Starting hobbies can be intimidating, especially when it comes to cost. From investing money in supplies along with not wanting to fully commit from the get go, poses many questions on how to go about starting. How can I start a hobby in an affordable, smart, and sustainable way? My plant journey started this way and by discovering alternative options my collection effortlessly grew.

Beginning my plant journey, having to stick to minimal spending was important. Being in high school while saving all of my earnings meant working with limited disposable income. Figuring out how to affordably collect plants became a new challenge. Starting simply by collecting cuttings from friends and family gave me access to grow my own plants.  During this process, I became fascinated with water propagation and continued to collect and propagate plants. Looking for plants on Facebook marketplace, searching for plant swaps nearby, and attending greenhouse sales helped me grow my collection in a cost-effective way. This slowly grew my collection with spending little money.

Hobbies such as caring for houseplants typically will require lots of research, however, the more you learn the more confident you will be. Conducting research on the best ways to care for plants can also lead to continuous projects and experiments to do at home with your plants. For example, learning to propagate from cuttings, which in the long term has significantly benefited and helped grow my plant collection. Watching videos from https://www.youtube.com/c/Planterina, https://www.youtube.com/c/benjiplant, and reading articles from https://www.thespruce.com/houseplants-4127735 made information about plants enjoyable and motivating. Studying unfamiliar topics can be time-consuming, though the valuable knowledge will pay off in the long run.

Keeping plant collecting affordable and sustainable goes hand in hand. Being able to reuse items means rarely spending on unnecessary ones. Utilizing old containers for planters, repurposing jars for propagations, along with finding cheap pots second-hand kept costs minimal. Finding items you already have and giving them a second life for the time being shows you what supplies are really worth investing in. 

Knowing elements in my routine to advance such as; getting more light to my plants, promoting effective growth, and being more aware of when plants require watering were my goals. After time, eventually investing in items like grow lights, fertilizers, and moisture meters was my first step in reaching the goals for plant care. Ultimately using products to ensure the best for my plants felt special, as taking plant care to the next level resulted in flourishing plants. Balancing using sustainable supplies and saving for beneficial products kept my hobby affordable. 

Overall my journey taught me to be patient, research to find answers to my constant questions, and continue to learn from my mistakes. Currently, my collection would not be nearly as impressive without being curious and motivated to see what I am capable of. In addition, caring for houseplants has helped me incorporate a meditative practice into my routine, keeping me grounded and grateful. From one cutting 5 years ago to 55 plants and propagations today, never would I have imagined my collection and knowledge would develop so greatly. My journey has demonstrated how a small interest can develop into a significant part of my life. I am there for my plants as they are for me.

Comment and let us know how your plant journey started, and what you’ve learned!