Planting Site Preparation

• Save yourself some money by conducting a soil pH test on your planting site. Every plant has its own specific pH range it needs to thrive. Your flowers have a higher risk of failing--and wasting the money you spent on them--if you try growing them out of their pH range.
  
  Purchase a soil pH testing kit from your local garden supply store. Dig a hole in your yard that is 6 inches deep. Collect the samples and mail them off to the address provided on the kit. Wait for the results, then use them when buying your flowers.
  
  You should also test your soil's draining abilities. Pour water into a 6-inch hole and wait for 24 hours. If the water completely drains in 12 hours, your soil has good draining abilities. If there is water left in the hole after 24 hours, your soil has poor drainage and will need to amended. Spread a 2-inch layer of sand over tilled soil to correct the drainage. Apply another layer of compost and thoroughly mix. Conduct another pH test, because the range will change when the compost decomposes.
  
  

Buy Seeds

• Seeds are less expensive to buy than container plants, but they take longer to establish in your yard. You can speed up their growth by applying liquid fertilizer, which will contribute nutrients to the plant. Common flowers and wildflowers are generally less expensive than exotic types. Mixes of wildflower seeds will also give you a lot of bang for your buck. These mixes include a variety of like flowers such as California poppy, blue flax, rose mallow and larkspur. Check the seed package to be sure that the flower can grow in your pH range. Visit different nurseries to get an idea of prices. Many times you can shop online and find deals on bulk orders of seeds.
  
  

Cheap Container Flowers

• You can find great deals at nurseries and garden supply stores late in the summer, because these places usually try to unload the bulk of their inventory before winter. If you live in an area that sees harsh winter weather, plant these new plants in containers and set them in a dry, cool place over the winter. Transplant them in the spring for a flower-filled yard. Make sure you inspect every flower you buy for pests. You can lift them out of their containers to look at their root balls. Root rot is a common problem for flowers left in nurseries. Look to see if you see any damage to your flowers' root systems before purchasing.