It’s the most creative time of the year! If you’ve ever strolled through the Dollar Tree or dollar aisle in December, you already know it’s FULL of little treasures just begging to be turned into adorable plant décor. For just a few dollars, you can turn everyday holiday items into festive plant picks, giving your indoor and outdoor containers the perfect seasonal sparkle. Whether you’re decorating your poinsettias, your kitchen herb pots, your succulents, or your winter porch planters… these DIY picks are fun, easy, and budget-friendly. Let’s get crafty! 🎁 𝟏. 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐢 𝐎𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 → 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐅𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐏𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐬 Those tiny ornament packs (usually 8–12 pieces for $1.25) are PERFECT for plant picks. 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦: 1. Grab a pack of mini ornaments. 2. Remove the hanging string. 3. Hot glue or twist-tie them onto: * bamboo skewers * chopsticks * wooden craft sticks * floral wire 4. Tuck into your holiday plants for instant charm. 𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫: * Poinsettias * Christmas cactus * Indoor herbs * Porch pots Choose red, white, silver, gold or mix textures for extra sparkle. 🍬 𝟐. 𝐅𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐲 𝐂𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐬 → 𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐛 𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐮𝐜𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐏𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐬 Dollar stores sell tons of plastic candy canes. 𝐌𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐢𝐭 𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞: * Glue a candy cane to a skewer * Add a bow * Insert into a pot for instant holiday cheer 𝐋𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬 𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐟: * Rosemary * Basil * Succulent arrangements * Small houseplants Bonus: Pets can’t eat the plastic ones (yay). ⭐ 𝟑. 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐢 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐦𝐚𝐬 𝐒𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐬 → 𝐂𝐮𝐭𝐞 𝐌𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐏𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐬 Dollar stores often have tiny wooden signs or tags that say things like: * “Joy” * “Believe” * “Merry & Bright” * “Peace” * “Jingle All the Way” 𝐓𝐮𝐫𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐬 𝐛𝐲: * Gluing them onto a dowel or stick * Adding ribbon or greenery * Poking into a holiday arrangement Perfect for gift plants, too! 🌲 𝟒. 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐢 𝐓𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐬 & 𝐁𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞-𝐁𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐡 𝐓𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐬 → 𝐖𝐡𝐢𝐦𝐬𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐏𝐨𝐭 𝐀𝐝𝐝-𝐎𝐧𝐬 Those adorable tiny trees? Yep — they make AMAZING plant picks. 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦: * Glue onto a skewer * Add to succulent bowls * Use in fairy garden-style pots

Nothing says “December comfort” quite like a warm mug of hot cocoa. But you know what makes it even better? Adding fresh, homegrown mint from your own container garden. Mint and chocolate were absolutely meant to be together, especially on a cold winter day. So in honor of National Hot Cocoa Day, let’s talk about how to grow your own mint indoors, harvest it all winter long, and elevate your cocoa to fancy-café levels. 🌱 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝐈𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐛 Mint is one of the easiest herbs to grow indoors in December because: ✔ It thrives in lower winter light ✔ Loves cooler temperatures ✔ Bounces back fast after harvesting ✔ Makes your house smell amazing ✔ Works in both soil and water (yep, you can root it in a jar!) If you’ve struggled with basil or rosemary indoors, mint is your redemption arc. 🪴 𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝐕𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐇𝐨𝐭 𝐂𝐨𝐜𝐨𝐚 🍫 𝐂𝐡𝐨𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐭 The BEST choice tastes exactly like a minty chocolate bar. Perfect for cocoa, brownies, cookies, and holiday treats. 🌿 𝐏𝐞𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐭 Classic, strong, refreshing flavor that’s perfect for December vibes. 🌱 𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐭 Sweeter and milder — great for those who like a softer flavor. 𝐏𝐆𝐒 𝐓𝐢𝐩: Growing more than one variety? Make a “Mint Trio” planter and taste-test them! 🌤️ 𝐋𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐢𝐩𝐬 (𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝐈𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐅𝐮𝐬𝐬𝐲!) Mint is surprisingly forgiving: 𝐍𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐬: * 3–5 hours of indirect sunlight OR * A small LED grow light for 6–8 hours 𝐆𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐬: * Kitchen windowsill * Bright bathroom * Anywhere near a north or east-facing window Mint tolerates lower light better than most herbs — a December champion! 💧 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 & 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐞 Mint likes 𝐦𝐨𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐬𝐨𝐠𝐠𝐲 soil. 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧: * The top 1 inch feels dry * Leaves begin to droop slightly * The pot feels light If using a grow light or the heater runs nonstop, you may water more often. Mint also loves humidity, so it pairs well with other herbs in group pots. 🪴 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐂𝐮𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 If you can’t find starter plants, you can still start mint today. 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞’𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐰: 1. Buy a fresh bundle of mint.

Hi all! We have a winner for our November giveaway. This month we were giving away a cute set of containers with drip saucers. Check out the video to find out who won. Sorry for the quality of this month's winner announcement - lots of technical issues today with my camera. Had to resort to recording with laptop camera. But we still have a winner!🪴

Your container garden has worked hard all season and now it’s time to reap the rewards! As Thanksgiving approaches, there’s no better feeling than walking outside, snipping a few herbs, or pulling a handful of fresh veggies from your pots to use in your holiday dishes. Whether your garden is on the porch, patio, or balcony, there’s still plenty to gather before winter settles in. 🌿 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐡 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐛𝐬 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞 🌿 𝐒𝐚𝐠𝐞 The star of the stuffing! Sage’s soft, silvery leaves add earthy flavor to turkey, potatoes, and roasted veggies. Clip the top few leaves and leave the rest. It’ll keep producing indoors if you bring it in before frost. 🌿 𝐓𝐡𝐲𝐦𝐞 A Thanksgiving workhorse that pairs beautifully with nearly everything from turkey, gravy, carrots, or even homemade bread. Snip whole sprigs, dry a few for later, and let the plant rest between harvests. 🌿 𝐑𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲 This hardy herb thrives in cool weather and fills the air with its piney scent. Use fresh sprigs to flavor roasted meats or to garnish your table décor. It transitions easily indoors if you want to keep it going through winter. 🌿 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐬𝐥𝐞𝐲 Often overlooked as “just a garnish,” parsley adds bright, fresh flavor to stuffing, soups, and sauces. Harvest the outer stems first and let new growth continue in the center. 🥕 𝐕𝐞𝐠𝐠𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 🥬 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐟𝐲 𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐧𝐬 (𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐜𝐡, 𝐀𝐫𝐮𝐠𝐮𝐥𝐚, 𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐧𝐬) These quick-growing greens love cool weather. Harvest outer leaves as needed for salads or sautés. The more you pick, the more they grow! 🥕𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐬 If you planted shorter or “mini” varieties in containers, now’s the time to pull them up! Cool soil makes them sweeter — perfect for roasting with a drizzle of honey. 🌶️ 𝐏𝐞𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬 Even if your pepper plants are slowing down, you can still pick the last few ripe ones. Dice them into stuffing or slice for a colorful side dish. 🌿 𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐎𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 They add fresh, mild flavor to mashed potatoes or soups. Snip what you need — the bulbs will regrow for a second harvest if the weather stays mild.

As the holidays approach, your container garden may be brimming with the last of autumn’s beauty with herbs, leafy greens, peppers, or even edible flowers. Why let all that goodness fade when you can bring it right to your table? With a little creativity, your porch pots can become the freshest, most flavorful part of your holiday feast. 🪴 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐩 𝟏: 𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐒𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 Cool-season crops and herbs are at their flavorful best in late fall. Look for: * 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐛𝐬: Sage, thyme, rosemary, parsley, and chives — the backbone of holiday cooking. * 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐟𝐲 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐧𝐬: Kale, spinach, arugula, and mustard greens — perfect for fresh sides or warm sautés. * 𝐑𝐨𝐨𝐭 𝐯𝐞𝐠𝐠𝐢𝐞𝐬: Carrots, radishes, and beets that have sweetened with the chill. * 𝐄𝐝𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐟𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐬: Calendula, nasturtiums, or pansies to decorate your dishes. Harvest gently and leave enough to keep your plants producing into early winter. 🌿 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐩 𝟐: 𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐚 “𝐊𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐧-𝐭𝐨-𝐏𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐡” 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 If your herbs and greens are thriving outdoors, move a few smaller pots closer to your kitchen door for easy access during the busy holiday season. Keep a “𝐜𝐨𝐨𝐤’𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐫” near the back door or porch with a few pots of sage, thyme, and parsley within arm’s reach to make last-minute garnishing simple (and impressive). 💡 𝑃𝑟𝑜 𝑇𝑖𝑝: Bring in small pots of herbs before the first hard freeze and you’ll enjoy fresh flavor all winter long. 🍽️ 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐩 𝟑: 𝐓𝐮𝐫𝐧 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐌𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐜 🧈 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐛 𝐁𝐮𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐁𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐝 Mix softened butter with finely chopped herbs (rosemary, thyme, sage). Spread on rolls, melt over roasted veggies, or use to baste your turkey. 🥗 𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐦 𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐝 Combine wilted spinach or kale with roasted carrots and radishes, a drizzle of olive oil, and a sprinkle of sea salt. 🌸 𝐄𝐝𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐅𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐆𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐡 Top desserts or salads with nasturtiums or pansies for a pop of seasonal color. 🌿 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐡 𝐓𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐃𝐞́𝐜𝐨𝐫 Don’t stop at food! Use trimmed herb sprigs and colorful fall leaves to decorate place settings or tie onto napkins with twine for a rustic, garden-inspired touch.