How did I miss this thread?
~~~I have a 75-gallon rainbarrel and also sometimes use the garden cart and other water-proof containers to catch even more rainwater running off the carport. It has a metal roof and I think that source is "cleaner" than what comes from shingled roofs, etc.
~~~I make a lot of my own insecticides and sprays. Plain old inexpensive hydrogen peroxide can be used very effectively in the yard and gardens. I also use Dr. Bronner's Peppermint Liquid Castille Soap mixed with water in a spray bottle to make insecticidal soap very cheaply. A couple of Tbls. in a quart will do the trick. Other liquid soaps can be used as well, but apparently peppermint has some insect-repelling properties of its own.
http://www.using-hydrogen-pero...
~~~You can often scavage construction or demolition sites for materials you can salvage ... with permission, of course. Roofing jobs can yield lots of used asphalt shingles that can be laid down to make a weed-free barrier and walkway in the yard or garden. Just make sure to keep asphalt away from your edibles.
~~~Share the purchase of gardening magazines and books among your gardening friends rather than buying them all yourself. Or frequent the library. Some books and magazines are must-haves for me, but others I may look through a time or two or just use minimally for reference. They don't all have to live at my house. (Took me a long time to acknowledge and implement this one!)