Six tips to grow your own house plants and save money

HOUSE plants are a home-maker’s must-have – but they can be pricey.

Growing your own though is cheap, easy and incredibly satisfying.

To fill your home with greenery and even grow great-looking presents, follow these tips. I’m rooting for you!

SOW YOUR OWN: Get Insta-worthy shelves dripping with house plants cheaply by plundering those of family or friends by taking cuttings to grow your own from.

Don’t get too hung up on whether a house plant is suitable for the chop. What’s the worst that can happen? Just give it a go.

HOW TO CUT: Advice from website suggests taking a cutting of 10-20cm from below a leaf joint.

Place it in a jar of clean water, which you keep topped up, and leave in a warm, bright position until roots start to grow.

Once the roots are established, plant it in compost and keep it moist.

DIVIDE AND CONQUER: By gently tearing a healthy, mature plant’s root ball into pieces and repotting each piece, they can become separate plants.

This works for plants such as peace lilies or most ferns.

POT LUCK: Grab yourself a gorgeous pot to gift your plants in. I can’t resist the blue storm pot from Dobbies, down from £5.99 to £2.99.

For a festive gift try the gold hammered planter from New Look, reduced from £7.50 to £2.99.

FLOWER POWER: Grow garden flowers such as snapdragons, marigolds or poppies from seed on a windowsill over winter ready for spring.

Use a fine compost and cover the pot with cling film or a pane of glass.

Once seedlings have leaves, plant them in small pots — clean yoghurt pots with holes in the bottom will do. When they are full of roots they should be ready to plant out.

GROW YOUR MONEY: If the growing goes well, you could consider selling your plants on your doorstep or via a local Facebook group. It could help you to grow a small savings pot.

• All prices on page correct at time of going to press. Deals and offers subject to availability.

Deal of the day

LOOK good in this jersey midi dress, down from £39 to £25.50 at JD Williams.

SAVE: £13.50

Cheap treat

THERE are new ranges at Sainsbury’s.

Enjoy Taste The Difference slow cooked pork belly, was £8, now £7.25, or By Sainsbury’s slow cooked Brazilian style coconut pulled chicken, £5.60, was £6.

Top swap