Many summer gardening projects begin with a trip to the local garden center. Most of these businesses stock high quality started plants, seeds, bulbs, and all the supplies needed to sow, plant, and nurture gardens ranging from the small hobby gardener plot to the massive market garden. Since saving money is a common goal among gardeners, here are some timely tips to use when shopping at your local garden center.
Make a detailed plan well before gardening season
Planning meals in advance and shopping with a list are well-known ways for families to save a significant amount of money on their food bill, and the same thinking can be readily adapted to gardening. To enjoy this advantage, gardeners will need to begin creating a detailed plan for their garden and a comprehensive list of everything they will need to purchase in order to get it growing.
When making the plan, remember to ensure that you are getting the most value from the work and money you will invest in your gardening efforts. Some tips for this include:
- opting to grow only veggies that your family enjoys eating
- using plants that will both look attractive and offer food or use value, such as being able to ward off specific pests, flavor foods, or have edible blossoms, leaves, or stalks
- shopping with a fellow gardening friend or relative who is willing to split bulk purchases and share the cost of gardening tools and equipment that you can both use as needed
Planning far enough ahead of garden planting dates allows you to grow your own plants from seed instead of purchasing them as started plants and can also help you save a significant amount on the initial cost of getting your garden growing.
Shop after the peak of the purchasing season
Once winter has passed, garden centers often see huge crowds of shoppers who are eager to get going on their spring gardening projects. While this is a great time to tour garden centers, try to avoid making purchases until the initial busy season has waned a bit and prices undergo significant reductions.
Take full advantage of store policies
Many garden centers have policies that reward loyalty, such as a shopper's card program. Similar to those used by grocery store chains, shoppers sign up to receive special pricing discounts and present a loyalty card at the checkout.
Shoppers should also make sure that the garden center they shop at offers an extended refund option that will cover any plants, trees, and shrubs purchased for at least six months after the purchase. Shoppers will need to retain their receipts to take advantage of this type of refund policy.
To learn more ways to save money, take time to explore the policies, gardening services, and shopping opportunities available at a reputable garden center in your area.
