How to Create a Budget-Friendly Garden as a Student

Gardening Tips from State Of Writing Expert

Starting a garden as a student when you are scraping together your pennies can be quite a challenge. However, with a bit of creativity and some smart tips, you can turn even the tiniest space into a green heaven without feeling like you are going over budget. Check out these tips for gardening on a budget to get you started.

Start Small with Container Gardening

You don’t need a big backyard to start a garden: if you’re living in a dorm or an apartment, container gardening is your best bet. Plant your herbs, vegetables, and flowers in pots, buckets, old cans, or plastic bottles. This way, you’ll have the chance to experiment with different plants without spending much money at once.

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Choose Low-Maintenance Plants

Since you’re a student, you probably don’t have much free time or the facilities for high-maintenance plants. Keep your temperate plant’s needs to a minimum by growing succulents, herbs, or native plants that don’t need much watering or attention. Some plants do well in poor conditions and are great for a busy student.

Here’s a list of easy-to-grow plants that are perfect for beginners:

1. Spider Plant: Tolerant of various conditions and hard to kill.
2. Aloe Vera: Low maintenance, needs minimal watering.
3. Pothos: Thrives in low light and needs very little care.
4. Succulents: Require minimal water and thrive in dry conditions.
5. Basil: Simple to grow indoors or outdoors and perfect for cooking.
6. Snake Plant: Can survive in low light and needs little water.
7. Mint: Grows quickly and requires little attention.
8. Peace Lily: Tolerates low light and only needs weekly watering.
9. Cacti: Requires infrequent watering and thrives in sunlight.
10. Marigolds: Hardy flowers that need minimal care and bloom beautifully.

Grow from Seeds Instead of Buying Plants

Getting full-grown plants can be a huge investment, so instead of spending much money immediately, seeds are a much cheaper option and a much more rewarding experience than buying pre-grown plants. Seed packets are often half the price or less than mature plants, and you get to experience a whole new level of satisfaction starting from the beginning of the process as you watch your garden grow. Some easy-to-grow-from-seed plants are lettuce and basil.

Use Compost to Enrich Your Soil

Instead of buying expensive fertilizers, set up a compost bin. Collect your kitchen leftovers, such as fruit peels, coffee grounds, and vegetable scraps, and use them to create a nutrient-rich compost. This is an easy way to recycle food scraps and give your plants the necessary nutrients at zero cost.

Grow Plants That Give Back

If you’re going to expend time and energy gardening, it’s definitely worth growing something useful. Herbs, tomatoes, peppers and salads are all easy to grow and reduce your market bill. If you grow your own meal components, you’ll have a sense of pride every time you cook a meal. 

Look for Second-Hand Pots and Planters

Shop for pots and planters at thrift stores or online second-hand marketplaces. Second-hand stores are overrun with old pots that people have donated, so you’ll undoubtedly come across something that’ll work for you. Similarly, you may find people trying to get rid of their garden supplies in a local online classifieds or marketplace group. You can pick up any sort of old household item and transform it into a planter. Mugs, containers, and anything else can be turned into pots.

Save Water Efficiently

If you have to pay for utilities, watering your plants will end up costing you a pretty penny. Be smart about how you water your garden. Place buckets outside when it’s raining, and use that water to irrigate your plants. Watering in the early morning or in the late evening will also reduce evaporation and make sure that your plants receive the most out of the water.

Plan Ahead for Seasonal Changes

Another thing to remember is that gardening has a lot to do with planning. You might see a plant or seedling in a shop and get excited to buy it, but take a minute to check how long it would take to grow it. It’s better to plan for a plant at the right time of year so you don’t buy one that might die because it’s the wrong season to grow it. This will save you money and space. Planning ahead can also help you budget your gardening spending.

The Joy of Budget-Friendly Gardening

Gardening can be cheap and cheerful, and you can do it with almost no fuss and bother. It doesn’t have to be a mountainous task. With just a little lateral thinking and a bit of creative repurposing of the detritus of everyday life, anyone can create a small green patch to pamper and enjoy, no matter how busy their schedule. Gardening as a student is more than growing plants. For many young people, it’s about finding joy and a way to de-stress, creating a cheap, long-term hobby that gives back. A few seeds and some planning later, your perfect garden is at your fingertips!