuring space in between seedlings. As for plants, it’s always cheaper to buy smaller plants in multi-packs rather than larger, more mature plants.

4. From Gardening Tools to Golf Tools

Not sure what to do with that old golf club bag? Don’t throw it away or stick it in the garage sale pile just yet. It’s perfect for carting garden tools around your yard!

5. From Hose to Bucket-Holder

If you have an old hose you’re about to throw away, here’s a great second use. Cut off a two-inch section, then cut a horizontal slit all the way through it. Slide onto the handles of buckets to make them easier to carry. Reinforce with duct tape if necessary.

6. Goodbye, Hose Thieves!

Our hose hook-up is on the side of our house, and unfortunately, we had our hose stolen twice! We were forced to keep rolling it up and putting it in our garage until a neighbor mentioned why she thought her hose had been spared—it was full of holes that had been repaired by duct tape. We slapped some duct tape on our hole-free hose, and it hasn’t been stolen since.

7. Mouse Pads for Knee Pads

Extra mouse pads can do a lot more than take up space in a desk drawer. Repurposed pads are perfect to use for kneeling in the garden. Their knee-saving properties can also be put to good use by kids who are playing outside with sidewalk chalk!

For more great gardening tips, check out our Gardening and Yard Tips board on Pinterest. And make sure to sign up for our newsletter or follow us on Facebook!

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