gloucester girl Posted September 26, 2015 Share Posted September 26, 2015 Having just recently arrived and wanting to have house and garden plants, I have discovered that it is much expensive here than at home. I have been gobsmacked at some of the prices. At the moment I have bought a few spider plants and am waiting for baby spider plants to get the inside going, but would like some variety. I have tried Bunnings and Ikea, but the quality is so so. Woolworths is slightly better, but they only have plants on special. I am thinking of going around and taking cutting of wild geraniums for outdoor plants. Does anyone have any tips for how to get a house or garden going without breaking the bank? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tina2 Posted September 26, 2015 Share Posted September 26, 2015 only tube stock but have found them very helpful. http://www.plantinspirations.com.au You need to know about your soil and should do a PH test, you can get kits cheap from local nurseries or even bunnings. No point for example buying azalea if you don't have acidic soil. Need to consider your climate as well. Do you get frost, do you get strong winds, or very hot summers all these things are important in finding plants that will grow. We have horrid heavy black soil but I have natives growing as well as fruit trees and finding the correct food is also important . Rose food for roses, native food for natives, sound simple I know but many people just pick up "fertalizer" and it can kill your plants rather than make them grow sometimes. Also visit local craft markets in your area, you can often pick up good plants there at a reasonable price Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 26, 2015 Share Posted September 26, 2015 My neighbour and I swap cuttings and when we split things or dig up shrubs or bulbs we offer them to the other. Also check local buy sell and swap pages, Gumtree etc for people listing stuff they are selling or giving away. Depending on the time of year you can find loads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jumpingjellybean Posted September 26, 2015 Share Posted September 26, 2015 Does anyone have any tips for how to get a house or garden going without breaking the bank? Thanks Where are you situated? I will give you ideas for my area - you look up similar in your own area: Firstly, do not buy from Bunnings or Woolworths as the quality is substandard. Look for church fetes or garden markets. Church fetes are a good one I always find. There is a brilliant Farmers Market in Castle Hill and on the Central Coast that sell cheap plants: http://www.hawkesburyharvest.com.au/markets/castle-hill-farmers-fine-food-market/ Years ago I picked up a variety of plants for 20 cents a pot each from the annual fete at the Monastery of St Benedict in Arcadia NSW. http://benedictine.org.au/go/countryfair Look for gardening clubs; who often set up road side stalls selling the flowers they grow. The Rotary Clubs Australia wide have annual seeds, plants, bulbs and flower sales. Check Rotary in your area. Yesterday in Hornsby NSW an orchid club were selling really cheap cuttings and plants - stunningly beautiful they were. Plus the club members were giving proper growing tips to buyers. Join a local club and swap free seedlings - http://www.permaculturenorth.org.au/ Purchase excellent quality online: https://www.diggers.com.au/ I take wild cuttings; so you could maybe do this too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jumpingjellybean Posted September 26, 2015 Share Posted September 26, 2015 If you are interested in herb growing then this place is good. They have some excellent herbal medicine plants: http://www.herbcottage.com.au/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LKC Posted September 26, 2015 Share Posted September 26, 2015 Our local council has a bushcare group of volunteers who do things like weed clearing and also take cuttings which they grow and sell at the council plant nursery. Maybe your local council has something like this? The plants aren't expensive and the money is used for bush regeneration projects. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jumpingjellybean Posted September 26, 2015 Share Posted September 26, 2015 Our local council has a bushcare group of volunteers who do things like weed clearing and also take cuttings which they grow and sell at the council plant nursery. Maybe your local council has something like this? The plants aren't expensive and the money is used for bush regeneration projects. That reminds me, for rate payers (not renters) local councils often have a native plant free giveaway. You rock up to the location, show them a rates notice and they give you free plants. For example; http://www.hornsby.nsw.gov.au/environment/trees-plants-and-bushland/native-plant-giveaways Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gloucester girl Posted September 26, 2015 Author Share Posted September 26, 2015 Thanks for the replies. Lots of great ideas :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LKC Posted September 26, 2015 Share Posted September 26, 2015 That reminds me, for rate payers (not renters) local councils often have a native plant free giveaway. You rock up to the location, show them a rates notice and they give you free plants. For example; http://www.hornsby.nsw.gov.au/environment/trees-plants-and-bushland/native-plant-giveaways Yes, we get two vouchers for plants when they send our rates bill. Sometimes you can exchange them for plants only, other times the vouchers have been that you can exchange them for a plant or alternatively a canvas shopping bag. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petkula73 Posted October 7, 2015 Share Posted October 7, 2015 Welcome to Australia - everything is more expensive here. You'll get used to it. Bunnings have a reasonable selection but you'll get better deals if you can find a nursery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suzukiscottie Posted October 7, 2015 Share Posted October 7, 2015 Get the cheap plants they sell in Coles and Woolies. They discount the price heavily when they look a little bit wilted. All they need is a good drink! We've bought quite a few lavenders and other bushy herbs that are now doing fantastically well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petkula73 Posted October 7, 2015 Share Posted October 7, 2015 A word of caution on that though. We bought some tomato plants from a supermarket last year and two weeks later we were over run with white flies. Once you get them it's nigh on impossible to get rid of them as well. We made the daft mistake of using insecticide and all that happened was it killed off all the predator insects and a few white flies, but a week later the next generation hatched and multiplied! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jumpingjellybean Posted October 7, 2015 Share Posted October 7, 2015 Supermarket plants are sprayed with pesticides. So if you are planning to eat them or use them medicinally in any way, better to spend that bit extra and get certified organic (or biodynamic) seeds or plants. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jumpingjellybean Posted October 7, 2015 Share Posted October 7, 2015 https://www.facebook.com/PreLovedRootsGardenNursery Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rossmoyne Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 Car boot sales/ Swapmeets are a good place to find cheap plants. Also have a look on Facebook and Gumtree as there are many buy and sell places advertising on both. I live in an older suburb and often see "plants for sale" signs in front gardens and I have picked up some good plants cheaply that way. When we first came here we bought an 7 year old house that still had a bare garden, and I just let everyone I worked with know that I was looking for plants and cuttings and I was gifted many that way. Good Luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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