Anya Lautenbach, known as The Garden Fairy, and Jamie Butterworth, Managing Director of Form Plants, have highlighted practical cost-saving gardening methods, including propagating lavender and hydrangeas, repurposing containers and materials, and DIY mulching. Their tips, along with Dave the Plantman’s pruning guide, offer valuable advice for enhancing garden productivity and saving costs.
Anya Lautenbach, known as The Garden Fairy, has demonstrated the potential of a mature garden to generate over 300 new plants annually without the need for greenhouses or specialized equipment. Teaming up with Jamie Butterworth, Managing Director of Form Plants, Lautenbach has shared several cost-saving gardening techniques.
Key tips include:
- Propagate Lavender:
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Prune lavender in late summer, save offcuts, and grow them into new plants by placing stem cuttings in compost.
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Divide Hostas:
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Mature hostas can be split using a spade to create up to 10 new plants each.
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Propagate Hydrangeas:
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Enable up to 30 new plants from mature hydrangeas by cutting and planting 12 cm stems in compost.
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Repurpose Containers:
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Innovate with existing household items like old pots and toys as planting containers to save costs.
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Recycle Materials:
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Use items like toilet paper rolls for growing sweet peas and fruit boxes as seed trays.
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DIY Mulch:
- Utilize lawn clippings as mulch to improve soil moisture retention and conditions.
Additionally, Dave the Plantman has shared a beginner-friendly pruning guide on TikTok, explaining that proportionate cutting helps plants regrow healthily. He suggests extreme pruning or light trimming depending on the plant’s desired size. For relocating plants, he advises moving them in autumn after significant pruning to aid recovery.
These methods collectively enhance garden productivity and cost-efficiency, providing viable solutions for gardeners.
