Smart saving strategies when buying ornamental plants

However, not everyone knows how to invest in their dream garden perfectly without spending a lot of money.

Here are a few tips to help you save money and still get the plants you want.

Research the type of plant you want to grow before buying.

Buying the wrong plants is a waste of money. Before you begin, you need to determine which plants are hardy enough to thrive in your area, which depends largely on the amount of sunlight and soil type you have. Doing this will help you avoid buying plants that won’t survive because they aren’t suited to your climate or growing conditions.

“Doing research on plants in advance can tell you which ones are naturally disease-resistant, drought-resistant, or beneficial to native pollinators,” says Hillary Swetz, master gardener and creator of the website Homegrown Hillary. “You should also make sure the plants you want to grow will have enough time to grow in your area.”

Buy plants from local nurseries

Local growers often know and specialize in the plants that grow well in your area, so they do a lot of research, trial and error, and talk to experts to find the best species and varieties.

All of which means that buying plants at local nurseries and garden centers not only translates to better quality plants suited to your area, but it's also likely to be more budget-friendly than buying through a large national retailer.

“Local farmers also know the proper sowing techniques and how to keep plants healthy for sale. If they sell seedlings, you may be able to order and buy them at a slightly higher price, but it will be a really cost-effective option in the long run,” Swetz added.

Learn about when to buy plants

Savvy gardeners know that spring is the most expensive time of year to buy plants. “That’s because everyone is excited to get out into the garden after a long winter. But wait until after the spring rush, and you’ll find that there are also plenty of plants on sale in early summer,” says Amy Andrychowicz, author of the website Get Busy Gardening. “The selection may be smaller, but you’ll get a much bigger bang for your buck in the spring.”

Andrychowicz adds that the late fall sales are another opportunity to shop for bargains: “That’s when stores are trying to get rid of inventory before winter, to clear out the shelves for the next season.” Additionally, she points out that fall is a great time to plant perennials, trees, and shrubs as the weather cools.

Should buy smaller seeds and plants

Nurseries have to pay for labor to start, grow, and maintain their stock of plants. They also factor in the cost of risk (like crop failure and drought) into their profit margins. These are some of the reasons why larger, more mature plants are more expensive. “Take that risk and do the labor yourself to save a fair amount of money, which means buying seeds and small seedlings,” Swetz suggests.

Yes, larger sized plants give you instant gratification, but if the goal is to stretch your garden budget, buying smaller sized plants than you desire is one of the best ways to go about it.

Look for plants that can be split.

Keep an eye out for plants that look particularly full. Once you get your purchase home, you can split it into multiple pieces, essentially giving you two (or more) plants for the price of one. This works best with annuals and perennials that have multiple stems growing out of the pot.

“I always like to buy plants that are about to burst out of their pots, meaning I can divide them into two or more sections before planting them in my garden,” says Andrychowicz.

Save seeds and let plants germinate

A plant’s natural progression is to try and create more of itself. Letting some of the plants you’re growing go to seed, then using those seeds elsewhere in your yard is also a way to save money on plants. “Collecting and propagating cuttings, bulbs, tubers, and rhizomes from your existing plants are also great ways to get more of the plants you love without spending a lot of money on plants,” Swetz explains.

“If you want to take cuttings from your favorite plants, you can soak them in water until they root, then pot them up,” Swetz adds.

Learn from other gardeners

Gardeners tend to enjoy sharing their experiences with others. Swetz says they often offer gardening tips and plant knowledge, and they also enjoy sharing plant parts, seeds, and seedlings. “You can definitely find local gardening groups on social media, or at your local garden club,” she says.