5. Look in the Sale Section at the Plant Nursery

Some nurseries go through their plant selection from time to time and weed out the plants that are less than perfect. There might be a dead branch, some withered leaves, or yellow foliage present. These are usually deeply discounted, but still salvageable plants.

4. Watch for End of Season Sales

Most garden stores are trying to cut their losses on plants that didn’t sell during the summer. Plenty of perennials are left over in the fall when everyone has finished planting. This is the perfect time to nab a few cheap perennials that you will be able to enjoy the following spring.

3. Keep an Eye Open for People Giving Away Plants

Every fall, my grandmother thins out her iris plants and trims the pussy willow tree. She tosses the extra plants and tree trimmings on the curb for whoever wants them. Watch for curbside plants in your area or even garage sales where people are trying to get rid of plants before winter sets in.

2. Buy Plants from Catalogs Offering Bulk Prices

When I get the new gardening catalogs in the winter, there are always sales going on. Most of these sales include discounts given on plants when more than 5 are purchased. If I find a plant that I really like in this sale section, buying it when it’s on sale will usually save me lots of money.

1. Pool Money with a Friend when Buying Plants

I’ve bargained with friends to share plants by pooling money together and splitting the goods. For instance, if I only can use up to 3 specific plants, but they come in a six-pack, then I can swap 3 of my plants with 3 of the ones my friend is buying. This gives us 3 plants of each kind and we split the cost.

I end up getting a lot of new plants from my dad when he thins out his greenhouse. He always starts way too many seeds than what he actually has room to plant. Before he had his greenhouse, I relied on my money-saving tips listed above when obtaining cheap plants. How do you save money when purchasing new plants in the spring?

Top Photo Credit: doug88888