Saving Money on Yard Maintenance

Fall has finally made it to South Georgia.  During  dog days of summer, our only yard work is  minimal maintenance, it’s just too damn hot for anything else.  And gnats, don’t get me started on the gnats.

How can you be a “Millionaire Nurse” and still keep up a yard that doesn’t invite a CONDEMNED sign and a summons from the city?

Money Saving Yard Tips:

Prevention is always cheaper than treatment.

Think about diabetes.  Diabetics have to deal with tons of issues and cost. Medication, special diet, sticking your finger, dipping your urine, and frequent tests at the local doc’s. ( not to  mention nagging by your spouse when you  eat that huge piece of German Chocolate Cake with a scoop of Vanilla Bean.)

So how do you use preventive medicine in the yard?

• Mulch-we use free pine straw in the beds.  They prevent weeds and help protect your plants against winter frost.  So we work hard this time of year finding free pine straw-either from our yard or those of others to pile into our flower beds.  Straw purchased from the big box stores is the pits-don’t waste your money! You’ll spend a bundle for each  bundle.

• Start Your Own Seeds: Winter bedding plants, mostly annuals, but some perennials are great started from seeds.  I am expecting the grow lights and the leftover egg crates to show up  in our laundry room any day now.  A few weeks from now we’ll have plants ready for transfer.
• Off season fertilizer, bought in bulk, can also save money.  Fertilizer  is much cheaper now than in the last year or so, when all commodity prices were high.  But it is still relatively expensive.  I have found our local farm supply businesses to have good prices when buying in bulk.  Remember, using a home-made fertilizer(composting) and limiting the chemicals makes good  environmental and financial sense.  There are now small compost bins for those of you in the city, some that can even be used inside.
• Keep em alive-Shelter those sensitive plants and don’t lose them to the first frost.  The not so portable plants need a sheet or other cover at the ready when the temperature drops.  Forget and you have dead plants and money down the drain.
• Don’t over water-Plants need much less water in the winter.  Water is getting much more expensive as municipalities struggle with their budgets and are raising water prices.  Not to mention water shortages in many areas.
• Xeriscaping If starting a yard in your new home .  This is the science of using what nature provides, and not putting in plants that require extensive (and expensive) care.
• Budget-Don’t forget that any money spent is part of your overall planned spending or budget.

Family Hobby-yard work

Yard work and gardening is a great family hobby and is also an in-expensive  way to have fun and relax on the weekends. Remember how much fun you had in the dirt when you were a kid.   So go forth and be green-The Millionaire Nurse Way.

Let me know what you are doing to save money in the yard this year.

And don’t forget my free E-book, available at www.themillionairenurse.com “Emergency Money Resuscitation”