Keeping a lawn or garden vibrant and thriving isn’t achieved by merely splashing some water on the grass occasionally.
Committed DIY landscapers frequently find themselves laying down weed barriers, adding mulch, watering, aerating and feeding their lawns — incurring costs for materials as well as time and effort. Hiring professionals can run you roughly $100-$200 per month.
But rather than forking over about $2,400 a year to maintain a pristine backyard, these resourceful homeowners discovered clever techniques to keep plants healthy and attractive throughout the seasons.
Below are five expert-backed strategies for budget-friendly landscaping.
1. Do as Much Landscaping Yourself as You Can
For Ryan Willis, handling all aspects of upkeep on his 7,500-square-foot property in Knoxville, Tennessee, is the most economical approach.
“My biggest savings comes from doing everything on my own — mowing, overseeding, fertilizing, planting flowers, hardscaping, and so on,” he explains.
Willis applies three treatments to his turf each year. In early spring he spreads seed and starter fertilizer. The tall fescue seed costs $75 and the starter fertilizer with weed control runs about $50; he uses a broadcast spreader (a one-time $40 purchase) to distribute them across the lawn.
In early summer he follows with a “weed and feed” fertilizer for roughly $30, and in the fall he applies another fertilizer to strengthen roots for winter (about $30 more).
Besides fertilizer and other hands-on care, GreenPal CEO Bryan Clayton points to a creative money-saver: aerating footwear.
“A pair of aerating shoes costs around $50,” he says. “If you wear them while mowing weekly in late summer and early spring, you can save up to $300 compared to hiring a pro service.”
2. Think About Artificial Turf
While many people enjoy tending living grass, others may want to avoid most upkeep and choose synthetic turf instead.
Although artificial lawns can yield long-term savings, installation can be a substantial initial expense. The final cost depends on site conditions — soil type, rocks and roots — and the amount of labor needed.
Purchase Green’s Chad Vander Veen notes his company’s artificial turf runs about $1.50 to $3.50 per square foot for the product, but “a typical installation across California and Nevada will be between $6-$10 per square foot,” which includes labor.
Home improvement site HouseLogic reports the national average to install synthetic grass ranges from $5 to $20 per square foot, depending on several variables.
Many homeowners are attracted to the minimal maintenance costs over time.
Vander Veen explains that after installation, artificial turf needs far less care than natural grass.
Because synthetic lawns don’t require mowing, you avoid expenses for a mower, fuel, fertilizers and pesticides.
Water savings are also significant.
“A $200 per monthwater billcan essentially be reduced by cutting out lawn irrigation,” Vander Veen says.
“Most households in California devote 50% of their water to irrigation. Over the 20-year lifespan of quality artificial turf, that can translate to about $24,000 in savings.”
That said, synthetic grass still needs some upkeep. Owners should rake their yard monthly with a specialized broom (about $25).
Many also keep a cleaner on hand for stains or pet waste. Vander Veen says a gallon — roughly $40 — can treat up to 6,000 square feet.
3. Opt for Perennials
When selecting plants for beds and borders, pick perennials rather than annuals, recommends Anthony Smith, owner of Nursery Enterprises.
Perennials are tougher and return year after year, which can lower your plant expenses since you won’t be replacing them constantly.
“To keep your yard looking attractive on a budget, instead of continually replacing short-lived annuals, consider switching to woody perennials like bushes, shrubs, vines and trees,” Smith advises.
“Those brightly colored annuals may look fabulous for a brief spell, but over time they’ll often end up looking just as poor.”
4. Grow Edible Plants
Jennifer Patterson Lorenzetti integrates flowering herbs and a vegetable plot to make her yard beautiful while producing food.
She estimates she spends roughly $200-$250 a year on starts and seeds and other gardening costs.
However, the market value of the produce she harvests is about $750 annually, so her garden effectively nets her around $500 in savings each year.
5. Purchase Mulch in Larger Quantities
Wasting money on needless supplies is a common way to blow a landscaping budget.
Buying too much — or too little, forcing extra store runs or added shipping — quickly inflates costs.
Kurt Heckman’s company, vCalc, addressed this by building an online calculator to help homeowners determine exactly how much mulch is required.
At many home stores, a 2-cubic-foot bag of mulch goes for around $3.33 each, Heckman says. Buying bulk mulch works out cheaper at about $35 per cubic yard.
“That’s roughly equivalent to $1.54 for a 2-cubic-foot bag — a bit less than half the retail bag price,” Heckman explains.
He also notes that some areas mandate covering bulk mulch loads on trucks while driving, so be sure to use a tarp to avoid a ticket.
Finally, Heckman suggests producing your own mulch by chipping fallen branches.
“It’s loud and can be risky, but it’s the cheapest mulch option,” he says.
“For about $66 plus a little fuel, say $70 total, you can create several cubic yards (around six) of mulch in four hours and clear yard debris at the same time. That’s roughly half the cost of buying bulk mulch.”
Your Turn: What are your best tips for landscaping affordably?
