1) Plan in advance
Plan your garden to ensure success. Decide what you’d like to grow. How much space can you devote to the project? How much time are you willing to spend? Answering these questions will help you to determine your priorities.
For those with small spaces (or small ambitions), a container garden is an excellent choice. Containers can also supplement a traditional garden, providing a handy pot of herbs just outside the kitchen door.
Others might consider building a raised bed to use for square-foot gardening, which allows you to maximize food production in a minimum of space.
2) Start small
When planning your garden, it’s better to start too small than to start too large. In order to enjoy your garden, you must be able to control it. Don’t get too ambitious. It’s better to start small and to expand a little every year.
3) Choose productive plants
Some plants are more productive than others.
If you want a rewarding, productive garden, do some research to find out what grows well in your area. This can save you a lot of time in trouble when deciding what to grow and how to grow it. In the U.S., one excellent resource is your state’s extension office.
4) Share with others
When you buy a packet of seeds, you generally receive more than you need. It can be fun (and frugal) to split the costs with others. You can also share equipment with the neighbors. Careful borrowing and lending helps keep everybody’s costs down.
5) Buy quality tools
When you buy tools, it pays to purchase quality. Remember: thrift and frugality are about obtaining value for your dollar — not just paying the cheapest price.
It is better to own fewer tools that were a pleasure to use (and lasted many seasons) than own many poorly-made tools that didn’t cost much.
Tip #6: Read up on the subject
Your public library will have many books on the subject, some tailored to your location, and there are also many excellent web sites that can help you get started.
