A gardener drew praise from commenters online after sharing an ingenious way to propagate plant cuttings using repurposed containers.
The scoop
In a video posted to TikTok, Felicia (@pothosiblyaboutplants) demonstrated how to use old spice jars and medicine bottles to propagate plant cuttings for a good cause.
"The perfect way to gift, sell or share cuttings," the video's first caption read.
@pothosiblyaboutplants Our local non profit animal rescue asked for plant donations to have a plant sale. I have been saving these bottles up for a while and thought it would be the perfect opportunity to get them out. I made these two weeks ahead of time. By the time I took them to the fundraiser today some of the Pothos and all of the prayer plants had already started to root. #p#pothospropagationw#waterpropagationc#cutediygiftsd#diygiftideasp#pothosp#philodendronh#houseplantclub#CapCut ♬ original sound - estwne
"Our local non profit animal rescue asked for plant donations to have a plant sale," explained Felicia. "I have been saving these bottles for a while and thought it would be the perfect opportunity to get them out."
In the video, Felicia took the clean, empty jars and bottles and filled them with a solution of water and hydrogen peroxide.
When asked by a commenter what ratio of water to hydrogen peroxide to use, Felicia responded, "Using 3% [hydrogen peroxide], add a teaspoon of peroxide per cup of water to the container to prevent microbial growth and keep water oxygenated."
After filling the containers with the water-peroxide mixture, Felicia covered the open top of each container with tape.
"Completely covered [with tape] helps prevent water loss when transporting and will help the cuttings hold in place," Felicia explained in the video.
Next, Felicia used a pair of scissors to poke a small hole in the middle of the tape, creating an opening large enough for a stem to slide through but small enough to hold it in place and prevent water from spilling out.
"Lastly, decorate [and/or] label the jars," Felicia concluded, showcasing a nicely labeled clipping jar.
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Every day 🥗 How it's helping
This clever hack combined several cost-saving measures into one. First, by reusing old spice jars and medicine bottles, Felicia saved the cost of buying new containers. This is particularly important since Felicia intended to give the clippings away, meaning they would not be able to reuse the same containers for future clippings.
Felicia saved even more money by propagating new plants from clippings rather than buying plants at a garden center. By repurposing containers they already had and using clippings from existing plants, Felicia was able to create a virtually unlimited number of free plants to give away as gifts or, in this case, to raise money for an important cause.
Beyond the cost savings, reusing single-use packaging keeps those containers out of landfills and helps prevent plastic waste from ending up in our waterways and oceans.
Similarly, propagating your own plants at home helps reduce the planet-warming pollution generated when transporting store-bought plants from farms to garden centers and from garden centers to your home.
What everyone's saying
Commenters were quick to applaud Felicia's brilliant move.
"Great idea," responded one TikToker.
"Awesome," applauded another.
Some commenters shared their own twists on Felicia's recommendations.
"I like to use Saran wrap and tape on top of the jars," chimed in one. "Also, Saran wrap and a rubber band."
In addition to reusing your single-use containers and propagating your own plant clippings, there are plenty of other ways to save or even make money while doing right by the environment.
For example, you can give your old stuff new life and make a few bucks in the process by selling your used clothes and electronics. In fact, you can earn money or store credits on all sorts of old possessions while you declutter your home.
Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
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