The Garden Center

Growing your own garden and doing your own landscaping is a great way to save a buck or two (or lots). I'm not the greatest gardener or the most experienced out there but I do have some frugal tips for you that can help you save even more money.

In our effort to replant our garden this year, and you know it's FINALLY time to plant here in Western New York, we've had to get creative in how we spend our money. I don't know if you know this but it turns out that money doesn't grow on trees... no matter how much you care for them or tend to them! So here are my tips for you:

• Ask your local home improvement store if they have any torn or broken bags of mulch, soil, compost or other item you need for your garden/yard. They set these aside as 'unwanted' and will usually sale them for super cheap. Our Home Depot puts all the previous day's broken or otherwise defective bags on a palate and who ever gets there first in the morning can buy the whole palate for $3 bucks or so.
  
• Check into your towns composting or mulching facility. Amherst has a composting and mulching facility and they will sale compost, mulch and even some soil. Check out their website HERE. I got this tip from a friend this weekend and after looking at their prices this is the way to go!
• When you buy plants look for the dying ones and ask for a discount. With a little attention these plants almost always survive.
• Finally, if you are shopping at home improvement stores, they accept coupons too! Lowes has their own coupons, Home Depot accepts competitor coupons, True Value has coupons available to print off their website. True Value currently have a $5/$25 coupon and if you use that at Home Depot along with your dying plants and ripped bags you can get some really good deals!
• **UPDATE** A tip from reader Alaska:

  Don't forget the farmer's market--Tomato plants ($1/each) ready to go in the ground or pot as we are doing... They also had all kinds of herbs and flowers for the so-inclined. Produce prices are down--even for the "fake" farmer's market food (food they buy from the green grocers and bring and sell at the market that isn't local). Come shop! There are lots of markets in the area. ...there are at least 6 in the area.
  

What are you waiting for? Get out there and grow a garden in The Buff. Got more tips? Please leave a comment and let us know how you save a buck on your garden and landscaping in The Buff!