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Saving tomato seeds crop
There are plenty of ways to enjoy gardening without spending much. Find low cost tips here for everything from growing plants to finding tools.

We asked our Gardening Club and other Thrive supporters for tips on gardening on a budget. We have had a whole host of fantastic ideas! If you have any more, do drop us an email and share yours.

Sweet pea seeds are sown on top of toilet roll tubes
Sweet pea seeds in toilet roll tubes

Saving and sowing seeds

"Growing from seed costs a lot less than larger plants. Seeds can quickly establish into the plants you would be paying a lot more for in garden stores." - Scott

"Save seeds from your own and from friends' gardens. Reuse paper bags or old envelopes to keep seeds in." - Sue

"Buy seeds online when the seller is having a sale, or at the end of summer. Places like B&Q, Homebase and garden centres will often have 50% off seeds, plant pots and even compost. It's a good way to stock up for next year." - Amy

"I use coffee grind when I prepare growing media for seedlings. I found that it works pretty well with coffee which is grinded rough as it is does not rot as quickly as smooth grinded coffee. When I make coffee, I put the coffee 'waste' on a paper towel to dry. Then, I mix it with what I have left over from last seed compost mixtures." - Britta

Seed and coffee compost mix for seedlings
Seedlings sown in a mix of old seed compost and waste rough coffee grounds

"As a lover of Ferrero Rocher I love to save the clear, plastic containers they come in as they make brilliant little “greenhouses” and bigger ones with the egg cup style bases are brilliant for pre-germinating seeds (see photo below)." - Abi

Abi garvey pre germinating seeds ferrero rocher
Pre-germinating seeds in an empty Ferrero Rocher box

"Use the inside of toilet rolls, fill with compost and sow seeds. You can plant the whole thing once the seedlings are big enough. I also use plastic fruit or vegetable containers to stand the toilet roll tubes in." - Sue

"I always keep some tomato seeds unwashed on paper towel for next year. There are lots of seeds in one tomato and I know for sure I'm going to like them! It even works with green, unripe tomatoes. The success rate is not high, approx 50%, but it's free and easy just to place the paper towel in growing media. Seeds will grow through and the spacing is already done (see photo below)" - Britta

Saving tomato seeds onto paper towel
Tomato seeds saved and spaced onto paper towel

Taking cuttings and dividing plants

"One of the best tips I can give for gardening on a budget is taking cuttings from plants you have and multiplying them. Taking cuttings is easy and can help you build up a large quantity of plants pretty quickly. It costs you nothing but time and patience." - Scott

"Dividing existing plants is the way to increase plants to fill the gap in borders. But, if I do not want to fill the bed with the same plants, I give the divided ones to friends and get the plants of different variety as exchange."- Yoko

"Geraniums and hostas are good plants to dig up and divide by hand." - Mark

"I was really inspired by Jason the Cloud Gardener to grow my own thyme in a small pot with a bit of water. If you do this over and over you can have an endless supply of thyme which is one of my favourite herbs!" - Saira

Finding bargains

"I go to the garden centre in September and October and buy substantial plants (often originally expensive ones) for half price. I look after these well in my garden over the winter - then they thrive next year." - Yoko

Leafmould 1 of 1
Leaf mould compost in a person's hand

"Save up eggshells. Crush them and put them round hostas to deter slugs." - Sue

"I collect all leaves falling onto my garden from the neighbouring big trees, as well as from trees inside my garden (I have one huge cherry tree outside of the hedge bottom of my garden). I store collected leaves in black bin bags, leave them in the corner of the shed, forget them but check on them occasionally. The next year or in two years, I get beautiful leaf mould compost." - Yoko

"Chop up banana skins and put them at base of roses." - Sue

"Roots of any plants from legume family left in the ground will release nitrogen into the soil. This can help the plants you grow the next year." - Mark

Tools
A mixed box of gardening tools

"Car boots and reclamation yards can be good places to find cheap gardening tools. Even if they're a bit old, they're usually better quality and you can haggle on price." - Amy

"You can't beat a lollipop stick as a plant label. Or, if you've finished the seed packet, using that as a label. You get a lovely picture at the same time! (see photo below)" - Milly

A seed packet marking where a line of seeds is planted
A finished seed packet used as a plant label

"Almost anything can become a plant pot with some imagination!" - Amy

"Yogurt pots or tin cans with holes punched in the bottom are good to grow plants in." - Mark

"Never pass by a skip without looking in, there might be something useful for the plot! Double glazed cold frame anyone?" - Amy

"Have an ethos of 'make do and mend'. Old ladders as a trellis, reusing garden canes, making plant labels out of wooden planks or painted stones. It doesn't have to be new and shiny." - Amy

"The big six pint plastic milk bottles make really good weights when filled with water to stop cardboard, ground cover sheets etc at the allotment. They also make great greenhouses for seed starting." - Abi

"There are lots of local community pages you can find on social media sites where people give away things they no longer need. You can find amazing things this way, including garden furniture. It's great for the environment too to reuse." - Milly

Share your tips

Do you have any more gardening tips on a budget to add? Please do drop us an email and share yours.

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