How To (Actually) Save Money On Plants
“How much have you spent on plants this year?”
“Yes.”
You know the moment. Someone asks what you’ve spent on houseplants and you pause. Not because you’re embarrassed, but because, truthfully, you’ve lost count.
Maybe it started with a £7 baby pothos. Then £12 on a bag of soil that claimed to solve all your problems. Then £25 on a grow light that now lives on the floor because you never got around to mounting it.
It adds up (quietly and quickly).
And it’s not just the plants. There’s a whole jungle of hidden extras that come with the hobby.
But don’t worry, if this all sounds familiar, I’ve also included a bunch of ways to save money at the bottom of this email. Keep reading.
Here’s a look at what it really costs to build your indoor jungle:
Soil and Substrates
One bag of potting mix? Cute.
Next thing you know, you’ve got perlite, orchid bark, coco coir, horticultural charcoal, and a mini trowel set.
You try mixing your own blend, and now your hallway looks like a potting shed.
Pots and Planters
There’s always one more plant, and never quite the right pot.
You tell yourself you’ll keep it simple. But then the terracotta ones don’t match the ceramic ones, and the pink one from last year clashes with your Monstera’s new leaf.
So you buy more. It’s a cycle.
Grow Lights
“Just one to help my Alocasia through winter.”
Cut to your entire living room glowing purple like a futuristic plant disco. Grow lights are incredible, especially during dark months, but they’re not always cheap. And finding the right grow light is a whole other story.
Humidity Gadgets
You never thought you’d care about humidity. Now you’ve got a humidifier, a hygrometer, and a weird obsession with the forecast. Some plants are just divas like that.
Fertiliser, Tools, and Treatment
Neem oil. Seaweed spray. Rooting hormone. Liquid fertiliser. Slow-release pellets. You don’t know when it happened, but somehow you’ve built a small laboratory in your cupboard.
And then… impulse buys
The garden centre trap.
You went in for compost. You came out with a Syngonium, three pots, and a trailing plant whose name you had to Google.
It happens to the best of us.
How to Save Money Without Sacrificing Your Jungle Dreams
It doesn’t have to bankrupt you. Here are a few simple ways to keep costs down while keeping your plants (and your joy) alive:
1. Facebook Marketplace is your best friend: People give away pots, shelves, old grow lights, and even plants, especially when they move house or run out of space. You just have to be quick.
2. Propagation is free: One plant can become five. Suddenly, you’re the generous friend handing out cuttings like party favours. All it takes is a pair of scissors and a little patience.
3. Split the essentials: Share big bags of soil or fertiliser with a fellow plant lover. You’ll both save money, and it’s way less messy than doing it all yourself.
4. Upcycle your pots: Old mugs, tins, candle jars, if it holds soil and has drainage, it’s fair game. Not everything has to be picture-perfect.
5. Go slow: You don’t have to build a jungle overnight. Some of the best plant collections are built slowly, one cutting at a time.
So yes, the costs can creep up.
But when you’re surrounded by happy, thriving plants that you’ve nurtured yourself?
Totally worth it.
