All the Smart (and Legal) Ways to Get Free Plants
Whether you’re a houseplant grower or an outdoor gardener, you probably know how quickly the costs of pots, soil, fertilizer, and tools can add up. And that’s without the plants themselves. Luckily, there are (legal) ways to get plants without shelling out a lot of money. Here are a few to consider.
Visit Plant Exchange
While you can certainly propagate your own plants by cutting and growing cuttings, if you want to add variety to your garden or houseplant collection, you may want to consider hosting or at least attending a plant exchange. This is exactly what it sounds like: each participant brings in at least one plant, whether it’s a cutting, a replacement plant, or a piece cut off from a larger group of perennials, and swaps it in for something new.
Join the seed market
Check with local gardening clubs or community gardens to see if they have an established seed exchange program, and if so, if they are accepting new members. This is a great way to save money and meet (and learn from) other growers in your area.
germinated plants
If you open your closet and find some garlic, shallots, ginger, or potatoes that you completely forgot about and have since sprouted, instead of throwing them away, plant them instead .
Use the seed library
Check out your nearest seed library, many of which are part of public library systems. Basically, it works like a regular library, except for a longer borrowing period. Just select the seeds you want to grow, grow them, and then collect the seeds from the plants at the end of the season and return some of them to the library.
Use the Buy Nothing Group on Facebook
Many neighborhoods now have “buy nothing” Facebook groups or Instagram accounts dedicated to free things to buy or find on the side of the road. They often include lists of plants, flowers, small trees and shrubs that people give away. Follow these accounts and check back often, because as soon as something good is posted, it quickly disappears.