We all need a little houseplant therapy during a year like this. It’s easy to feel stressed and overwhelmed by everything happening right outside our doors. Turning your home into a sanctuary is a direction many of us are taking.
As the pandemic drags on, I find myself looking to create a tranquil indoor space. The more green I’m surrounded by, the better! Keeping myself busy and caring for a living object like a plant really makes me feel grounded during times of uncertainty.
In this weekly blog series, I will be discussing all my experiences with buying, swapping and gifting. I will share with you how to find houseplants online specifically using social media!
String of Pearls
In part 1, I'll be sharing with you how I came to really love houseplants (obsessively so) plus how you can save money and find plants at reasonable prices. Even how to score a few freebies here and there!
How It Began...
The first houseplant that started it all was a lovely Jade pothos. It’s still thriving right now, just in a fancier pot! After that, I became absolutely fascinated with the glitz and glamour of String of Pearls. Now, I find myself seeking out a lovely Monstera plant I can call my own. The hunt is still on!
Pothos
My fascination with all things leafy led me right to, Facebook, specifically the group section. I noticed so many groups offering plant advice and help. I joined some and really started noticing different Facebook threads mentioning plant cuttings available for purchase.
More specifically, people willing to sell, trade or gift to other plant enthusiasts looking to expand their collections.
Bunny Ears Cactus
As plant parents, it’s so nice finding a community of people who are willing to offer tips. Some of the comments mentioned different groups that had the sole purpose of gifting, trading and buying.
Find Local Groups
Tip 1. When you use the Facebook search feature, look for plant groups that are specific to your area.
I'm from New England, so I came across a few really good ones that share tips on how to find plants in Massachusetts and the surrounding areas.
Boston Fern
New England Facebook Groups
-
New England Houseplant Enthusiasts
-
Massachusetts/New England Plant Swaps/Meetups
-
Southeastern MA Houseplants Buy, Sell & Trade
-
Boston Plant Swap
With the pandemic going on, many people offer contactless pickup right now with no interactions necessary for your safety. Some groups mention when and where there are plant sales and good deals going on in local stores and nurseries.
There's always a excellent chance you can get lucky and score some low cost plant cuttings or even freebies. Members are always looking for someone who's willing to give a plant a little love and care.
Monstera Cutting
Do you have a set budget?
Tip 2. Look for houseplant groups that are price specific. Many of the groups out there mention a certain budget - for example there are even groups that are $5 and under.
It's super helpful if you're looking to get a good deal and not spend a fortune. The more you get into this hobby, believe me, it can be easy to do!
Tradescantia
Budget Friendly Groups
-
Plant Purge USA $5 & Under
-
Plants/Cuttings for $5 & Under USA
-
$5 or Less Plant, Purges & Cuttings USA/Canada
-
Plant Purge USA $10 & Under
-
$15 or Less Plants Galore
It always feels nice when you have some leftover spending money to finally get that plant you've been looking for. I fall into the trap of becoming overzealous sometimes, and these low cost groups really help keep me in check.
Share The Love
Tip 3: There are so many groups out there with the intent of sharing and giving to others. It feels great to trade plants with people who love them just as much as we all do!
In a world that can be filled with so much negativity, it's amazing to see people who are so giving and willing to help out!
More Great Groups
Even though they aren't plant specific - look for a buy nothing group that is in your town. I found this really helpful. Sometimes people are looking to rehome plants and useful accessories like shelves and planters.
I also found another group dedicated to gardening in my hometown. You can sell, share and trade houseplants and other outdoor garden related items directly from your own yard.
Next In This Series
Each Saturday, I will share with you different plants I've received as well as my personal experiences with acquiring plants through the mail. I cannot wait to share more with you all!
Tune in next week - I will be sharing all about mystery boxes and plant cuttings! Getting mystery boxes as a newbie is so much fun. It has that exciting element of surprise!
A little preview of what's to come next week
I'd love to hear your thoughts on finding houseplants online.
Specifically - Do you have a houseplant that's sitting right at the top of your wishlist?
As always, thank you for reading and happy gardening. See you next week!
If you enjoyed reading this post, you might also like these:
17 Comments
Jeanne
November 1, 2020 at 5:31 pmGood post. I’ve gardened so much more this year because of covid, so I’ll guess that house plants will become a bigger thing this winter!
Genesis
October 30, 2020 at 11:34 amWow, I didn’t realize there were so many plant-trading groups online! These are some great tips. I love the idea of sharing our plants instead of buying them. Thanks for the ideas!
Yoalnda
October 30, 2020 at 10:16 amI’ve always wondered where to find plants online – not only to give but also for myself! What a good idea to find a group. I think exchanging cuttings would be amazing – for outdoor plants too. I need to look up some groups in my area. Great read – I want more plants now!!
Ivan Majhen
October 27, 2020 at 7:48 amMy wife has all these plants and I moan about it all the time. Sometimes it would be very expending but the home looks so much nicer and cosy.
Jennifer Van Haitsma
October 27, 2020 at 6:50 amThis is great! Gardening/plants are like therapy for my dad, but since he’s older, I’ve been trying to convince him to not go out as much. Thanks for the tips!
Elena Toma
October 27, 2020 at 4:57 amI love plants, and I can never have enough. My house is like a little jungle. I had no idea there are so many plant groups !
Denise
October 27, 2020 at 4:05 amThis is a really cool idea! I haven’t heard of groups swapping plants in our area but this is a great way to show love and support to one another especially in this time of pandemic. I know a lot of people who started venturing into this hobby since the pandemic began and I might consider venturing into this too. Thanks for sharing!
Gervin Khan
October 27, 2020 at 12:20 amGreat and useful tips. Having a connection with a certain group will really helps you a lot and I am glad that I don’t need to look for an online community group because I’ve been surround by many people who loves and know how to grow plants.. To be honest, they influence me a lot! LOL!
di
October 26, 2020 at 11:43 amOne of my favorite ways to get plants online is to put a request on social media. Sometimes a friend has plants they are willing to take cuttings from, and I get to drive by and should “hi” from my car lol.
Britt K
October 26, 2020 at 11:40 amIn response to the current situation, a group was started locally called ‘plant Ninja’. People would take the extra plants that they had and dropped them off for others as a surprise (sometimes with cute little gifts included). It has been great to see the community come together and do something to spread a little joy!
Lori Bosworth
October 26, 2020 at 9:35 amI never would have thought of groups that swap plants but that’s a great idea. I’m sure I have some neighbours nearby who would be interested in exchanging plants.
Lyosha
October 26, 2020 at 4:38 amGreat tips! I recently got my first houseplant ever and I love how it looks at home. very cute! swapping is a great way too
Laura
October 26, 2020 at 12:14 amI started buying plants during our lockdown and now I just want them all!! They make such a huge difference in your home!
Nicole Anderson
October 25, 2020 at 6:45 pmDuring this crazy time, I couldn’t agree more that having plants around (essentially bringing nature inside) is a great way to go to keep some serenity and sanity. However I honestly never thought of sourcing plants via social media but this article has really opened my eyes to this. What a great way to source what you need and even make contacts with others that have similar interests and can share advice.
Katie
October 25, 2020 at 12:51 pmthis is useful if i’m trying to send someone a gift! i am very good at killing my own plants because I overwater or underwater. My cat ended up eating the last plant I got, haha.