If you’re like the vast majority of plant fanatics, you tend to lose money with your houseplants, not actually make any of it! If you are wondering how to make money with houseplants then read on – we have a good few ideas for you to see if you can make your millions.
What You'll Learn Today
How To Make Money With Houseplants?
Making money from houseplants can be a bit of a slow burner, but it can be a very useful sideline, especially in these expensive times.
Getting an income from plants generally involves selling them, so it is a good idea to take cuttings from your existing houseplants and grow them on.
Have a look around on social media, and check what sort of things people are buying, and the general consensus on price.
Research the most expensive houseplants and consider selling these – you can just get one “mother” plant and take cuttings to sell.
Ensure that your prices are competitive – yes, you want to make money, but take care that you do not price yourself out of the market.
Make sure that you are selling quality plants – word of mouth is a great resource, so if you gain a reputation for selling strong, healthy plants then your customer base will grow.
Find out the best ways to ship your plants. Some young plants can be very fussy, so you will need to make transporting them as stress-free as possible so they arrive in the best condition.
Making money from houseplants is very possible, with a little work on your part. It may start slow, so don’t lose heart!
If you want to get some ideas on how to make money from houseplants, check out this video:
Is It Legal To Sell Plants From Home?
It is perfectly legal to sell plants from your home, whether from a stall outside or by advertising online or locally.
The only thing you must watch out for is the type of plants that you are selling – some very rare ones will need a license to sell.
Also, check the plants that you are selling are not rare or endangered, and you should never take plants from the wild to sell on yourself.
Which Plant Is Best For Selling?
Obviously, the plants that are the best ones to sell are the ones that are most expensive to buy in the shops.
If you come across a large, expensive plant that you know you can take cuttings from, think of it as an investment.
You get to keep the main plant, and use its offshoots to make money to buy MORE expensive plants. It’s a win all round!
You can often find cheaper versions of expensive plants if you look around the “reduced” section of plant shops – these are often plants that need a little TLC and are therefore cheaper.
Finding out the sort of plants that people want to buy is another key to successfully selling plants – it’s no good starting out only to find no one wants what you’re selling!
The time of year may influence the best plants for you to sell – in the spring and summer, why not sell vegetable seedlings? Everyone loves a roadside stall filled with tomato plants!
What Is The Value Of The Houseplant Market?
We all love our plants, don’t we? Knowing this, it shouldn’t surprise you that the value of the houseplant market is pretty huge!
As long ago as 2022, the houseplant market was worth a whopping USD 10.2 billion. Makes the extra money you spent on that fancy plant seem like nothing, doesn’t it?
With inflation, the value of the houseplant market (as well as just about everything else) is only going to increase.
You can get in on this wealth too – just do a bit of research, grow healthy strong plants, and find your market to sell them.
How Do You Package Plants?
If you are getting into the business of selling plants online or from your home, you will need to know how best to package them so that they arrive in their best condition.
Obviously, the best thing is to let people come to your house and purchase your plants directly from yourself, but you may find yourself a wider audience if you advertise online.
Packaging plants so that they stay healthy on their journey, and arrive alive, is absolutely key – you can’t jus throw them in the postbox and hope for the best!
- Most plants are shipped as “bare roots” instead of in pots. Remove the plant from the soil, having watered it 5-6 hours previously.
- Gently shake off any excess soil, and ensure that the roots are kept in a dark place until they are ready to be packaged.
- Soak around 5 sheets of newspaper so they are wet, but not dripping. Wrap this around the roots to keep them moist, and leave the foliage exposed.
- Place the covered end of the roots into a compostable waterproof bag and wrap it around gently – there must still be enough space to allow air to get in, so don’t tie it shut.
- Gently squeeze excess air out of the bag, then place the plant into a sturdy cardboard box that will keep it protected during transit.
- Seal the box very well, using strong packing tape. Cover all the seams of the box with the tape, to prevent anything from leaking.
- After you have affixed the correct postage, write “Plant – Fragile” in a visible place on the box, so that handlers know to take care with the parcel.
This article shows you how to package both bare roots AND potted plants.
Final Thoughts
Houseplants can be a pretty expensive hobby – but you can turn it around and actually use them to make money too.
Don’t give up the day job just yet – but if you work on growing the more expensive plants then you can make a business out of it.
