I have always planted a tomato and bell pepper plant on our back porch every spring. Those are the two vegetables that I use the most.
This year I have expanded my back porch vegetable garden to include green beans, chives, cilantro and parsley.
Growing your own vegetables is a great way to stretch your budget and get nutritious fresh foods into your diet. If I had more time to tend to them, I would plant more. I slowly want to increase the amount of fresh food I grow for us. But it’s going to take baby steps. ;]
For today’s tips, here are some helpful (frugal) ideas for your garden! A lot of these utilize “leftovers” (garbage and waste) so it makes it very good for the environment too!
Frugal Fertilizing Tips
Banana peels are rich in potassium which is an important nutrient for you and your garden. You can use them several ways to fertilize your plants:
Add them to your compost pile if you have one (I can’t bring myself to make a compost pile…ewwww…)
Place or bury them directly around your plants. This is what I do. I place a piece or two of the peel in the pot with my tomato and bell pepper plants and put a little of the soil over it.
If you have a certain place that you plant your garden every year, in the off season when nothing is planted, throw the peels in that area and let them decompose there. It adds nutrients to the soil that will be there when it’s time to plant!
Dry the peels, by laying them on a screen in the yard to dry out. Grind dried peels in a food processor and use in your mulch to give new plants and seedlings a healthy start.
Dry the peels, by laying them on a screen in the yard to dry out. Grind dried peels in a food processor and use in your mulch to give new plants and seedlings a healthy start.
Sprinkle used coffee grounds or tea leaves around your plants. Lots of nutrients for them to absorb!
Save your eggshells and crumble into your garden. The calcium is very good for your vegetables.
Fertilize your plants with Epsom salts. Mix it into your soil around the plant (not too close or it will burn the plant roots). For tomatoes, use 1 Tbsp for every foot of height, water in well.
If you boil eggs, let the water you boiled them in cool and then water your plants with it! The water is filled with a nutrient from the boiling eggs that will help your plants!
Other helpful frugal garden tips:
Popsicle sticks make great labels for your plants. Write the name of the plant on them with permanent makers.
An old ladder can be the perfect trellis on which to grow climbing plants such as beans or peas (or if you’re a flower gardener- hibiscus, hummingbird vine, climbing roses, wisteria, etc.) Just plant it in the ground. Also old wooden window frames can be utilized this same way. I’ve seen these at yard sales before. Not only would these make great trellis’ but also interesting decorative garden items!
Make a trellis using some twist ties and the plastic 6-pack rings. Use the twist ties to join together as many of the 6-pack rings as you want or need. Attach the trellis between two stakes also using twist ties. (Or if you have a back porch garden like I do, attach it to your porch railings!) When you are finished with it you can just roll it up and use it again next year.
Use the foot section of old pantyhose and put soap inside and hang from your outdoor faucet. You can clean your hands and not take the mess inside! You can also do this with a mesh bag (like you use to wash your pantyhose in). You’ll need a little bit of string to tie it to your faucet.
Compost piles are gross, especially when you have dogs that like to eat out of it :( We fixed that though by getting a Composting Crate, it was about $35 at Fred Meyer (Kroger) You can probably get them at Home Depot too. Its great because it makes compost pretty fast and the dogs can't get into it :)