And for every plant person, that collection of things could be totally different. Most plant caddies will house some planting supplies like a small watering can, trowel, moisture meter, and maybe some old nursery pots. But the beauty of the plant caddy is that they’re completely customizable. It makes caring for your indoor garden so much easier. Each day, when you have plants to water, you can easily grab what you need, without searching through cabinets and storage containers. Plus, it deals with the clutter that having a ton of plants can generate. We spoke to a few people who love their caddies too.
What to Use as a Plant Caddy
“Now the term plant caddy has expanded, to also include mobile carts with shelves," says Erin Marrino, editorial lead at The Sill. “The IKEA caddy with three shelves [the RASKOG cart] might be one of the more popular styles you see plant parents use, but there are plenty of smaller and larger options out there that can work depending on the size of your space and the use case.” These rolling carts are functional and easy to move, and you can use them for more than one thing. You can also use a basic shower caddy that you’d bring to college with you. Use the different cubbies to store what you need. “When you have so many plants, there might be something to do for them every day. With most of my frequently used tools at the ready, regular plant check-ups are a delightful part of my day,” says Darryl Cheng, author of The New Plant Parent.
What to Store in a Plant Caddy
“One way we love to use a plant caddy is as a mobile potting station," explains Marino. “The bottom shelves of the caddy can be used to store potting supplies, such as empty planters stacked together, bags of fresh potting mix, lava rocks, pruners, and even gardening gloves for repotting prickly cacti or plants with milky, irritating sap like the Ficus elastica.” Having a plant caddy allows you to be more organized. Cheng keeps long-handed snips, pruners, a soil probe (he uses a chopstick, but you could also use a thin wooden dowel), mini trowel, and masking tape in his caddy. The great thing about having a plant caddy is that you can make it yours by completely customizing it according to your needs and the plants you’re caring for.
How to Use a Plant Caddy
If you’ve got a lot of space and can have a plant caddy on wheels or have one that has multiple sections or shelves, it can become multifunctional.
Use It As a Potting Station
“The top shelf can be where the potting happens, creating a controlled space that makes cleaning up easier,” says Marino. “Simply lay down a usable potting tarp or garbage bag on top, or use it as is and vacuum up the leftover potting mix afterward.” A lot of plant parents don’t like to repot their plants because of the mess it makes, so using the top shelf of your caddy lined with a trash bag or a piece of tarp can avoid this.
Make It a Supply Cart
Use your caddy as a mobile supplies cart, so you can easily tend to your plants. “Carry essentials like a watering can, pruners, neem oil, and, during the growing season, fertilizer to each of your plants when making your plant care rounds (if your space is big and plants live in different rooms),” suggests Marino.
Propagation Station
Using a caddy as a propagation station is a great choice too. You can keep “supplies such as scissors, clean glass containers, rooting hormone, and more,” notes Marino. Plus, as the unit is mobile, you can move it closer or further from the light depending on your plants needs.
Roll Your Plants Outside
And if you’re someone who loves to move some of your indoor plants outside when springtime comes, you could easily use your caddy on wheels to bring some outside sunshine to your favorite plants. “As temps warm up, you can roll your caddy outside into a shady spot for a few hours to help indoor plants get acclimated before a summer outside,” says Marino.
