The Budget Gardener’s Winter Checklist: Smart Garden Tasks to Do Now to Get a Jump on Growing Season

Cardboard egg cartons and other containers can be used as budget seed pots. Cloudy Design/Shutterstock

Ready to play in the dirt? The cold winter months are a great time to take a long look at last year’s garden: what worked, what didn’t, what should be moved to a sunnier or shadier location—or not grown at all and replaced with something new. It’s time to grab a piece of paper and sketch out this year’s plan.

It’s also the time to create a garden budget, as the enthusiasm of gardening can quickly add up to big expenses (more on how to extend the budget in a bit). What really brings joy to a gardener’s heart and saves the big bucks, however, is starting seeds indoors. After all, for the cost of a single seedling at a garden center, a gardener can buy one or even two packets of seeds.

Plus, garden centers tend to stock the most popular plants for the area. While this is a good start, many other plant varieties can thrive just as well—or even better—when grown from seed.

It all starts with the right setup.

Pre-Cycled Seed Pots

Don’t toss that cardboard egg carton into the recycling bin. It’s great for starting small seeds, and the cells can be easily cut apart when it’s time to plant. Yogurt cups are also a tried-and-true seed starting budget saver, and they encourage a healthier diet, too. Simply punch a hole in the bottom for drainage. Ditto for used solo cups (rinsed thoroughly).

The bottom half of single-use water bottles also work similarly, and the top can be put back on to create a terrarium effect. Remove the top if they get too hot, to prevent overheating. Rotisserie chicken containers work well for mass plantings. Milk jugs can be cut midway, leaving a hinged back, and set outdoors in a protected location for seeds that require cold stratification (a period of cold to let them know when spring arrives).

In fact, just about anything that looks like a small pot can be made into one: eggshells, ice cube trays, toilet paper/paper towel rolls, cardboard juice and milk containers (again, rinse thoroughly!).

There’s even a wide selection of videos on YouTube about making DIY black-and-white newspaper/brown paper pots. Just keep in mind that the colored ink in many papers can be bad for plants.

Best of all, particularly for those tight on space, these items can be recycled after use.

Shop Smart

Winter is also a wonderful time to do some innovative shopping for the actual garden, particularly if one is planning a container garden. New containers are expensive, while pots found at garage sales will cost significantly less and probably have more character.

One way to make a new garden look successfully established is to mix some older pieces in with new ones. Also, check out online swap listings such as those found on Craigslist and Facebook. Or, better yet, search no-cost sites such as Freecycle and the Buy Nothing Project, which work to keep good, usable products out of landfills.

Online is also better for finding seed-starting systems being sold by those who have either upgraded or gotten out of gardening.

Secondhand plant pots can save you money and add character to the garden. Firn/Shutterstock

The More Conventional Route

No luck on that hunt? Inexpensive, thin-wall plastic seed-starting trays with water-catching bottoms are available online, starting under $20 with grow lights and humidity domes included. Add another $10 for a kit with a heating mat, or opt for slightly more expensive setups with adjustable light levels and light timers—right up to pro systems, if the budget allows. To stretch your budget, keep an eye out for online point-of-sale coupons and price reductions.

Even those with a bright, sunny window might want to consider one of these systems or purchase standalone grow lights for use over the aforementioned egg cartons, yogurt cups, and other disposable containers. All grow lights offer the 12 to 16 hours of light that many seedlings find ideal.

A less expensive option—available at any home improvement center or even cheaper online—is to use LED shop lights. While they don’t mimic the sun’s natural light spectrum like grow lights do, they will still work well. All LED lights are cool as part of their design, so there’s no fear they’ll burn the plants when placed directly above them (close so the seedlings don’t get leggy, then raised as needed).

A Kelvin (color temperature) value of 5100–6500K is closest to daylight. While 6500K is ideal, anything with a lumen (brightness) value of 5000 or higher will have blue, green, and red light, just like the sun.

Dirty Dealings

Need to enhance the garden soil or add some raised beds? Consider ordering garden soil and/or compost in bulk. Both pickup and delivery should be available for a fee. Ask about an off-season discount for the winter months.

Even if you’re buying individual bags of soil or the components for DIY seed-starting mix (there are many recipes to choose from online) from a local nursery, ask if they will give a bulk discount.

Lastly, it’s never too early to start a home compost system. There is a wide selection of pre-made compost bins online, including some that can be rotated to compost faster. Or, the DIYer can build one with only a garbage can, a drill, and a half-inch drill bit. Drill 30 or more holes on the bottom and sides of the garbage can, placing the side holes four to six inches apart. Add additional holes near the bottom of the sides, where it’s most likely to turn anaerobic. Set upright, put the lid back on, and start to fill.

With a little creativity and resourcefulness, budget-friendly gardening can start in the winter months.

Some nurseries offer discounts on bulk sales for garden soil or compost. Anna Hoychuk/Shutterstock

Green Thumb Advice

Studies have shown that the gentle vibration of music can stimulate seedling growth, so turn on the Mozart or a soothing alternative. But before then, here are some seed-sprouting shortcuts.

Paper Towel Physics

Moist paper towels are a great way to test the viability of old seeds, or to just sprout seeds in general. That way, valuable seedling pots are only given to sprouts. Place them in a Ziploc bag and put them in a warm location, such as on top of a fridge. Check every few days. Most should sprout in one to two weeks, but check the package to see if the seeds in question need longer.

Sponge Science

Just need a few plants? Cut slits one inch apart in a one-inch or thicker sponge, and set it on a dish. Place a seed, or two if there’s a concern about sprouting, in each slit. Spray with water until moist. Place an upside-down glass bowl on top to create a greenhouse.

Next Year’s Seeds

Chances are, every seed in the package won’t be used. That’s OK. Most seeds, when properly stored, can last three to five years more than their “packed for” date, making that package an even better value. Just keep them in a glass jar in a cool, dark location with low humidity, such as a refrigerator.