BILLINGS - Reports around the country are showing that gardening costs are going up a bit for things such as fertilizer.
Mick Gainain, co-owner of Gainan's Heights Flowers, Garden & Patio, says the proportion of fertilizer to water at his store is the same for at home.
"Fertilizer prices throughout the whole world are up," Gainan said.
Nationwide reports show fertilizer prices increasing up to more than 40% in some cases.
For home gardens, Gainan has seen a smaller increase of around 10% and says even with the bigger expense, it's important to fertilize
"Fertilizers should be used," Gainan said. "There's a certain charge in most soils that have the right things in there that the plants require but you have to supplement that."
Gainan says following the directions on the package can help in efficiently using the fertilizer made up of different proportions of nitrogen, Phosphoric acid and potash.
"Those three numbers are really what dictates what fertilizers used for," he said.
Overall he says prices for home gardens may be about 8% to 12% more this year, but there are ways to cut the costs.
"Depending if they're going to grow from seed themselves, they'll save a little bit of money," Gainan said. "If they're going to grow it from mature plants or plants that are ready for transplanting. Those costs are maybe three or 4%."
"Something that's fulfilling, to watch these little miracles come out of the ground or bloom for you," Gainan said about home gardening. "Nothing better than going out there with a cup of coffee in the morning just kind of looking at your garden and seeing how things are doing."
