The Easily Thrifted Item That Makes A Budget-Friendly Planter Drip Plate

If you're a plant lover who has found yourself wandering a thrift store, skip the garden section and head for the shelves stacked with dishes. All those lovely little dessert and salad plates are actually a thrift store finds that work double duty; outside of the kitchen they can make excellent planter drip trays. And they are often a lot cheaper, and a lot more unique, than buying saucers from the garden center. Depending on the thrift store, you could find a few plates for just a couple of dollars, so this is a handy thrift store hack to have up your sleeve if you have a growing collection of plants back at home. 

A drip tray doesn't need to do much except catch the excess water that can run off when watering your plants, so a small plate can easily do the same job of a purpose-made saucer. In particular, salad and dessert plates are the perfect size for most smaller houseplant pots, as they'd fit snugly around the base without sticking out too far the way a dinner plate would. Dessert plates typically measure around 6 to 8 inches across and salad plates around 7 to 9 inches. Many smaller indoor plants are sold in 4, 6 or 8 inch pots, so this is a surprisingly natural match. 

The best thrifted plates for this job will be ones that a slight rim around the edge — it doesn't need to be deep, but even a small lip will help contain water before it reaches the floor, shelf, table, or windowsill underneath. Before buying, it's also worth checking the size against the planter you plan to use it with — a plate that's slightly wider than the pot will usually provide enough coverage. Give each plate a quick inspection, too. Tiny chips are mostly cosmetic, but cracks can become a problem as they increase the likelihood of the plate breaking if it's bumped while watering, when it's moved, or if it's set underneath a heavier planter.

One of the nicest things about this idea is that it doesn't require hunting down a complete set. In fact, some of the most interesting plant displays come from styling your common thrift store finds in unique ways — think of mixing different colors, patterns, and styles together. Just be mindful when you are thrifting of what will actually look good in your home. Terracotta pots do a good job of keeping pests away, but a delicate floral design beneath one might feel out of place compared to more rustic stoneware. With that being said, you don't need them to match. In fact, collecting a mix of thrifted plates can make a plant collection look a lot more personal than a row of identical plastic saucers, and it'll likely cost less, too!