Frugal Friday with Marsha-- Gardening on a Shoestring-- Book Review

So far my few gardening attempts this year are failing.  My seedlings never did sprout.   I rec'd the book Gardening on a Shoestring- 100 Fun Upcycled Garden Projects in and knew it would fit perfectly for this weeks Frugal Friday post.



Gardening on a Shoestring is exactly what we need around here!
This book is just pretty awesome.  Not only is it full of cool ideas, it also has sections with great gardening tips.

Chapters include:
How to be a Shoestring Gardener
Pots for a Pittance
Style on a Shoestring
Grow Food for Peanuts
How to Make New Plants for Free
How Not to Waste Money on Gardening Supplies
Keep Your Garden Healthy for (Almost) Nothing

I can't wait to read this book cover to cover, take notes, and most of all give some of these things a try.
What stands out to me right now is how to make starter pots with toilet paper rolls and newspapers.  I love those ideas!  Another idea in the book that I see that I know I will use is making raised beds from bricks.  I already have the black roll that you lay on the ground to help prevent weeds, and we have stacks of bricks in our garage just waiting to be used.

The tips alone throughout the book should really help me to know what I'm doing.   My dad was such an awesome gardener, and he gardened on a shoestring.  He grew up very poor, living with 5 brothers and a sister in a  tiny shack in a field in Missouri.  He learned hands on.  I wish I had paid more attention.  I see in this book how I can make my dream come true of gardening like my dad did.
I also hope to make use of several of the landscaping ideas in the book as well.

If you are a gardener, or like me, and want to be one, I highly recommend this book!




Disclosure:  I rec'd this book in exchange for my honest review.  I was not compensated in any other way and any opinions are my own.  This post does include affiliate links.

Frugal Friday With Marsha--Thinking of Gardening

This past week the major conversations with my middle daughter have been all about gardening.  Her asking questions, her telling me what she is learning (such as planting Marigolds around to help keep bugs away).
For 2 years she came here for a day and helped me get a garden going (never very successful).  Last year I planted NOTHING, not one thing.   Last year she ended up with a great set up that I wish I had a picture of.  She took pallets and laid them down and covered them with potted plants.

Here is a picture of her starter plants:

I have told her all week how much I really want to get some things going for a garden this year.  You know, it may be on the frugal side as far as growing your own food, but getting started is not really cheap at all.   I know one year we spent over $200 on boards to surround, dirt, plants, seeds, etc.  We had a very abundant garden that year but when I attempted to keep track of what I would have spent for the food at the store, I didn't even get up to $100.
I also know that you can find many ways to garden very frugally, and very cheaply.  (I have picked out some books from amazon to share at the end of this post that I would love to have myself and then actually learn from)

I am currently reading devotions from a book called The Power of Proverbs by John Schroeppel.  Last nights Proverb was 12:11-- He who works his land will have abundant food, but he who chases fantasies lacks judgment.
Personally, I am taking this as a sign---a message from God, that I am indeed to get a garden going this year.

My middle daughter is here and has brought me dirt and some seeds to start.   We are about to get to work on that.  I will save out and buy at least tomato plants, bell pepper plants, and plant peas.  Off I go!

Here are the books I would like to have to learn from:

Frugal Friday With Marsha 4/11/14

It's garden time!
I am ready to get my gardening on.
This year I am going to try  something different......again.  I bought 3 raised bed things from my cousin last year.  One I did use to surround a compost pile, but I will plant something in it.

I'm waiting for my paycheck in today's mail to buy good soil to mix with the compost piles (even though they really didn't compost).
I have bought the black netting to lay in the bottom of each of the boxes.
I also bought some other supplies for a couple of plant food recipes that I want to try.

Here are the links to the 2 recipes that I am going to make:

Banana Peel Plant Fertilizer Spray

Ways To Stretch A Dollar: Homemade Liquid Miracle Grow Concentrate For $0.35 A Container! 

I only have a set amount of money to spend on dirt and seeds, and plants so wish me luck that I can get a good garden going this year!

My friend paid for an ebook up Growing and Up Garden.  I read it out loud to my daughter, counting it for science in our homeschooling.  I learned more about composting so I hope I can be more successful with that this year.

I am going to turn on youtube with her and watch videos too.

This makes 3 years in a row that my compost pile didn't compost and I really don't know what I am doing wrong.

Our dirt in our yard is just not good.  That is why I am going to buy dirt to fill the raised beds.  I know it won't be too cheap, but I'm hoping I will then be able to just amend that from year to year after this year.

Do you have any gardening tips?   Link up anything frugal, money saving etc, even if it doesn't have to do with gardening!

 

 

 

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