Money saving garden tips: soil improvement

Gardening gets you outside, improves fitness and delivers immense satisfaction. And with some clever hacks, it doesn’t have to break the bank. We asked our favourite gardening experts to share cost-effective ways to improve soil quality. Here are some of their practical tips for creating an affordable garden from the ground up…

Make your own compost

“The best way to improve soil without breaking the bank is by making your own compost from food waste/garden waste, as it’s free. It doesn’t take a lot of time to do and the results are really worthwhile.”
– Alison Levey from The Blackberry Garden

Keep chickens

“Over the years I’ve kept a log of how much I spend in the garden and one of the highest costs is compost. We keep costs down by making as much as possible using garden waste, cardboard and even old underwear. Another thing that helps with making compost is having chickens – we have our own supply of manure to add to the bins. The resulting compost is the best way to improve any soil as it adds organic matter. I like to use it as a mulch, which also helps reduce weeds.”
– Richard from The Veg Grower Podcast

Small woodchips break down faster

“Soil improvement can be free if you put in the graft yourself. I regularly collect woodchips, manure and used coffee grounds from local establishments. Mix them together and you have an amazing compost starter or mulch. Just make sure the woodchips are a small size as these rot down faster.”
– Steve Newland from @snewland97

Pond plants can be composted too

“We try to do everything on the cheap, and always have done, out of necessity. We compost kitchen scraps, grass clippings, cardboard and thinnings from pond plants (after leaving them near the pond for a while so anything living on them can jump back into the water). We’re also big on making Comfrey liquid and even supply the local train station to help them compete in the annual ‘stations in bloom’ contest.”
– Pete from Weeds up to me knees

Horse manure is a great soil improver

“I always top my raised beds with horse manure which breaks down over winter and saves the amount of compost I need to add to the beds come spring. It’s not always well-rotted, but it’s usually full of worms which will work their magic. You just need to seek out someone with a horse who’s willing to let you collect manure for free as and when you need it.

“Making your own compost is also a must for cutting costs. The more compost bins you have, the better. I have 5 at the moment but want 6 by the end of next season! Anything that can go in is going in! Spent compost from emptied containers and pots? I mix it with chicken manure pellets and use it to bulk up my beds.”
– Jackie Glynn from @my.allotment.escape 

Alpaca manure doesn’t scorch plants

“My favourite option is to find a farm that has alpacas and see if they will let you collect some poop or sell you a few bags. It’s usually very cheap but can be used without scorching the plants and has an odour that’s not picked up by humans, unlike cow or horse manure.”
– Derek Daley @fiveminutegardener

Make leaf mould for free

“My top tip for creating free goodness for the soil is to collect fallen leaves to make into leaf mulch. If you don’t have many deciduous trees in the garden, municipal parks will often let you collect some. I put mine in old bins into which I’ve drilled some drainage holes, but a bin liner works just as well. It can take a few years to rot down into mulch but, once it’s ready, it can be spread over borders to give a boost to the emerging plants in spring and help regulate moisture retention.”
– Hannah from @talesfromagarden

Plant green manures

“Don’t forget that green manure is also a valuable way to improve your soil. I use winter tares (vetch), white clover and green field beans to form a lovely carpet that protect my beds over the winter, stop weeds, and return lots of nitrogen to the soil – my plants love it.”
– Terry King’s Allotment Gardening on a Budget

Start a wormery

“Another option is a wormery. There are some excellent options available to purchase but they’re also easy enough to make. I keep my wormery in the kitchen and my lovely tiger worms turn kitchen waste and paper into excellent feed for my garden and house plants. All at no extra cost for me!”
– Katherine from @lemon_housegarden

Compost doesn’t require bins

“Coffee grounds are free from most coffee shops so I add a light covering to any bare soil on a regular basis (I like to alternate them with a thin layer of grass clippings when they’re available). Composting doesn’t have to happen on a big scale or involve bins and regular turning. Green waste (no seeds or roots) will rot down if left on the surface of soil or buried in small holes between plants. I dig out a couple of trowels worth of soil, drop in the waste and push the soil back. Alternatively, dig a bean trench in early spring and fill it with garden waste over a few weeks then push the soil back in ready for planting. Surround the bean plants with coffee grounds to deter slugs, retain moisture and add nutrients.”
– Carole Hussey from @plot303

Know your soil and choose suitable plants

“Knowing your soil can make or break a garden, especially if you’ve spent money on plants and planted them without first checking if they like the conditions. (I’ve definitely fallen into this trap!) We were ‘unlucky’ to have extremely heavy clay so my first big thing in the garden was to dramatically improve the soil. The first year I dug in a bulk bag of soil improver which made a massive difference. I also added some small grit to help break up the soil and aid drainage but, if money is tight, you could make your own compost. Clay soil can be a pain but there are many, many plants that thrive in it.”
– Rudge Wilson from @rudge_yorkshire_gardener

Use raised beds if your soil is very poor

“Making raised beds sounds expensive but it really isn’t. I used pallet boards and screws. You can collect free pallets from anywhere, but make sure they’re heat treated and NOT chemical treated [if you’re growing food]. Make plant labels from plastic milk jugs.”
– Abdur from Garden Ideas & DIY

Your plants and flowers will thrive when planted in nutrient-rich soil. Browse our composting equipment to get things off to a flying start and, when you’re ready to start growing, choose from our full range of high-quality seeds.