Gardening Without Breaking the Bank

Bursting with backyard garden ideas but need to stay on a budget? We hear you! With so many great gardening tools and accessories out there, it can be easy to forget that it doesn’t take all that much to get a garden growing. In fact, to be a backyard gardener, you don’t even need a backyard.

Because Pinetree Garden Seeds is one of the few seed purveyors to offer organic, heirloom, non-GMO seeds in affordable, people-sized packets, we hear from many new home gardeners who are on a budget. We help them find creative, effective, and affordable ways to grow flowers, vegetables, and fruits in the sunny spaces in their lives.

Whether you are short on cash, available sunlight, gardening space, or time, we have wonderful tips below on how to take what you have on hand and turn it into a wonderful harvest.

Short on Space? Start Small

Fresh air, warm sun, and controlled weather conditions make windowsill gardens a go-to growing option for small spaces. When starting seeds, we love to take a look around our kitchen to find shallow containers to repurpose or reuse. Dig into your recycling bin. You can quickly cluster seeds in the cells of egg cartons and ice cube trays—just add drainage holes and place plastic lids to catch excess water. 

• Mighty Miniatures

Full of flavor and small in stature, microgreens are ideal candidates for containers. They are quick to germinate, simple to snip, and require very little space to spread out. Harvested two to three weeks after planting, these miniature plants are packed with more nutrients than their mature counterparts. Cabbage, arugula, broccoli, and beets are a few affordable garden seeds that you can munch on as microgreens.

• Homegrown Herbs

If you favor fresh herbs in your cooking, consider placing a container or two right at hand near your kitchen window. Herb gardens are happiest with well-draining soil and at least four hours of sun each day. Worried about water damage? Save the lids from your yogurt cups for a simple drip tray that will keep water off your window. Growing herbs in a small indoor container garden means you will have functional flavors all year round.

Searching for Sun? Spread Out! 

If your home is lacking the dedicated daylight that most plants will need to truly thrive, consider the space you have outside—and that means any space, not simply big backyards. Plantings on balcony or rooftop gardens receive far more sun than plants kept indoors and can be arranged in a way that makes them easy to maintain.

• Rooftop Raised Beds

Especially practical in crowded cities with little lawn, rooftop gardens add color, cultivate community connections (who doesn’t love fresh veggies?), and increase agricultural space. As you research the most suitable rooftop gardening system, assess your area to ensure your surface can support the weight of your vegetable garden layout. It is also a good idea to check with your town (or the building’s owner) to make certain there are no restrictions.

• A Balcony for Bees

Tight on Time? Get Help (and Grow Closer)

Tending a garden can be tricky to work into our busy lives, especially at the height of the growing season when certain tasks—from weeding to watering to harvest—simply can’t be put off to a more convenient time. Our favorite trick? Get the help you need from family and friends.

Wondering how to start a garden in your backyard that your kids will love, too? Some of the easiest vegetables to grow can also be the most fun! We encourage families to share gardening benefits by involving their kids from plan to plate.

• Pizza party plot

• Kid’s Choice Crops

Ready to get growing? Let’s get going! Our gardening experts are always here to help and answer your questions. Our extended home gardening community is also one of our favorite go-to resources for good advice. If you have any tips or tricks to make gardening less expensive, time-consuming, or effective in smaller spaces, let us know in the comments!