Fugal Friday

Since summer got off to such a slow start, it seems I am currently in a planting frenzy now that it has warmed up.  Since this is Frugal Friday, it wouldnt' be right of me to say I was at the nursery "buying" things to plant.  That isn't very frugal, now is it?  No, I was actually transplanting things from around my yard that self sow.  Specifically I have been transplanting lambs ear.  About 5 years ago, my friend  gave me half a dozen or so plants  from her garden that were growing everywhere.  At the time, I was just getting started on my current garden and a lack of funds was making for a frustrating gardening experience.  So being the avid gardener that she is, she was happy to share her over flow of plants with me.  So I took my little starts, went home and planted them all in  a row in a small garden I had created in my front yard.

Fast forward 5 years and those 6 plant are probably now abut 50.  They pop up everywhere!  Of course, the gardener in me could never just rip them out of the ground and dispose of them.  They grow like gangbusters up here and when you find something that grows well, you stick with it.  That is my theory anyway. 

Since they self sow and pop up in the most unusual or inconvenient places, I just wait until they get a few inches tall and then I dig them out and plant them somewhere else.  The majority of them survive and I have the feeling that in about 10 years time, I will be living in a sea of lambs ear.  Which is fine.  I think they are very pretty. 

So on this Frugal Friday, I would like to suggest that instead of making a trip to the nursery, look around your own yard and see what you could transplant, divide or share with friend.  Maybe an afternoon plant swapping tea would be fun.  I came home one day to find 6 asparagus plants on my doorstep from a neighbor who gardens.  What a fun surprise that was.  Personally, I am going to try to learn how to propagate roses so that I can expand my rose collection and share with others as well.  Many other plants such as hostas, can be divided up to provide more plants for your yard or to share with others.  

Perhaps you need to remove a plant for whatever reason.  Why not give it to someone else?  My neighbor just did that.  He didn't like a certain bush he had and so he came over and asked me if I wanted it.  You bet I did!  There are lots of ways to get out there and add to the garden without spending any money.