Free Deals

It's true that you generally get what you pay for, but there is worthwhile stuff out there for free or close to it. It just doesn't get our attention because it doesn't come in pretty packaging. But I've tried most of the following tips, and they work.

Mulch—see if your community offers free mulch from taking Christmas trees and crunching them into wood chips.
Weed control—use several layers of old newspaper under the mulch.
Bulbs and perennials: exchange plants with a neighbor when thinning perennials
Annuals—collect seeds from spent plants like cosmos or sunflowers and start them indoors or sow in place. Try growing poppies by scraping seeds off of pastry and scattering them on the ground. I haven’t tried this, but author and gardener Lauren Springer says it works.
Soil softener—use soapy water; mop water is OK.
Soil: make your own compost—get a compost bin and put in fruit and vegetable scraps, leaves, shredded paper, egg shells, coffee grounds, tea leaves, the waste of vegetarian animals (e.g., horses, chickens, rabbits, as long as they don’t eat weeds), anything organic without dairy, bones, or meat. Don’t put in too much grass clippings. The bin should be watered and sifted regularly.