Little Free Plant Stands and other tips for Spring gardens

Many of you may have heard, seen–or even used–the Little Free Libraries. They are those small boxes erected in front of homes where neighborhood people deposit books to be given away for free to anyone who wants a book.

Then, recently I saw some Little Free Pantries. It’s a similar concept where non-perishable food is kept in a small box posted in front of a home or business or community center for anyone to take for free. (Here is a link to the post I wrote about little free pantries in Tucson.) Which bring this to the Little Free Plant Stands…

Swap your plants at a Little Free Garden Stand

This concept of hyper-local donation “boxes” has now extended to Little Free Plant Stands. It’s like a public neighborhood plant swap that operates by itself unattended. It’s an ideal way to freely exchange plants, etc. while maintaining social distancing.

As far as I know this movement does not have a national organization, unlike the Free Libraries or Free Pantries. I like that! It’s a purely spontaneous local activity by neighborhood gardeners and it seems to be proliferating like wild.

How to set up your own free plant stand

If you plan to set up one of these, you will probably need to “prime the pump”, so to speak, by placing plants, cuttings, seeds, old worn pots, gardening books or tools–whatever you have to spare–on the shelves of a little stand like this green one. This green “stand” is clearly home made and very charming. This generous gardener in Phoenix even added a bowl of freshly harvested lemons.

A plant stand doesn’t have to be elaborate. I saw another plant stand that was simply concrete blocks with painted boards laid across them–like a bookshelf, but filled with small plants and old pots. Definitely fast and easy to assemble.

If this inspires you to set up a stand similar to this, check out the growing number of Facebook groups in the categories of “Little Free Plant Stand” and “Little Free Garden Stand” for ideas and suggestions. You may even find some near you. But if you don’t, you can easily set up a FB group for your town or neighborhood to spread the word about your Little Free Plant Stand and to encourage other nearby gardeners to get involved.

Be mindful that your city or Homeowner’s Association may have rules about stacking stuff in front of your home. And it may turn out that you have more takers than givers and everything could be gone overnight.

One solution may be using “drinks cart” or tea cart with wheels that can be rolled out in front of a home during the day and back inside at sunset.

Free Flower pots

Keeping with the idea of free stuff for your garden this Spring, take a look at these “flower pots”–every one a conversion of an old object into a useful plant container instead of being tossed in the garbage. I especially like the last one in this slide show where all you need is a newspaper and some folding skills!

While you are out in the garden take a good look at your patio furniture. If it is looking drab or sun-bleached, you can revitalize old furniture–even those cheap and oh-so-useful plastic chairs–and refresh your outdoor living space for the cost of a can or two of spray paint.

Next, make this year the one you string white Christmas tree lights on the inside of your patio table umbrella to let you enjoy outdoor dining later into the night. Come July you will love it!

Happy Springtime!

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