Garden shopping has an odd little calendar of its own. September and October can bring clearance prices on tools, pots, hoses, raised-bed supplies, and other gear as stores make room for the next season, while spring brings fresh inventory and plenty of choices. The smartest answer usually involves doing both, rather than filling the garage with enough gardening equipment to open a small hardware store.
The real question involves more than today’s price tag. Gardeners also need to consider storage, product quality, how soon they will use the item, and whether waiting could leave them hunting through picked-over shelves in spring. A bargain that spends six months in a damp shed may look considerably less brilliant when April arrives.
