Hide the Plant Saucer Inside the PotNot a fan of plant saucers? No problem, you can hide the saucer inside the pot! Here's a free way of making a saucer. Using any sturdy container that will fit inside your pot, like for me - a greek yogurt container. Then cut the yogurt container down. Place yogurt container inside and you're done.
Use a Plastic Plate Instead of Flower Pot SaucersAre your looking for a budget friendly alternative to pot saucers? Think plastic kid's plate! I recently was gifted this Castanospermum australe "Lucky Bean Plant". The cheapest saucers from Home Depot were 80 cents (very thin plastic) to $2.68 (still somewhat thin plastic) so I held off on purchasing a saucer.
Create a Humid Environment for PlantsPlace two same sized containers together with plant inside to increase humidity for tropical plants. This is a thrifty method instead of buying a humidifier. Also works for plants that you may purchase online and came from the mail - to help the plants adjust and recover from the transport!
Purple Wandering JewYou don't have to have a green thumb to grow Wandering Jew. I purchased this plant from Walmart in April. I have thinned it several times. I made a hanging basket and gave it to a friend, added a few sprigs around my Lantana plant and also pitched it over the deck railing behind a bush just to get rid of it. That little bit took root and it is spreading.
Turkey Baster for Watering HouseplantsI find that using an old turkey baster to water my houseplants keeps the leaves dry (which prevents mold and rot) and keeps me from overwatering smaller plants. I will even use a squirt from some of my fish tanks water occasionally for the fertilizing effect!
5 Tips for Winter HouseplantsHere are some tips for caring for houseplants during the winter.
1. Add coffee grounds into your potting soil to maintain moisture during the winter months.
2. Use your cooled veggie water to give your houseplants some natural fertilizer.
Read on for more.
Moving Houseplants to Your New HomeI moved my mother from Wisconsin to Dallas in December years ago and she wanted to take her houseplants. We made a small section in the back seat and stacked the the pots on each other and then secured them by putting boxes around them to keep them in place. I also covered them with a sheet to keep them warm.
Use Pecan Shells For Potted Plant DrainageIf you have a pecan tree, or if you buy pecans in the shell during the holidays, you can put those shells to good use.
Avoiding Messy Plant Clean-upCaring for your treasured plants can be a messy job with the water spillage, and the pruning, and all the dead leaves. I avoid this mess by inverting an umbrella under the plants I am working on to keep all the plant cuttings/dried up leaves off the floor and furniture.
Avocado Pits in Egg CratesIt is that time of year when I get the wonderful spring fever and want to start growing things. Here are a batch of avocado pits sitting in their own pods made from foam egg crates.
Fish Food for HouseplantsPlants seem to thrive on fish food mixed into soil. It's cheap and easily obtainable.
Grow Air Plants as HouseplantsIf you are like me and live in a small space where all of your shelves are constantly covered in clutter, then you know how frustrating it is to try to grow house plants. I have found the perfect solution.
Plant Shine SubstituteMost homemade plant shine formulas call for a mixture of mayonnaise and a little cooking oil. Mayonnaise contains egg. I don't like the idea of a layer of egg sitting on my houseplants. At some point, it must begin to smell and I would think it would be an attractant to flies and other insects.
CD Case Plant DisplayUse a spare CD case, add some soil and a seed, close it and leave it by a bright window. A pretty plant will sprout and grow! Great for a child's learning project or even a pretty, natural window ornament!
Watering Plants When AwayIf you need to go away and have some plants that will need special care, try this method.
Use Baking Sheets Under Potted PlantsPut your potted plants on your old cookie or baking sheets with rims around them to catch any water that might leak from your potted plants.
Coffee to Revive a Dying PlantBrew some coffee. Let the "used" coffee grounds cool about an hour or so. Pour some on top of the plant soil. Pat it down gently and water plant.
Start Avocado in Existing PotI took the pit right from the avocado and planted it with my tropical plant. It is flourishing so far. I guess I need to mist it. I will stake it up if it seems to lean but so far it hasn't.
Frozen Bottles for Watering Hanging PlantsFreeze water bottles with either plain water or water with diluted plant food. Once frozen, open the cap and invert the bottle into your houseplants. The ice will melt slowly and drip into the plant and soak the soil rather than pouring through and out the drainholes.
Keeping Cats Out Of HouseplantsI recently adopted two male cats from a shelter. They are about two years old and are well behaved in every aspect except one started using my large potted houseplants as a litter box. After researching various remedies on line, I bought a bag of "rough" decorative gravel/rocks from Home Depot for about $5....
Watering Plants While Away from HomeIf I am going away for a weekend, I worry about my 'plant friends'. I either leave them in a dishpan 1/2 filled with water, water the plants thoroughly then add a few ices cubes to the top of the soil to melt slowly, or use this little trick I created!
Use Tape to Remove Bugs from PlantsIf you notice bugs on your plants, get as many off as you can using regular cellophane (Scotch) tape before treating with bug spray. Works like a charm!
Using Antique Plates as Plant SaucersI found some really pretty glass plates at a resale shop that I just had to have. A number of my houseplants were in need of saucers. I find the plastic ones or even the clay ones to be kind of ugly.
Using Cake Stands for PlantsI have purchased a few cake stands over the years that I really like. The problem was that I didn't really need them. So I decided to use them as plants stands.
Decorating Houseplants With ToysI love plants in my home, especially herbs that I can use all year long! I had a small child's toy bear that I added to my bonsai plant and really liked the look! So I went to garage sales and found other animals that would look good in my plants, all just for fun!
Show No Dirt Planter For Your KitchenHaving plants in my kitchen is a must, but I do not like looking at the dirt in the pot. If you dry apple slices and string them with wire, they can surround your plant to not show the dirt.
Cleaning Houseplants EasilyClean house plant leaves using a sock. Slip your hand into the sock. You are able to clean the top and bottom of the leaves at the same time. I always use milk to clean the leaves. Makes them really shiny.
Keep Plants Watered While AwayIf you are going away and need plants watered, just fill a diaper full of water. Set it in your pot, and put soil on top of diaper. Your plants will stay moist while you are away
Recycled Self Watering Container for Indoor...This easy recycled planter would be a great summer craft for kids but is also a very effective way to keep your houseplants from drying out.
Natural Prop for House PlantsThis is a strange time of year for my amaryllis to be blooming. I've had it in the basement, noticed it was growing and brought it upstairs.
Use Distilled Water For HouseplantsWater your houseplants with distilled water. There will be no salt residue on the pots or the plant. Better for the plant and it is cheap.
Cute Recycled Windowsill PlantersWith the cold weather, I do my gardening indoors. I use cute planters from thrift shops like coffee mugs, porcelain creamers, or ceramic pots that strike my fancy.
To Go Coffee Cup to Water PlantsThese replicas of paper cups are popping up all over the place. I got mine at the Dollar Tree. Besides being great for the car, I found another use for them.
Reusing Plastic Lids Under Potted PlantsI realized this morning, that my coffee can lid, which used to go in the recycle bag, was perfect for going under a flower pot to catch any water. Then I realized that there are different sizes of plastic lids, and some are solid colors.
Dish Soap To Clean HouseplantsI've read many tips that say to use banana skins or mayo to clean houseplants. I don't like using these or any other such thing on my plants because they leave a coating on the leaves which can block them from getting air and/or water.
Castor Oil For Christmas CactusIf you add 2 Tbsp. of castor oil around the roots of a Christmas cactus in October, it will bloom in December.
Jell-o For HouseplantsAdd a few teaspoons of powdered jell-o into the soil of houseplants. The nitrogen in the gelatin enhances new growth. Also reduces how often the plant needs watering.
Encouraging Houseplants to BloomThe number one cause of failure to bloom is insufficient light. So if your houseplant isn't flowering, then your first move should be to increase the light level.
Fat Separator For Watering House PlantsThe fat separator I use has a long spout which I have found handy and useful to water my house plants. I really appreciate double duty gadgets.
Buy Discounted Flowers and HouseplantsA few years ago while shopping in the grocery store, I passed by the florist area, and there was a bedraggled rose in a two inch pot for fifty-nine cents. I am no gardener, but I bought it anyway.
Squeeze Bottles to Water PlantsMy house plants and some of my outside planters are hard to water without spilling water everywhere when getting to the center of the plants. I have been rinsing out my dish soap bottles really well and using them.
Squeeze Bottle for Watering PlantsSave your liquid dishwasher squirt bottles and use them for watering your plants. Just wash them out well, refill with plain water, and squirt it where you want to water. This is also a great way to water hard to reach areas.
Diapers for Potted PlantsBefore planting your hanging baskets, window boxes, or tomato plants go and buy cheap pack of diapers, open one up, and place in the bottom of the container.
Wine Bottle To Water PlantsMy indoor plants need frequent watering and often get wilty before I get a chance to water them. I found a great way to keep them more hydrated and water less often - wine! Well, wine bottles that is.
Homemade Plant RisersDon't ever put your potted plants directly on the floor. Eventually, water begins to collect under the drip pan and damage the floor.
Plastic Pie Liners Under PlantsThe plastic pie liners that come on top if graham cracker pie crusts are wonderful to put under your potted plants as drip pans. They are sturdy enough to keep the drips from getting on the table or wherever the potted plant is.
Wipe Houseplant Leaves With Banana PeelTo keep the leaves of houseplants shiny and dust free, wipe them with a banana peel.
Plant Grapefruit Seeds As HouseplantsFor some cold weather greenery that will brighten the house and last all winter, try filling a flat pan with rich dirt and thickly planting the container in grapefruit seeds buried one half inch deep.
Tent Plants in Plastic Wrap When On VacationI have many houseplants and I have found an excellent way to keep them from drying out when we go on vacation. Water plants first, then tent smaller house plants with plastic wrap.
Watering Houseplants On VacationIf you are going on vacation, water plants in an enclosed porch, with shutters down.
Propagating SucculentsSucculents like jade plants are VERY EASY to propagate. Just break off a twig of the succulent and stick into soil and voila! Nine out of ten times, it takes root!
Give Plants Vitamin TabletsI went through the house and gave each one of my houseplants one or two vitamin tablets depending on the size of the pot. They went wild! In just a couple of days I was seeing fresh green color and new growth.
Use Aquarium Water For PlantsDirty fish tank water makes great plant food. Instead of pouring all those great nutrients down the drain use it to make your plants look great.
Water House Plants in the BathtubWe have quite a few houseplants scattered throughout our home. To streamline things for our house sitter during our absences, I now place the plants in our bathtub.
Recycling PoinsettiasThe holidays are all done and the pretty poinsettias are put away. My church had decorated the stage area with these beautiful 3 foot high poinsettias. I called my church to ask what they were going to do with them after the celebrations were over.
House Plant MakeoverUse artificial foliage/flowers to fill in ugly bald spots. I have one plant in the hall that uses fake birds of paradise to hold it up, and I filled in bald places on our hanging fern with foliage I picked up at a yard sale.
Sharing Plants and CuttingsAll of these plants were donated to me by a fellow Thrifty Fun member. All of these were taken directly from her grounds. They are doing great and are a fabulous starting point for me!
Use Yarn to Wick Water to HouseplantsTo keep house plants watered while on vacation is quite simple. Place A bowl of water near plants with yarn running from the water to a hole made in the dirt with the other end of the yarn buried.
Dollar Store PlantsBuy plants at the 99 cent store. Save money and enjoy new plants all the time.
Use Tin Foil to Deter Cats from House PlantsI have read questions on how to keep cats out of your house plants. Simple, use tin foil. Lay tin foil around the plant on the dirt. Don't push it down onto the dirt or you will start to get some mold. Just lay it on top. Your cats will hate it, and your plants will be fine.
Plate GardensThey are easy and fun and require basically what you can find around your home and yard. Use old clay or ceramic plates, soil, small rocks or pebbles, dried flowers, sand, moss, etc., to create little faerie gardens or as my daughter calls them "Ladybug Gardens.
Use Your Microwave to Sterilize Your Garden Pots and SoilI am repotting a few plants and starting some new cuttings to give as holiday gifts. To make sure I am not bringing any insects or fungus into the new soil (new but stored in the garage), I fill the pots and microwave them for a few minutes until very hot.
Air Purifiers That Run on Sunshine and WaterAs much of the country prepares to move indoors for the winter, air quality becomes a concern. Air purifiers are expensive to run not only due to electrical needs but also due to the cost of filters.
How To Grow Healthy African VioletsWant to keep your African violet healthy? Follow these tips. Keep the temperature in your home between 65 to 85 degrees. The east window is the best lighting for African Violets, they need lots of light but not direct sunlight.
Handy Prop for House PlantsIf you have house plants with thin vines that do not stand up with a stick, I have used a wooden 5 fingered back scratcher to hold these vines up. Put the fingers upward and the vines slide nicely between fingers.
Mayonnaise To Clean Plant LeavesApply mayonnaise to your plants to clean them and make them shine beautifully.
Houseplants That Are Easy to GrowWhat houseplants would be easy to grow? I have a little sun exposure, and I have not had good luck with plants. They always die, except for aloe vera.
Group House Plants TogetherGroup House Plants Together. House plants like to be in groupings, perhaps they create their own little garden atmosphere that way. Try to have several plants together instead of isolating them.
Free Fertilizer With Leftover TeaWant to enjoy that cup of tea and get free fertilizer in return? Then don't throw away that leftover cup or teapot of tea (the one without sugar and cream) as they make excellent fertilizer for your greens. . .
Drinking Water for PlantsIt's easy to remember to water your houseplants if you use the remainder of your drinking water on them. And the water that's been standing around has less chlorine and better for them, too.
How to Water Potted Plants and Dish GardensPut the pot/plant and all in a larger bucket or pan, slowly fill it with tepid water. If the plant is very dry it will be light and you will have to hold it down in the water. Let the water wash over the soil in the pot at least 2 - 3 inches above the soil. . .
Getting Rid of Bugs on House PlantsTo get rid of any kind of bugs on house plants use regular dish soap and warm water. Spray on leaves and the top of soil 1-3 times per week and you will be bug free. It also leaves the foliage looking dust free and happy!
Replacement for Pebbles at the Bottom of a PotFor indoor gardening, it can be a nuisance to find some pebbles to place over the drainage holes of a plant pot. Use a coffee filter instead.
Getting a Hoya to BloomIf you are having trouble getting a Hoya to bloom, try it directly in a west window and remember when it does bloom, let the blossoms fall as another will take it's place in the same spot on the vine.
Cold Tea for PlantsDo you feed cold tea to your plants? They love it and it is a good way to use up leftover tea from your teapot.
By Bev Sobkowich
Coffee Filters for Potted PlantsUse coffee filters in the bottom of flower pots to keep soil from running out when watered. I use several in mine since they do decompose over time, but by then the roots should be holding in most of the dirt or its time for you to replant anyway.
Aspirin for PlantsWith regular doses of aspirin - every two months - indoor and outdoor plants will grow more, bloom better, and have fewer fungus and pest problems. Aspirin prevents plants from producing a substance that hastens aging or wilting.
Reducing Weight of Large PotsWhen filling huge flowerpots, reduce the weight and the amount of soil you need by filling the bottom with recycled Styrofoam peanuts or even chunks of Styrofoam. I get pieces when I need them from the dumpster behind a furniture and accessories store.
Don't Over Water Your Indoor PlantsYou can love your plants to death. Over watering can do them great harm, almost a sure death for them.
Watering Hanging House PlantsWater hanging plants with a few ice cubes, rather than the watering pail. The cubes will melt slowly and will be absorbed whereas water poured in often runs straight through and pours out.
Coffee Grounds and Egg ShellsDon't throw away your coffee grounds or egg shells, instead as you turn the potting soil in your house plants, add the grounds and shells for healthier house plants.
Avocado Pit to House PlantAfter removing the pit from an avocado, don't throw it away. Wash the pit. Stick three toothpicks around the pointy upper third of the pit. Then fill up a jar water and rest the avocado pit on the rim.
Refresh Your House PlantsTake advantage of a light rain and set your houseplants outside. Just like giving them plant food and you don't have to pay for it. Helps keep the plants clean, too!
