Front Porch Plants

I had mentioned working on the front porch last week and thought I would share a few photos of the plants.  First up is the ferns.  If you will remember back in May I purchased a fern on clearance for $4 and divided it into three plants.  Here is the original picture when I divided it.

 

Here is one of the ferns now just over three months later.  It is now full and lush.  Not bad for less than $1.50 each.

Next up is a banana plant, which is a succulent and not a plant that will actually produce a banana.  I bought a cutting off eBay for a couple of dollars last year.  The cold got to it a bit, but it has since fully recovered.  I saw a plant about half the size of this one at a garden center for $12.  I have another decent sized one growing from a cutting I took.  Before winter I will take several cuttings off this one for more new plants - free with my original $2 investment.

I had two containers like this one with plants in them. 

The base of one of the planters had broken on one side.  When I repotted the plants, that side of the base crumbled completely.  I was going to toss it.  W offered a solution.  He turned it on its side, and the planter balanced perfectly.  I added some soil and planted some cuttings from another succulent.  Can you tell I love succulents?

Given a bit of time these cuttings will fill in the pot and begin to drap over the sides.  What might have been trash is now a nice addition to the porch.  Again a freebie since I already had the pot and took cuttings from my own plant. 

Those large plants sold at the garden centers look great and often have a price to match the size.  Consider buying a smaller version and adding a little patience.  You might also want to choose plants that can be divided or that you can take cuttings from.  That large fern will be divided again in the spring and will give me another plant at least.  Perhaps you have friends you can trade cuttings or extra plants with once or twice a year.  You can each get some new plants for free!