According to Fixr, the average flower bed costs around $2,005. A typical vegetable garden can cost between $300 to $3,500. Suppose you have recently gotten inspired to give your garden the makeover it deserves and want to take gardening a little more seriously. In that case, you may be wondering what costs may be associated with getting your garden to that luscious green oasis you have always dreamed of having in your backyard.
In this post, we will go over all the basic garden costs for starting your new hobby and give you an idea of how to budget for remodeling your garden.
The Average Cost of Each Kind of Garden
Of course, you first have to decide what kind of garden you want to build and whether to focus on a pretty floral backdrop to enjoy while sipping on your morning coffee or whether to get your hands dirty and sow vegetables to appreciate in your homemade cooking.
Although we can give you some rough estimates on pricing for each type of garden, the best way to figure out your expenses is to come up with a plan for your garden, and then shop around in the local garden center and online to figure out if you can reasonably achieve your dream garden in your budget. We look at some of the best garden design apps to help you plan your garden. You may also find it helpful to speak to local gardeners or friends about the rough costs they experienced when kitting out their garden or join community gardening groups online to gauge a better price estimate of your project.
Let’s look at the costs of starting a flower and vegetable garden, as these are typically the most popular garden choices for beginners.
How Much Does A Flower Garden Cost?
According to Fixr, the average flower bed costs around $2,005. However, you can get this cost down to as low as $500, depending on the size of your flower garden.
How Much Does A Vegetable Garden Cost?
A typical vegetable garden can cost between $300 to $3,500. We realize this huge disparity in figures may not be helpful when deciding whether you should opt for a flower or a vegetable garden, but it will largely depend on your plans and how large a space you plan to renovate. It may help if you make a plan for both types of garden and write a list of pros and cons for both before you decide.
How much money can a vegetable garden save you. Is gardening cheaper than buying?
We have put a seed vs cost of vegetable in store list together. Keep in mind the cost effectiveness of gardening depends on cost of water usage and cost of produce in stores.
10 vegetables cost to garden vs cost to buy.
| Vegetables | Seeds cost per plant | Store cost per vegetable equal amount |
| Corn | .04 | $3.98 / 4 pack |
| Peas | .02 | $1.64 / 16oz |
| Tomatoes | .03 | $4.98 / 16oz |
| Beans | .01 | $1.98 / 32oz |
| Pumpkin | .05 | 3.98 each |
| Beets | .01 | $2.44 / 3 |
| Radish | .02 | $1.28 / 5 |
| Strawberry | .06 | $5.18 / 2lbs |
| Grape | 4.95 | $3.78 / 2.58 lbs |
| Pepper | .05 | .86 each |
Gardener cost for home gardens garden beds
Cost estimates vary for raised beds. Raised beds can be made of many materials which alters the cost per raised beds greatly.The gardener cost spent for garden beds depends on visuals and purpose. A older gardener may want high raised beds to limit bending. Home gardens do not need framed beds but they are great for a cleaner look and weeding. The cost of plants or seeds plays a bigger role in cost saving for how much does a garden cost. If you have the garden space and can add the garden cost to your budget than here is a list of 4 garden beds to try in your garden.
| Type of garden bed | Average cost of bed |
| Farm water trough | $125-$475 |
| Wood Frame Bed | $50-$175 |
| Metal Frame Bed (paid link) | $30-$225 |
| Brick Bed | $310-$850 |
Real Grass Vs Artificial Astroturf
Although there is nothing better than a natural grass lawn, sometimes it can be challenging to manage. Depending on how much time you have and the climate you live in, you might wish to opt for astroturfing your yard. After all, you will be spending a fair portion of time in your flower or vegetable garden, so you might want to lay some synthetic grass and forget about the rest of the yard for now.
Astroturf Garden Cost
Garden turf can cost between $5.50 to $18.75 per square foot, depending on where you live and the quality of faux grass you choose. Therefore it can add up if you have a larger yard to cover. According to Lawn Starter, the average cost of laying artificial grass on a 500-square-foot-lawn is around $6,000.
Sod Cost
Sod installation, turfing your yard with real grass, can cost between $1-2 per square foot for labor and materials (or under $1 if you lay it yourself). According to Angi, the average cost of laying sod in a yard without labor costs is around $2,000.
Grass Seed Cost
An even more affordable way to get a grass lawn is to sew grass seed. According to Angi, it costs an average of $400 to $1,600 to seed a yard. However, this process takes a lot longer and will require more maintenance than artificial grass or sod.
3 Easy Ways to Reduce Garden Cost
We are all about money-saving hacks for cutting the costs for growing or maintaining your garden without compromising the quality of plants or adding 150 tasks to your to-do list.
Here are our top three ways to slash your gardening budget:
1. Use Seeds Instead Of Plants
Save money by purchasing seeds instead of entire plants. Of course, you will have to invest in some more tools, including a potting tray and a seed-starting mix, but once you make these small initial investments, you can save money all season. It is also incredibly satisfying to watch the vegetables, flowers, and shrubbery in your garden grow from scratch! Don’t forget, some seeds do best if you soak them before planting. Find out more in this post.
2. Swap Cuttings With Friends
Gather your gardening-loving friends and family to trade cuttings of plants to save money.
3. Start a Compost
Make your own compost using organic waste and food scraps from your kitchen. Plus, making compost can save you money, and it is also more sustainable as it reduces food waste!
Read more about how to stretch your gardening budget a little further.
Cost-Savings of Growing Food in the Garden
Most hobby gardeners will grow vegetables for the sheer joy of watching their seeds blossom into edible vegetables to add to their family dinners. But, is it also cheaper to grow your own vegetables?
The great news is that growing vegetables from seeds can be easy and cost-effective. However, it may depend on your skills and even the type of foods you are growing. Check out this helpful list of foods that are cheaper to grow than to buy so you can start making a schedule of seeds to cultivate in 2022.
How Much do Garden Tools Cost?
So you know you want to start a garden, and you have an idea of what type of garden you want to grow, but what tools do you need to get started in planting and maintaining your garden.
Here are the top 10 garden tools and the average costs for each item from Lowe’s. Hopefully, this list can help you work out a rough budget if you are a beginner gardener and need to invest in the basic tools to get your gardening hobby started.
- Hand Trowel – $4-12
- Secateurs – $11-40
- Hoe – $27-40
- Gardening gloves – $4-28
- Space – $33-49
- Fork – $26-65
- Shovel – $7-80
- Rake – $5-85
- Saw – $40-200
- Wheelbarrow – $27-200
As you can see, each essential gardening tool comes in a range of prices from just a few dollars up to a few hundred dollars. But, of course, it is up to you how you want to allocate your budget and how much time you want to spend shopping around for your tool kit.
TOP TIP:
There is always an option to buy high-quality second-hand gardening equipment from eBay, Craigslist, or Gumtree. Many people may have started their gardening hobby during the pandemic when they had a little more time on their hands, and after going back to work, they may not have time to keep up with their garden maintenance and may choose to sell on their tools at a great price. As gardening equipment is built to last several years, it is always worth shopping around to see what bargains you can pick up!
Read more about the essential gardening tools mentioned and their uses.
Garden Waste Removal Cost
Of course, all is well and good if you have a relatively blank canvas to start with, but what happens when the space you wish to use for your garden needs clearing out of natural waste? If your yard is covered in organic debris, such as shrubbery, weeds, branches, or even just a lot of leaves, you may need to consider your options for removing the junk before getting started on your garden.
1. Burn Yard Waste
Burning waste is a low-cost option for removing debris. Just be sure to manage your fire cautiously and check your local regulations on burning waste at home.
2. Hire a Yard Waste Removal Team
Sometimes it’s worth hiring help! Organize a local removals company to haul out your waste and suppose of it in one clean sweep. Junk removal services can cost upwards of $100 per load to $800. However, this is an excellent option if you are low on time and want to get the garden waste removed ASAP.
3. DIY Removals
If you are anything like us, you love a good do-it-yourself route to getting your garden sorted. First, hire a skip or dumpster and chuck in all the unwanted debris. Then, the company that supplied the dumpster will collect it with all your waste, and you can begin gardening in a clean space. However, although you can save a few pennies (especially if you have a lot of garbage to clear), this option isn’t exactly free either, as dumpster rental can cost $400 per week on average.
Read more about how to dispose of garden waste.
DIY Garden Design Vs. Landscape Designers
If you stumbled upon our blog about starting a garden, you probably want to go the do-it-yourself route and start your new hobby of planning a beautiful garden with your own hands. But out of interest, what is the cost of landscape design consultation?
Landscape Designer Costs
According to HomeAdvisor, the average cost of having a professional landscape designer plan out your space can range from $1,960-$6,998. The price will reflect factors such as the designer’s expertise, where you live, and the size of your backyard. However, this is just for the initial plan of the space, not the cost of actually doing the work.
Best of Both Worlds
Another option is to hire a garden designer for just a couple of hours to give their opinions on the basics you should consider when designing your garden. In addition, they can offer you their expert opinion on the soil quality in different areas of your garden and how to plan your space depending on the direction of the sun in relation to your property.
This option is more affordable as you only pay for 1-2 hours of the designer’s time, usually anywhere from $50-150 per hour. Then using their expert tips and advice, you can start creating the garden of your dreams!
Get Your Gloves On!
Hopefully, you now feel a little more prepared about what to budget for your next garden project. We can’t wait to see what transformations your garden makes in the next year! So don’t forget to take a before photo so you can track your progress.
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