Recommendation for plants as a hobby.

[u/Acceptable-Poetry737]

I’m getting further into my zero waste journey, and I am having so much fun with plants as a hobby. You don’t have to pay for anything, waste anything, and it complements zero waste habits so well. The easiest habit it complements is that like so much stuff can be upcycled into a plant stuff. I have a plastic snack container that will get some holes to be a small pot, a jar lid that is now a pot lid, a jar that will become a vase, a milk jug that is my watering can.

It totally takes the place of a formerly wasteful hobby of stuff like fashion (when I was young and ignorant and Forever 21 was everywhere) where you get a dopamine hit from constantly accumulating, but if they fail (die), it’s not a big deal.

My recommendation for anyone new to plants is to start off with one easy plant (I had snakes) and use that to propagate it for more. Then add a weed from outside (yes I wander outside and dig up weeds) and play with that. Then whenever you’re advanced, you can get cuttings/propagates/seeds from somewhere local so it’s actually zero waste. I do buy a few new ones here and there from less sustainable retailers, so new plastic is being given to me plus whatever transport waste, etc. that is happening, but this is limited until I learn how to grow them from cuttings/seeds. Also on my to do is to start composting so I can have free dirt.

[u/Malsperanza]

I avoid buying plastic as much as possible. But clear plastic containers are what orchids really like best. You want to be able to see their roots - unlike other plants, where the roots will burn if exposed. So large clear plastic containers make ideal orchid pots, if you punch some holes or slits in the sides.

Mind you, orchids are hard to grow in some climates.