If you enjoy raising plants from seed, you can begin sowing them by the end of this month. Provided they are kept in a sunny, frost-free environment they will get off to a flying start. No matter how long you’ve been gardening, raising your own plants from seed is very satisfying. To get seeds such as tomatoes and tender bedding plants to germinate they will need some heat, which is where a propagator is so useful. There is quite a selection available and the investment should pay back as you can save money on buying bedding plants later in the year.

 Other cost-saving ideas for the garden this year include cutting supermarket costs by growing your own organic herbs, vegetables and fruit. You don’t need a large garden to do this. It’s possible to get creative with containers for veggies or even use a decorative window box for a few herbs.

Cost-conscious gardeners are always planning for the season ahead. This means going into the garden centre with a shopping list in advance. It’s very easy to fall in love with dazzling displays of seasonal flowers in garden centres, so, if you’re a plant-acholic like me, be strict with yourself and stick to what you need! Do a bit of homework before you shop and buy plants that will seed themselves around your garden, year after year, such as foxgloves, verbena bonariensis and poppies.

For other thrifty gardening ideas, read our blog post on how to save money on gardening.