Starting Seeds on a Budget Start Your Garden Without Buying Supplies

Are you looking to start or expand your garden this year? Lets go down the check list of things we might need - potting soil, seed plugs, seed trays, grow lights, compost, peat, vermiculite, fertilizer, manure, pest sprays, raised bed kits, trellis, tomato cages, and on and on....... I remember the first time we decided to have a small garden in one of your flower beds. We started at the store buying seeds and dirt and all of the things we thought we would need and spent about $100. That year we barely had anything grow and forgot to have someone water while we were on vacation. Not a great first experience but we were determined to start again.

In our new home a few years ago we decided we were going to go big and year after year we are adding more and more to our garden. But we arent huge fans of spending $10 in supplies to get $5 worth of vegetables, anyone else feel like that when you are starting out? Yes, over time you get things that you can use over and over each year thus making it more and more worth while. But what about now, do we really need all of this stuff to get a garden going?



In my opinion most people (including us) spend way more than they need on gardening supplies and then are disappointed at the results their first couple of years. It does take time to get the soil just right, it takes time to learn what works best and when to plant and harvest. Gardening is not something that you can just go out and throw some seeds in the ground and have an awesome garden your first year. It takes time and in some cases a small amount of money. I have found that you have a choice in many cases, time or money.

We are expanding our gardens over time as to lessen the impact on our wallets and allow us time to develop good soil as we expand. We have also learned that while we are not going to win any awards for the prettiest seed starting operation you can get started with little to no money invested at all.

We started saving any containers with clear plastic lids last year and have saved up quite a few of them by now (probably more than we need!) These make the perfect tiny greenhouse seed starting containers. Instead of buying a heating pad and seed starting trays just use the things you already have. We have found these to be the fastest way to get your seeds started! This year in fact most of our seeds were already popping through the soil in the first 48 hours.

The next thing you need to get your seeds started is soil, there are a lot of different ideas with what works best here but again I just use what I have to get going. Last year we made a mix for our square foot gardens of our compost, vermiculite, and peat. I grabbed a bin full of this soil and brought it in as soon as it was no longer frozen. I sifted through and got out any large pieces (leafs, sticks, etc.) and then filled my containers. The only down side to using this type of soil is that you might also germinate a few blades of grass or something from last years planting so just be carful and pay attention to what sprouts. If one of these things is not like the other, pull it out.

Seeds are pretty easy to come by and dont be fooled by expiration dates on those seed packages. With proper care there is no real expiration to most seeds. Germination rates might be lower after a few years but I wouldnt worry too much about that. Look for seeds during the off season in the fall or winter. Most stores have clearance sales at this time and you can get your seeds for as much as 75% off. You can also save seeds from your plants year after year. This is a skill I have not yet mastered but will be trying some of this year.

There are many ways to save money on gardening supplies and still have great results. We are all tempted to go out and buy all the best stuff, shovels, and rototillers, etc. But that is mostly not needed. Check a garage sale this spring and you will likely find all kinds of gardening tools for dirt cheap:)

I hope that this has inspired you to get started or add on to your garden this year. Follow along for more tips and tricks this coming spring and summer and lets all try to feed our families a little more from our garden each year.

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This post has been shared at:  HomeAcre Hop, Homestead Blog Hop, Country Fair Blog Hop

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Buying Essential Oils for Our Very First Time

A week and a half ago, I received the first bottles of essential oils I have ever owned in my entire life.  Never used them, never tried them, ever.  A very good friend of mine from high school uses doTERRA oils and had been contacting me to attend one of her classes where she teaches people how to use them.  I had been meaning to pick some up ever since the summer when I started making homemade laundry soap.  If you recall, I picked up a pickle bucket from a local pizzeria.  I thought it might be nice to scent the soap with some lavender or citrus to help combat the dill that still lingers in my bucket. 

Well, I never made it to one of my friends classes.  I seem to have a really hard time with stuff like Mary Kay, jewelry parties, candle parties, you know places where you feel obligated to buy something even if you dont want to?  I always end up buying something and then regretting it because it was either too expensive or something I never really needed or ended up using.  I honestly thought essential oils would turn out the same way.  I wanted to try them, but didnt really NEED them, and was doing just fine without them. 

So, to be a good friend to my friend, I decided to buy some oils from her.  But I didnt know what to buy because I really didnt know anything about them.  And I dont like to waste money so I did my homework on what oils to spend my money on.  A couple days, LOTS of articles, and several YouTube videos later, I made my decision on what to purchase.  Before I tell you what I ended up buying, let me tell you a little about what I learned.

First of all, I learned that I really didnt know ANYTHING about essential oils!  I thought they were something to make things like soaps and lotions smell good.  And thats about all I knew.  But what I learned was they are actually capable of doing so much more. 

Essential oils are the aromatic compounds found in roots, plants, trees, flowers and fruits.  Yes, they do smell good but these aromatic compounds actually protect and are vital to the plant, and they each have their own unique qualities that can benefit our own health as well.  The best part is, theyre pure and 100% natural.  Getting our home and the foods we eat as chemical-free as possible is something we have been passionate about, so this seemed right up our alley.  The more I learned about essential oils, the more excited I got!  When I read a clinical trial study on essential oils, I was SOLD.  Essential oils actually have the ability no antibiotic or medicine has.  They have the ability to pass through a cells membrane and fight off viruses! 

So before I ever even put an oil on my body or smelled one with my nose, I knew this was something my family needed.  Do you ever JUST KNOW something is right for you, that deep down inside you know youre making the right decision?  Essential oils just fit our family, they embody everything were about......and God made them, not a chemist.  That alone was more than enough for me.

With confidence, I texted my friend and told her we wanted the Home Essentials Kit.  It came with ten bottles of oils, a free bottle of Frankincense, a wholesale membership, and a diffuser. 

We know there isnt a magic pill or oil that can heal years and years of a poor diet, lack of exercise and loads of chemicals our bodies were never designed to handle.  I promise to be completely honest about our experiences with these oils, and hopefully our stories will help you on your own wellness journey as well. 

Here are a few of the resources I reviewed before making my first purchase.  I have others, so please just ask if you want more.  I found its not easy finding good, credible information on them.

 

 

And here is a website that serves as a great resource on how best to use your oils.  I found it very helpful and informative: 

http://www.everythingessential.me/

 

 

Please let me know what you think.  Do you use oils?  Which are your favorites?  Id love to hear your stories. 



This post has been shared at:  Homestead Barn Hop, Homestead Blog Hop, The Backyard Farming Connection Hop, Simple Lives Thursday, The HomeAcre Christmas Hop, Front Porch Friday


 

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