Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or someone just starting out, getting that picture-perfect yard year after year can be costly.

Shave a few dollars off your gardening and landscaping budget this spring by trying out these cheap, simple DIY ideas:

1. Never buy a watering can again by upcycling plastic jugs. There’s no need to buy watering cans when you’ve already purchased a gallon milk or water jug! Once the jug is empty, simply fill it with water and cut a few holes in the lid to create an effective watering tool.
   
   
2. Keep old cardboard boxes around to deter weeds. Save your old cardboard as a natural weed killer. Just lay it on the ground to block sunlight from the grass or weeds you want to remove. Cover the cardboard with soil and plant flowers or vegetables right on top.
   
   Over time, the weeds and grass will die and the cardboard will naturally rot away!
   
   
3. Keep pests away with eggshells. These days, you pay a pretty penny for your eggs – so why not use them twice? Crumble your eggshells and spread them around your plants to safely ward off slugs, snails, and other pests.
   
   
4. Repurpose old curtain rods as DIY plant stakes. Tomatoes are a staple in many vegetable gardens – but they have trouble staying up on their own. Instead of buying a tomato stake from the store, try using an old curtain rod or any other long, stick-like object you may have lying around to prop up your tomato plant this season.
   
   
5. Hang on to old colanders to create hanging planters with built-in drainage. If you have old, metal colanders cluttering your cabinets, easily turn them into rustic hanging planters! Just tie a few pieces of string, twine, or chain through the colander handles, attach a hook to the other end of the strings, and you have a stylish hanging basket.
   
   TIP: Line the inside of the colander with coffee filters or burlap fabric before filling it with soil and planting your flowers.