Cheap DIY gardening hacks

There are no two ways about it: gardens can be hungry, thirsty, messy, time-consuming, challenging and expensive. But, they can also be rewarding, relaxing, fun, exciting and beautiful. They’re also a great boost to your mental health, so it’s worth taking care of your garden, as it helps take care of yourself.

Gardening can be a rather expensive hobby and the cost can be a major factor in why your garden doesn’t always get the love it needs. That means, over time, the weeds can take over, the patio develops a layer of moss and the fence begins to get a little too wobbly whenever there’s a slight gust of wind.

The cost of gardening shouldn’t stop you from making your garden your favourite place to be - especially once you know our cheap garden hacks. In this guide, we’ve recruited a team of gardening and money-saving experts to provide you with the gardening hacks you need to transform your outdoor space on any budget.

Contents…

1. Cheap garden hacks
2. Composting hacks
3. Garden decor hacks
4. Pest control hacks
5. Garden plant DIY hacks
6. Garden watering hacks
7. Garden weed hacks
8. Transform your garden on a budget

Looking after your garden can be a real drain on your finances, which is especially tough if you’re green-fingered and love to get out there to pot, prune and propagate. But, it doesn’t have to be expensive if you use a little ingenuity and creativity. We’ve asked some of the best money-saving minds there are for cheap garden hacks to help you keep those fingers nice and green.

Composting hacks

If you love to keep your garden filled with colourful plants and flowers, you’ll be all too familiar with just how hungry they can be. And they often need far more than just regular water and sunlight, as they often can’t flourish without additional nutrients that they can only get from fertiliser.

Oliver Hill from Garden List is a big advocate for creating fertiliser at home, which you can do with bits and pieces you’d ordinarily throw away. Oliver says,

‘Banana peels are an excellent source of potassium and other nutrients that plants need. Rather than discarding your peels, chop them up and bury them directly in your garden beds or add them to your compost pile. They’ll decompose quickly, enriching the soil and giving your plants a nutrient boost without the need for shop-bought fertiliser.’

As Savoo’s home and garden expert, I'm a big fan of getting around the council’s fees by recycling your garden waste. Many councils have now introduced a charge to collect green bins, so to avoid the charge, I've invested in an extra compost bin, a garden shredder and some big plastic drums to make more compost and mulch. Shredding perennial weed roots such as dandelion and ground elder turns them into fantastic plant food after soaking them for a month. But be warned, it smells really bad!

A decent compost bin will cost around £50, but it’ll save you plenty of money in the long run. And you can browse Marshalls Garden voucher codes to find even more ways to save money.

Garden decor hacks

There’s more to gardening than looking after your plant life. A big part of garden maintenance is decor, which could be everything from repainting your shed to rearranging your garden gnomes.

At the end of every winter, one of the biggest garden jobs you might face is cleaning up your patio. Even with a good pressure washer, your paving might look a little worse for wear after a few years. A great low-cost way to breathe new life into your patio is by laying down an outdoor rug.

Gardening expert Fiona Jenkins from MyJobQuote.co.uk says,

‘If your patio is looking a little old and shabby, you can simply disguise the area with a beautiful all-weather rug. This could save you around £500 to £4,500, which is the cost of a new patio. Outdoor rugs are usually made from polypropylene and can withstand the harsh UK weather. They come in a wide range of colours and patterns. Depending on the size, you can usually pick up an outdoor rug for as little as less than £100. They’re comforting and a great way to add some colour and patterns to your garden space. Plus, they can make an eye-catching focal point where you can arrange your garden furniture around.’

Plenty of big-brand retailers sell outdoor rugs, and with voucher codes you can save even more money on this simple garden hack. Browse voucher codes for Dunelm, Matalan and Wayfair to make a saving while brightening up your garden.

Another way to keep your garden decor looking fresher for longer is by not relying on the same old shades of brown when you repaint your shed or fence.

Molly Woodward-Moor, interior designer and creative director at Stone Superstore, says, ‘Going for darker colours such as black or muted navy on wooden fencing provides a dramatic contrast against the lighter greens of planting, while also being better at hiding dirt, moss or staining than a lighter colour. Black stained fencing is a popular garden trend that is set to stay, providing a chic focal point that stylish furniture and vibrant planting really stand out against.’

Ready to prolong the life of the wood in your garden? Browse B&Q voucher codes to save even more money on everything from outdoor paint to fence panels.

Pest control hacks

A surefire way to lose control of your garden is to let pests take over. An aphid invasion or slug assault will soon leave your plants looking worse for wear and can lead to major issues like killing entire vegetation.

Pesticides aren’t exactly cheap. And if you have a particularly persistent pest, you might end up having to buy several bottles throughout the year. But, there are ways to protect your plant life and save money by producing your own low-cost, low-effort, low-risk solution. Some of the best garden hacks are related to controlling pests that make it their mission to disturb your garden’s sense of zen.

Victoria Cummins, Senior Editor at Plant Whisperer and gardening expert, says, ‘There's no need to spend money on chemical pesticides. I make my own eco-friendly solution by mixing a tablespoon of liquid soap with a quart of water in a spray bottle. This simple spray effectively controls aphids and other soft-bodied insects on plants in pots or in the ground.’

My own homemade pet control recommendation uses a little more flavour to keep the pests at bay. Two or three chillies (a teaspoon of chilli powder will also do it), chopped roughly, mixed with a pint of boiled water. Let it cool, then strain and funnel into a spray bottle. Then add a squirt of either washing-up liquid or vegetable oil. This is great for aphids—although be careful with it. It will pretty much kill any insect, including the good ones. So only use it as a last resort!

As for slugs, they can be pretty destructive, leaving silvery trails and bite marks in their wake.

Ted Bromley-Hall from IBRAN says,

‘There’s a common misconception that eggshells are a great physical deterrent to slugs, but in reality, slugs can cross most sharp surfaces thanks to their secretion of a dense mucus slime. Worse still, decaying, unwashed eggshells emit a smell that attracts slugs!

‘For greenhouses and sheltered spots, you could use finely powdered gypsum as the powder prevents the slugs from having traction. Thick cuttings of spiky bramble bushes (laid horizontally) also provide an excellent physical barrier that slugs and snails will struggle to overcome.’

The experts at Housekeep’s gardening service know a thing or two about keeping the bad bugs away while encouraging the good bugs to take residence. ‘Plant basil, chives and marigolds between your tomato plants to keep the bugs away (and make a delicious accompaniment to a tomato salad)" And building a bug hotel near your flower beds will encourage ladybirds, spiders and other good bugs, who will keep aphids and greenflies at bay.’

If you’re looking for ways to tackle garden pests, browse YouGarden discount codes to save money on pest control methods.

Garden plant DIY hacks

A lot of plants and flowers can be pricey, especially if you buy them already established so they’re ready to make your garden look brilliant and inviting. Buying seeds and bulbs and planting them at the right time of year might leave you with empty flower beds and pots, but they’ll soon germinate and grow. Here are some DIY garden hacks from gardening gurus so you can save money on plants and flowers.

Oliver Hill at Garden List has a novel use for eggshells, and says, ‘Eggshells are natural, biodegradable seed starters. Simply rinse out the eggshells, fill them with potting compost, and plant your seeds inside. Once your seedlings are ready to transplant, you can plant them directly into the ground—eggshell and all—as the shells will break down and enrich the soil with calcium.’

Victoria Cummins, Senior Editor at Plant Whisperer and gardening expert loves to have some fun and save money by using her creativity when it comes to planters.

‘One of my favourite money-saving tips is to get creative with planters. Instead of rushing to buy expensive pots, I often upcycle items from around the house. Old wooden crates, large tin cans, and even worn-out rubber boots can be transformed into charming planters. Just remember to drill drainage holes in the bottom. This not only saves money but also adds a unique touch to your garden,’ says Victoria.

Victoria also has a handy hack if you want to kick-start your bulbs and seeds but don’t have the budget or room for a greenhouse. ‘For an early start to the growing season without the cost of a full-sized greenhouse, I use milk jug greenhouses. By cutting the bottom off plastic milk jugs and planting seeds in pots inside, you can create mini-greenhouses that protect seedlings from late frosts and provide a warm, humid environment for growth.’

Browse our huge range of home and garden discount codes to save money filling your garden with beautiful plants.

Garden watering hacks

One of the key things your garden needs to stay vibrant and continue to grow is a regular supply of water. It’s hard to believe sometimes, but here in the UK, we do occasionally have dry spells which can be a disaster for lawns, plants and flowers. There are ways to keep your gardens nice and watered while keeping costs down.

My colleague Chelsea Alvarado, Paid Search Executive at Savoo, says, ‘Poking holes into water bottles and planting them into the soil keeps plants hydrated while you're away. That way you don’t need to rely on Mother Nature (or a neighbour) and your plants will get the water they need so they still look great when you get home.’

Charlie McNeill, Managing Director at Rainclear, is a big advocate for getting the most out of one of the few things in life that doesn’t cost us a penny: rainwater. Charlie says,

‘By finding a method to collect rainwater, you can instantly reduce your usage of mains water. Even if you don’t have a filtration system in place, you can still use harvested rainwater to water your plants or wash your car. The result? Lower water bills, if you use a water meter. Harvesting water using a waterbutt for outdoor usage could lower your annual bill by as much as 10%.

‘The lack of chemicals and minerals in rainwater can be beneficial for some plants, particularly those sensitive to chlorine or salt. In addition, rainwater might contain microscopic organisms that contribute to healthy soil. It can help you become a more environmentally-friendly household too.’

Ted Bromley-Hall from IBRAN also has a great hack for making sure your garden holds onto much-needed water. Ted says, ‘Covering your garden borders with mulch or stone will help keep the moisture locked in long after the rain has passed. The key is to prevent the sun from warming the ground up too much and quickly drying the soil out.’

To save money feeding thirsty gardens, browse The Range discount codes.

Garden weed hacks

Weeds can be a major issue for a lot of gardens. They can spread very quickly and if you’re not careful they’ll soon take over. There’s more to it than just cutting them back – you need to get rid of them completely, or they’ll soon return bigger and more powerful than ever. Okay, that’s a slight exaggeration, but they can be a huge pain for a lot of gardeners. But thankfully, there are also some garden weed hacks to help you keep on top of things.

Oliver Hill at Garden List has an ingenious use for cardboard which is a super low-cost way to keep weeds at bay. ‘Before laying mulch in garden beds, place sheets of cardboard over the soil. This suppresses weeds by blocking sunlight and helps retain moisture in the soil. Over time, the cardboard will decompose, adding organic matter to the soil,’ suggests Oliver.

Another way to deal with persistent pesky weeds is by boiling the kettle and doing some precision pouring. Andrew Haydon, DIY expert at Simply Plastics, producers of greenhouses, says,

‘If you're in a pinch and the weeds in your garden are quite young, you can deal with them quickly and cheaply using freshly boiled water. Simply pour the water over the weeds, paying close attention to the roots, before allowing them to cool before pulling them up. This is perfect for any weeds that thrive in tricky areas like in-between paving slabs, or that grow up through gravel or driveways. Just be careful where you pour, as boiled water will also do a great job at killing your grass, too.’

Sometimes, only weed killers will help strip your garden of those annoying weeds. Browse Homebase discount codes and save money on top-of-the-range weed killer.

Transform your garden on a budget

Gardening can be a time-consuming and expensive hobby. But, if you make use of some of our above expert tips and garden hacks, you can make sure your garden stays neat, tidy and fresh while keeping your spending to a minimum.

Whether your garden attracts swarms of pests or copious amounts of weeds, or you’re looking for low-cost ways to brighten up your flower beds or fences, there are plenty of ways to make that happen.

Are you ready to transform your garden? Get a Savoo discount code and save money on garden care with our range of quality brands.