If you keep or have kept house plants, then you know that it is a costly venture. Nothing is ever going to change that, but I can show you how to make the hobby pay for itself. You do not need much to start out with; a few good houseplants,basic gardening tools, some tech knowledge and time.
The best types of houseplants to monetize are:
Snake plants: This fashionable house plants is great to make cuttings from, and can easily make you a few bucks in a few years.
Spider plants: This prolifically self replicating plant is enjoyable to watch and will make babies faster than you can keep up with.
Pothos: All varieties of pothos are quick to vine and the cutting will root quickly in water and when immersed in aquariums.
Succulents: Many succulents will quickly root when you cut them and propagate them in water.
After you cut and propagate your cuttings, you can sell them in a community marketplace, or give them away as gifts. Facebook marketplace and Craigslist are a good place to start to sell your propagated plants.
Some supplies you will need are:
Pots- 4-6″ pots are best to keep on hand. It is best to start out with a dozen or so of these to get you started.
Tubs- Large Rubbermaid shallow tubs are invaluable to have on hand for horticultural purposes. You can fill them with soil to mix, or water to water multiple potted plants at one time.
Soil- Premixed soil specific for your purposes is ideal, but it is also extremely useful to have several types of soil on hand to customize your soil blends. Yo should go for the houseplant blends, which already have the perfect measure of peat, perlite (white volcanic rock), and worm castings to accommodate spider plants and pothos. A cactus blend heavy in peat is great for succulents.
Seed starting trays: These trays are great for starting seeds in peat moss, and also for propagating plants in water. You just put a little water in the base and put plants in each cell.
If you prefer to mix your own soil blends, you will need peat, perlite, and worm castings. You will need a ratio of 2-1 and several handfuls of worm castings. For spider plants and pothos you need a very light soil mixture with the fertilizing worm castings mixed in.
Spider plant propagants are best when they are quite large and have visible roots. They can dry out if they do not have developed roots when you remove them from the mother plant. These do best when planted in a high peat mix and kept moist.
Pothos will respond well when cut and rooted in water. When you are cutting them, be sure to look for root nodules and cut accordingly.
Many succulents may be cut and propagated in water and will root fairly quickly. After they are rooted they do best in a peaty cactus mix.
All propagations will require a bight location or grow lights. Make sure to keep them in light so that can continue to grow and thrive.
After you have them cut, planted and placed them, it is time to photograph them.
Choose a nice clean area with a subtle background and plentiful lighting.
You can adjust the brightness and contrast of your photos to give them more clarity and make them more eye catching.
When you list the plants for sale, make sure to include care instructions such as watering frequency, soil preferences, lighting needs and re-potting times. Most plants will sell for $10-$15 each.
With some time, you can make enough money to support your hobby and share it with friends and family members. Happy growing!
The Holistic Family 