No-cost or very low-cost plants, pots, and other necessary accessories are plentiful if you know where to look for them. My current houseplant tally stands at 57, for which I shelled out (to the best of my recollection) a grand total of $48, and of all the pots they live in, I have paid for exactly two of them. Granted, you’re not going to spot many exotic or über-trendy species in my home, nor do my pots, plant stands, watering cans, and misters look like they’re sourced from a West Elm or a museum gift shop. What my plants and I lack in au courant aesthetics, though, we make up for with green-thumb gumption. I love doting on my houseplants to keep them happy and healthy; when they are, they’re more likely to yield cuttings that I can propagate into more plants, thus making me less inclined to splurge on new plants at retail prices. For a tightwad like me, it’s the circle of life.
If you’re looking to ramp up your passion for houseplants on the cheap, here’s how I’ve nurtured mine for next to nothing, along with suggestions from three knowledgeable sources that I’ve long turned to for advice: Jane Perrone, author of the upcoming book Legends of the Leaf: Unearthing the Secrets to Help Your Plants Thrive; Sarah Gerrard-Jones, author of The Plant Rescuer: The Book Your Houseplants Want You to Read; and Wirecutter associate staff writer Ellen Airhart, who writes a DIY gardening column for Popular Science.
