Planting Your Garden: Free or Cheap Seeds

The snow is finally melting and I can see the grass in our yard again! The first day of spring is the perfect time to make garden plans.  Planting your own garden is a great opportunity to live green and save money.  Growing your own plants from seed ensures that you have control over every step of growth (fertilizing and pesticides are in your hands).  Here are some ideas to be a frugal gardener when looking for seeds:

·   Many garden centers and home improvement stores will have seeds on sale for under $1 for a limited time in the spring.  I’ve even seen seeds at the dollar store recently for 4/$1.

·    Businesses and non-profit organizations often have free seed offers.  The Ed Hume Seed Company will send you a free packet of seeds if you agree to “plant a row for the hungry.”  If you send a self-addressed stamped envelope to WinterSown, they will send seeds that have been donated to their organization.  Now through end of April, Annie's Homegrown is offering a free veggie seeds and gloves kit when you enter in 2 UPC's from their products.  You can request a sample of wildflower seeds from Bentley Seeds.

·    Look for a local plant swap or organize one with friends and family. Go online to Garden Here to look for a local seed exchange in your area.  Trade plants or seeds that are in abundance in your garden and receive different varieties from others.  This is a great way to get plants that are already established and conditioned to your local climate.

·    There are also many online seed and plant swapping groups. These sites all have rules and policies to follow.  A few seed & plant swapping group sites are:  The Blossom Swap, The garden forum at iVillage Garden Web (sign-in may be required), The Old Farmer’s Almanac under the gardening and seed swap section, or Seed Swaps.

·    Another place to collect free seeds is outdoors -- in your own flower garden or at a local park.  These seeds will be from flowers and shrubs that are native to your area, which is good for the eco-system.  If possible, request permission from local park authorities before gathering seeds on park property.

·    And last but not least is the grocery store or farmer’s market. Many foods such as dried beans, potatoes that have started to sprout, or garlic bulbs can be planted directly.   Or you can save the seeds from your fruits and vegetables (watermelon, pumpkin, cucumber, etc), dry them, and plant them the following spring.  If you do this, it’s best to know if the plants/seeds are heirloom or hybrid.  Hybrid seeds might not germinate as well or produce an inferior product. 

Once you have a way to obtain inexpensive or free seeds, you can challenge yourself to see how much garden you can get for under $20 (or another pre-determined amount). 

Thanks to The Gardener's Rake for contributions to this post.

How about you:  How do you get your seeds for your garden?  What types of seeds do you plant?  How much do you typically spend each year?