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One of my greatest pleasures is working in my garden. Not only do I get Vitamin D from the sun, but I also get exercise, fresh air and the occasional fresh fruit or veggie. Although each individual seed packet or plant doesn’t cost a lot of money, the expenses DO add up.
Here are five of my favorite sites to help you with your garden schedule and budget:
- KinderGARDEN is a wonderful site chock full of links to help you garden with kids. I had a great time gardening with my kids when they were little. The most important thing with kids is to buy hardy and cheap plants. They tend to “plant” and “unplant” them multiple times. The joy is in the mud. Don’t expect lots of the plants to survive.
- The Garden Helper is an extensive site with information regarding what to do in your garden during each month based on your location. As I discovered when moving from New England to Southern California; planting times differ with the region.
- Northern and Southern planting schedules can be found on this Love to Know page. In the North, it is time to sow seeds indoors. In the South, it is time to actively plant outdoors.
- The National Garden Association Seed Swap. One of the best ways to save on gardening is to join a seed swap. You may find a local group or a national group. (I’m uncertain if seeds can cross borders.) You can also look for neighbors who have great gardens and ask for some of their cuttings. Most gardeners love to share their knowledge and their plants. A nice batch of cookies or some homemade soup is a wonderful way to thank your helpful horticulturalist.
- Once you have your garden growing, you can make some great homemade gifts of plants and seeds for your friends. A unique gift is a painted clay pot with one of the cuttings from your garden. If this is for a memorial event like an anniversary or wedding shower, you can personalize with name and date.
I love my garden and the beauty that it gives me. What’s your favorite garden site?
Welcome to Bargain Babe! I’m Mara, and I’m so glad you’re here. I am an obsessive bargain hunter and penny pincher, and I am determined to live a full life without EVER paying full price. 
I don’t have a favorite garden site, but I am just planning my start my indoor seedlings. I plan to do potatoes (so easy!) , sugar snap peas, tomatoes, okra, corn, lettuces and some herbs.
How about giving us a list of plants that will attract hummingbirds? Then we get a double whammy – enjoying both the flowers and those gorgeous little birds!
Hummingbirds love the color red. They also like jasmine, sage, and long, thin flowers they can stick their long, thin beaks into. Look for plants which are at least a foot or two tall so the hummingbirds can hover while they eat. Try lantana, snapdragons, petunia, morning glories, and bee balm.
They also like bottlebrush trees – these trees have red flowers which look like spiky round bristle brushes, and the flowers produce lots of sticky sweet stuff which attracts insects that the hummers eat.
We are trying a new way of starting seed- winter sowing. I can’t wait to see how it comes out!! We have seven milk jugs outside. If things go good I’ll do more next year.
http://www.wintersown.org
@Gloria You are sowing seeds outside in milk jugs?! That’s some story! I’m guessing the lids are off to allow some air circulation but not so much that the temperature and humidity inside the jug would be inhospitable to the seedlings. How is it working so far? I plan to sow my first seeds indoors next weekend. On my list is spring veggies that can withstand cooler temps: cabbage, broccoli, arugula, and onions.
When our kids were 3 & 5 in KS, we put wood lattice around our deck (ht of base 3′ at tallest) We dug 2′ out & 6′ long and let each choose seeds (flower or veg.) from some I’d gotten. We put vines/tall in the back, ect. Our kids went out EVERY day to check on THEIR garden. Soooo many lessons where taught: diligence in watering, patience when we see nothing, forgiveness to the bunnies (got chickenwire)…and the pride of picking, cleaning (help cooking) and serving something for the family. It’s one of my greatest memories.
@Bev I have a feeling your family garden is one of your children’s greatest memories, too!
Bargainbebe we just did the seed this week. The lady who showed us how to do it had amazing pictures of her milk jugs in the snow from last year. The seeds germinate when Mother Nature says it is the right time!! There is no need to harden them off & they don’t suffer from damping off since they are being done outside. The lids are off & there are drain holes in the bottom of the jugs. Other contaners can be used as long as they are deep enough. Recycling at its best!!
@Gloria Just one last question! Are you using glass milk jugs? I’m worried if I leave seeds outside in plastic milk containers (half gallon size), they will freeze!
Take a clear plastic pill bottle. Loosely fill with cotton ball(s). Put a seed or two in the middle of the cotton. Moisten the cotton. Put top on the bottle. Screw eye hook in to top. String yarn or ribbon through eye hook. Wear as a necklace. You can watch the seed germinate. (Careful not to put in too much water or it can leak.) Fun project for kids.
Bargainbebe,mine are regular plastic gallon milk jugs. They do fine because they don’t start to germinate until the weather gets warmer. I’m here in NW Indiana so that will probably be in April. Since this is my first attempt I will have to let you know how it turns out.