The Frugal Gardener: How to Have More Garden for Less Money [Paperback]

Catriona Tudor Erler (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 2001

Let gardener, author and lecturer Catriona Tudor Erler show you how to get your best garden ever-without spending a fortune! Catriona shares her tops for paring down expenses and shaving costs on just about anything you need to garden-from necessities like soil amendments and quality tools to prized perennials and beautiful garden structures that will make you the envy of your neighborhood. Armed with the advice of this expert bargain hunter, you'll learn how.

* Save money on plants by knowing how to save your own seed, propagate new plants from cuttings, spot nurseries' "hidden treasures," organize plant swaps with neighbors and gardening friends, and more.
* Make your plant selections pay off by choosing the best plants for your garden site.
* Add all the right amendments to turn ordinary soil into great garden soil that produces healthy, thriving plants-for free (or almost free).
* Add fences, benches, arbors, trellises, and other garden structures for half the price of retail, with a little ingenuity and elbow grease. "Frugal Gardener Workshop" boxes give complete step-by-step directions for making attractive and functional garden features.
* Control garden pests and diseases safely and effectively so you don't have to waste money throwing away damaged plants.
* Get the most for your money when it comes to tools-buy only what you need, know where to find the best bargains, and spot top-quality tools.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

The Frugal Gardener should have a place on every serious gardener's shelf, no matter what his or her budget. Catriona Tudor Erler has assembled a fantastic collection of suggestions for economical gardening strategies, covering everything from pruning-shear purchases to making the most of your plants. In this case, "economical" also translates to "environmentally sound," as Erler's recipes for do-it-yourself pest control rely on items like dish soap, garlic, and hot peppers.

Separate chapters cover topics like cost-conscious plant choices and growing techniques, tool care, and inexpensive garden design. You won't find wasted words in this book--every page is absolutely covered with quick suggestions, recipes, and planting charts. Some of her advice is deeply practical, such as 15 places to find free manure for mulching, but inexpensive doesn't have to mean plain. Her suggestion for a topiary friend in a child's play area is utterly adorable, and couldn't be simpler: "use hedge shears to slice off anything that doesn't look like a bunny, then keep the lines of the creation clear with an occasional haircut." The illustration of a romantic patio provides real inspiration--just spread gravel along a path to an area under shady tree and add furniture and torch lights! But don't think that saving money is always Erler's main focus; she's sure to point out that low-cost items may not be the best deal over the long haul and that sometimes it pays to invest in a pricier item. Buy this book as early in your gardening career as you can: it will easily pay for itself in your first season. --Jill Lightner

About the Author

Catriona Tudor Erler is a garden writer and speaker who has authored a number of books on topics such as organic vegetable gardening, herb gardening, and shade gardening as well as on garden design. She has also written numerous gardening articles, which have appeared in national newspapers and magazines including Architectural Digest, Southern Accents, Garden Design, the New York Times, the Denver Post, and the San Jose Mercury News. Catriona is also a regular columnist for the San Diego Union-Tribune.

Catriona, who also has an extensive list of garden photography credits, travels across the country speaking to garden clubs and groups. She also specializes in "translating" British gardening books for American audiences, retooling them to reflect American English, climate zones, and plant selections.

When she's not busy writing, traveling, or taking garden photos, Catriona garden at her home in the Washington, D.C. area. A former resident of San Diego, California, she has extensive gardening experience on both coasts of the United States, including growing in tropical and subtropical regions.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Rodale Press (February 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0875968651
• ISBN-13: 978-0875968650
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 7.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #318,890 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars How to spend less and reap the rewards, April 24, 2003

By 

A. Ryan "Merribelle" (Westminster, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Frugal Gardener: How to Have More Garden for Less Money (Paperback)

The Frugal Gardener is a great book of gardening strategy for those of us who want to (or have to) stay within a small budget. As it turns out, the frugal way is also the organic way, generally.

TFG is organized to guide you through long-range strategies that will save you money in both short-term and long-term investments. An early chapter deals with the bare bones tools that you will need to start with; how to spot quality that will last, how to maintain them, and different uses for each. Next we learn how to plan a garden based on regional climates, making heavy use of naturalizing perennials and native plants that need less maintenance, watering and/or care (and so fewer products to buy). If you like the quick gratification of annuals, there are quite a few tips here that will help you maximize their impact in your garden. A great emphasis is placed on soil health, how to get it and how to increase it, thus saving more money that would have had to be wasted on expensive fertilizers and replacement plants. Then there are the recipes for homemade bug sprays and remedies that can be concocted from common household items.

TFG explained gardening organically in a way that made it easy and sensible even for me when I was first trying to make compost and wean away from chemical sprays. There is a lot that can be done to fortify and protect your plants and trees that will benefit them and the environment, and surprise! It's cheaper than chemical solutions. My garden has been thriving ever since.

Frugal gardeners, don't be afraid to spend the money on this book! Even if you only use a few of the many tips packed within this book, you will more than make up the cost of buying it in the long run.
-Andrea, aka Merribelle

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Even For Frugal People, This Book's Worth the Money, November 15, 2001

By 

"luvamoose67" (Carolina, RI United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Frugal Gardener: How to Have More Garden for Less Money (Paperback)

I'm another purchaser who first tried this book from the library and then knew in days that I needed my own copy. It offers many tips I was familiar with after years of gardening, yet hundreds I'd never heard of. Even if you are not simply looking for ways to garden on a budget, it offers many great gardening tips. Period.

There are plenty of good illustrations and the layout is appealing to the eye. It is well organized and enjoyable to read, not just to use as a resource. This book is money well spent toward your garden.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful read!, May 25, 2001

By 

C. Rogers "BoPeep75" (TN United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Frugal Gardener: How to Have More Garden for Less Money (Paperback)

For me, a complete novice at gardening, this was a wonderful choice as one of my first two gardening books. Before digging up my front yard, I bought a Gardening-101-type book and this book, The Frugal Gardener. As it mentions in this book, it truly IS best to be frugal right from the beginning. You save the most, get exactly what you want for your dollar, and have a good idea of how to get what you need without spending a fortune. Useful tips throughout. I'd find it interesting even if I wasn't planning out my own garden. I highly recommend.