Ways to become a frugal gardener

Long before gardening was a mainstream designer hobby, it was essential.

People grew fruits and vegetables to survive. They didn't buy fancy garden decorations, expensive fertilizers or custom gardening shoes. They worked with what they had, saving seed, composting and caring for long-used tools. Gardening doesn't have to be high-end. Frugality can give excellent payback with good yields.

Improvisation is often a way to accomplish a desired garden result with less cost. When I needed to keep the critters out of my garden, I didn't have the commercial screen cloth and support systems that I really wanted. However, I had old windows and window screens. I also had a lot of old PVC pipe left over from when we bought the house in 1988. I improvised my screening by driving the PVC pipe deep into the soil around my garden to support the windows and screens. This homemade and recycled system has successfully deterred rabbits, ground squirrels and even quail.

Another improvisation is to use old nylon stockings to tie up plants such as tomatoes, gladiolas or other tall plants.

Some people used egg cartons to start their seeds this past spring. Others use a broken rake or broom handle as a stake instead of throwing it away. One-gallon milk jugs make efficient cold protectors for smaller plants. If they are partially filled with water, they can act as weights to train the branches on fruit trees. Or, poke a little hole in the bottom, fill the jug with water, put the lid on and you have a vacation slow-watering system. More thinking outside the box is using newspapers as a great weed barrier. They are not unattractive when hidden under mulch.

Speaking of mulch - do you use your grass clippings, leaves and pine needles as top dressing for your garden and flower beds as well as around trees and shrubs? This valuable organic mulch conserves water, deters weeds and breaks down to feed the soil. Every morning my aunt used to put the cold used coffee grounds around her flowers. She had beautiful peonies.

A way to save money this fall as you plan next year's perennial bed is to ask your gardening friends what plants might be ready for division in their yard. Share with each other and create lovely new beds.

Reuse and recycle and enjoy frugal gardening.

• JoAnne Skelly is the Carson City/Storey County Extension educator for University of Nevada Cooperative Extension and may be reached at skellyj

@unce.unr.edu or 887-2252.