Sunday 28 August 2011

Gardening on a Shoestring


Erysium cutting
 It is a matter of pride and principal that I spend as little money as possible on my garden.  Growing most of my plants from seed, taking cuttings, and splitting plants to increase my stock.

The Erysium (Perennial Wallflower) pictured above is a cutting, one of three, that I took from the parent plant as soon as I bought it. Already I have increased my plants, fourfold, from just one.  There is no magic formula for taking cuttings, just snip off a healthy shoot and pop it into potting compost, put a pop bottle (cut in two) over the top, until it makes root, and bingo a plant for free.

So far I have taken Lavender, Argyranthemum. Pelargonium and Dianthus cuttings, as a safeguard, just in case they don't make it through the winter.

This is a good time of year to start increasing your plant stocks and also for a little forward planning; sowing hardy annuals and saving seed from this years plants.  I am sure that you, like me, spend far more money than we intend to keep our gardens beautiful, but with a little work, you can keep the costs right down.

6 comments:

  1. It's smart to start what you can. I winter sow when needed. Don't know if I will be doing any this winter or not. Need to decide on that soon.
    Cher Sunray Gardens

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  2. A great reminder of how easy it is to get free plants. I always dig seedling perennials and move them around the garden to make more.

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  3. Good post, and I like the picture!
    The trouble is that the money we've saved we then spend on new plants! Flighty xx

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  4. Too true Flighty I do try to resist though.

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  5. It's great to get plants for free. I always take several cuttings or divisions which can then be swopped with friends for some of their treasures.

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  6. Great reminder.....I use freegle and share when I am just playing....I trimmed my choisya and posted it and have several takers for the trimmings...feels good. I am trying to start some seed swapping/plant swapping...but people dont seem to be as into it here as in the U.S..... (local, yes). P.S. love your color combination on the site...awesome!

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