I have a few houseplants that multiply like rabbits. I don't have room to bring all of them in for the winter & I don't have the heart to leave them outside to freeze.

Anyone else have this problem?

Extremely. That's how I ended up with group pots.

Wow! You have some nice plants, Tiffany

Even with group pots, I don't have room

I have C. fragrans that I call 'my monster plant' that has creeped its way into 5 or 6 pots

A Zebrina inch plant that's make it's way into probably more than 6 pots & attached itself to the ground.

And a mother of thousands that's made it's way into just about every pot I have

Thank you very much!

It can be hard to pick just the best copies of stuff. I struggle with declaring "that's enough" and end up with stuff everywhere. The winter appearance of copies that didn't score a spot near a window can end up looking pretty terrible but are still bigger (and free) starts for next year than what would be available @ a store. If you don't expect much of plants that are only inside to survive, the range for disappointment is reduced, vs. expecting all of the plants to continue looking just like they did in the ideal conditions of outside.

If it helps, the MOT won't be happy anywhere but right next to a sunny window. Keeping more than that will just result in floppy, stretched plants that are very hard to acclimate to direct sun next year. The other two you mentioned don't need much sun to stay alive for a few months of winter, but I would try to put the most robust C. fragrans near a window to make sure I get some blooms.

Hanging pots can help cram stuff by windows above pots on a table.

If you need to squeeze more than that, you can cut C. fragrans and T. zebrina stems, stick 'em in water and they can stay that way until spring.

My spider plants multiplied a lot before, so I gave away many of them here with other NGA members.
Or I give some to local friends who may want to try them.

The winters are so long here & idk anyone in 'real life' who wants anything to do with any kind of plants. I have lights set up on a shelving unit but have way too many plants to fit them all on it.

Some of my other plants have only been in for a week or two & are already suffering from the dry heat indoors. I have a white hummingbird tree that I would have loved to give someone but it's taller than I am & I wouldn't know how to ship it. It's losing all of its leaves already

If anyone would like any of the 3 I mentioned above I'd gladly send them for shipping rather than let them die.

My spider plant limped through last winter but somewhat recovered. I have a lot less room this winter as I'm having to move into a small room that's full of my fathers things. I managed to get 11 pots in there. Not much room to walk in this house

The inn room has a lot of windows but I think they are north facing windows.

Post photos of the plants you wish to give away for postage so they can treemail you.

Zebrina inch plant


C. fragrans


Mother of thousands

Nice looking plants. : ) Can you trim the tree? I have to trim my potted trees often or they would get too big to bring inside.

The tree is just basically a stem with 2 branch's but is losing all of its leaves

Depends on your definition of extra:)

Some I stash away as mothers, to give them a chance to grow out before being cut back (pothos and chlorophytums).

Some I sell at the store (plectranthus, pothos, etc...)

And I give away a huge number to employees and customers and friends.

Our local VA has a greenhouse that propagates houseplants to give away to veterans, families, employees, and volunteers. All my extras go there, I never run out of room. It's been great fun!

You can always start free plant swap gathering in your area, use social media to promote it. A gal in my city started this last spring, bi-monthly Saturday morning gatherings. It has been a great success, I don't need more plants, but makes me feel good to give them away to a loving home.
I give away to neighbors, friends and family also.

I can relate to the cramming in the last pic. Hopefully the tree is just going dormant. If so, that may make it easier since it would be OK in a dim corner. It looks like there's plenty of room around the base where a lot of your extra Callisia & T. zebrina could go, to reduce the number of pots. If you try that, maybe put the pot on something to raise it up so there is more light at the pot/soil level. The other pot to the right looks like it has space to share also.

purpleinopp said: I can relate to the cramming in the last pic. Hopefully the tree is just going dormant. If so, that may make it easier since it would be OK in a dim corner. It looks like there's plenty of room around the base where a lot of your extra Callisia & T. zebrina could go, to reduce the number of pots. If you try that, maybe put the pot on something to raise it up so there is more light at the pot/soil level. The other pot to the right looks like it has space to share also.

Thank you. I overlooked those two pots because they are trees

MsDoe said: Our local VA has a greenhouse that propagates houseplants to give away to veterans, families, employees, and volunteers. All my extras go there, I never run out of room. It's been great fun!

A most thoughtful and beautiful idea! 💝

The plants that don't fit well in my house, I take to work- public library. It's a lifesaver for me! My manager loves them, but some others refuse to have plants. If by chance you see any plants at your library, consider asking there. Or anyplace you see plants that don't seem professionally managed like a shopping mall is.. there's a chance it is a plant addict supplying them.

Depending on your area, you might be able to do FREE on the curb.

Thing that slows me down is, how much do I want to invest in pots and soil just to make a 'free' plant for someone. But I re use soil and get some pots from other gardeners.

I have rooted many plants to give to coworkers and some go to library customers. Purple oxalis always gets raves and requests.

When certain plants get big, sometimes I get heartless and just start new smaller ones. As long as I carry on a portion, I can grow it big again later. That is my method for purple and silver inch plant- it looks horrible to me when it is stringy over winter. But it survives, I throw it outside and whoosh..

One of few patches of Callisia fragrans. I cut the nicest looking stems to make a pot of it to bring inside to have some blooms, but 90% of it will become part of the mulch soon. The roots seem to be hardy but it is definitely not evergreen here.

You mention selling at the store, do you have your own little shop? I am trying to get our business going and I think I will be so excited when I get that first sale. Anywho, so far I just have a house full of plants and list my extra plants for sell. I cannot wait to buy another greenhouse for this spring to have plenty of space!

Humboldt said: Depends on your definition of extra:)

Some I stash away as mothers, to give them a chance to grow out before being cut back (pothos and chlorophytums).

Some I sell at the store (plectranthus, pothos, etc...)

And I give away a huge number to employees and customers and friends.

I give them to friends who are known plant addicts. This year, mostly suculents, some ginger. They all ggrow large so have to advise friends of that and because all love light, have to be sure they have windows on south side to keep them from getting leggy.