How to Sell Plants at a Garage Sale (Easy Tips)

Have you ever thought of selling plants at your garage sale? Don’t assume yard sales are just for outgrown kids clothing and unused kitchen gadgets. If you have a green thumb or excess perennials in your yard, selling plants from home can certainly make you extra cash. I will tell you easy tips on how to sell plants at a garage sale.

Overview of How to Sell Plants at a Garage Sale

  • Know what perennials and houseplants you have
  • Plant seeds in February – March
  • Sell garden plants late April – June
  • Pot seeds or plants in red Solo cups to save money
  • Label every pot with name and price
  • Price 50% or lower compared to the original cost of garden centers and online plant stores

Do People Buy Plants at a Garage Sale?

YES!!! If you offer a lower price and if you are selling at the right time, they will almost always sell. I often see plants at a yard sale, either as an addition to a regular garage sale or as an all-out plant sale. A lot of people in our town know, love and mark their calendars for the local “plant lady’s” sale.

I often include my own plants in the huge garage sale I’m already doing. This has brought me $40 – $200 in extra money just on plants I already had! So when you’re gathering garage sale items, don’t overlook your flower bed, vegetable garden (especially heirloom tomatoes) or houseplants during the spring cleaning.

What Kind of Plants to Sell at Your Garage Sale?

I have sold cactus “babies” from my mother cactus plant, excess iris tubers, wild raspberry runner plants (that were taking over my yard), ivy vine and perennial divisions from the yard.

Some plants that are a great option for your garage sale or successful plant sale are:

Divided perennials that are growing too large in your yard 

  • Hostas, Daylilies, Echinacea (Coneflower), Peonies, Sedum, Chrysanthemum (Mums), Phlox, Ornamental Grass, Herbs, Hens and Chicks

Annual flower and vegetable seedlings you’ve planted 

  • Tomatoes, Heirloom Vegetables, Zinnias, Sunflower, Petunia, Impatiens

Perennial flower seedlings you’ve planted

  • Lavender, Columbine, Poppy, Purple Coneflower

Divided bulbs and tubers that need to be thinned out 

  • Iris, Daffodils, Tulips, Grape Hyacinths, Regular Hyacinths, Dahlias

Runners from plants that spread 

  • Strawberries, Wild Fruit Vines, Mint, Ivy, Trumpet Vine, Potatoes, Ornamental Potato Vine

Tree seedlings around your front lawn

  • Maple, Redbud, Oak, trees that grow native in your area

Bushes that put out baby sucker plants 

  • Lilac, Forsythia, Dogwood, some Roses

Houseplants you can propagate from cuttings 

  • Philodendron, African Violets, Geraniums, Monstera, Fiddle Leaf Fig, Succulents, Cactus, Herbs

Supplies needed to Sell Plants

There are very few supplies needed to sell plants – the right container, labels, a marker and potting soil. Don’t rush out to buy the typical black pots or four square containers. You might need these for some large plants, but it’s a good idea to look at other options to keep costs low and profits higher. (An easy way to stick to a limited budget is by utilizing smaller pots as they require less potting soil.)

For my raspberry vines, iris and daylilies, I’ve simply put several plants in a plastic bag and written with a marker the plant name and price on the outside. While this is not ideal, it has worked for me in a pinch. (Though you can’t leave the plants in a bag for more than a day.)

Container Options for Plants

  • Red Solo Cups (do not make my mistake and use foam cups as they look dirty)
  • Used plant containers from your local nursery (many times nurseries sell their excess for super cheap)
  • Used plant containers from friends, family or gardening Facebook groups
  • Ice cream buckets
  • Plastic bags (Not ideal, but I’ve always sold all the plants I’ve had in bags.)
  • New plant containers (Though it will cut your profit down, these will work fabulously if you do not have another good option.)
  • Mugs, pots, buckets, old boxes and other containers you’re already getting rid of
  • Creative vintage containers for a ready-made potted plant (ie household items such as a teapot, galvanized bucket, teacup, or coffee can)

Label and Potting Soil Options for Plants (label each and every container with plant name and price)

Seeds for Plants

 When to Sell Plants at Your Garage Sale?

Late April, May and June are the absolute best times to sell outdoor plants at your garage sale. People are in the mood for spring, Mother’s Day is happening and it’s the beginning of vegetable garden season.

Spring, summer and fall are all a good time of year for houseplants, indoor herbs, succulents and cactus. This is especially true if you plant these items in cute containers OR if you price them pretty cheaply (succulent lovers can almost never pass up a new “baby.”

September and October are great for selling flower bulbs and mums. It helps if the mums are blooming or about to bloom.

When To Dig or Propagate Plants for Your Garage Sale?

Ideally, it is good to dig and pot perennials 1 – 2 weeks before your sale. This gives them time to get established in their new container. Just make sure to keep them in a shady/sunny spot as needed and water them.

Since I often use plastic bags, I dig up plants the night before the garage sale. Yes, this creates an extra task and may seem like hard work, but the job is quick for the types of plants that I’ve packaged this way.

When To Plant Seeds for Your Garage Sale?

Think 4 – 8 weeks out when planting your seeds to sell at a garage sale. You want seedlings to be full and established but not too big that they require another pot.

Tomato plants that are big enough for a gallon size pot will sell for more money, but you also have to give them more and longer care.

Information To Write on the Plants

You should create a sign (8.5 x 11 paper) to attach to the table, tub or box of all your plants. This should include the following information (if you know it):

  • Price
  • Plant name and color (if blooming)
  • Sun or shade preference
  • Care instructions

Then don’t forget to write on or tag each individual container or bag with the same information as above. This is so people don’t get plants and prices mixed up when paying and also so they remember what is what when they get home.

How To Price Plants at a Garage Sale?

Get to know the prices at your local nurseries and home improvement stores, such as Home Depot. Price items 50% off or more of store prices. This is a garage sale, after all. If people wanted to pay normal prices, they would go to where the huge selection of professionally grown plants are.

That is not to say all your plants will be cheap. If you have high demand items such as peonies, unique succulents or large tomato plants, these will bring a higher price point.

I have priced my items as follows:

  • $2 – $7 – Cactus from tiny babies to 3” diameter
  • $3 – 3 Daylillies
  • $5 – bag of 20 common Iris tubers

No, you won’t get rich off of selling plants at a garage sale, but as I said earlier, I’ve made up to $200 by selling a lot of plants I would have thrown away, at the garage sale that I was holding anyway.

How To Advertise for Plants at Your Garage Sale?

With your garage sale listing, it is very important to list what plants you have and include photos. These listings should be on Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, your town’s Facebook page and any local Facebook garden groups you’re a member of are also a great place. Especially in the spring, gardeners will come to your sale for your discounted, quality extra plants.

If you hold a sale that is primarily plants, then list it as a plant sale and write your signs as “Plant Sale” instead of “Garage Sale.”

To learn more, read my post on how to advertise for a successful garage sale

Now that you’re armed with these easy tips of how to sell plants at a garage sale, go in your own gardens or around your own home to see what plants you can thin out or propagate as a great way to make extra cash the next time you have a garage sale! Gardeners and plant lovers are always wanting to add new plants to their collection, and giving them a good deal while you get a little money will make everyone happy.

If you enjoyed this post on how to sell plants at a garage sale, read more of my garage sale tips below.

Most Successful Garage Sale Hours, Days and Months

31 Best Foods Kids Can Sell at a Garage Sale

How to Sell Garage Sale Leftovers

How to Accept Payment at Your Garage Sale

20 Tips How to Price Garage Sale Items

How to Advertise for Your Garage Sale

Pin for Later How to Sell Plants at a Garage Sale

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2 Responses

  1. Thank you for the good tips, in two weeks from now we will be having a fun raising sales of plants and other item for the benefits of our student scholars. You have given us knowledge of improving our plan.

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