Keep Your Indoor Potted Trees Mess-Free With This Clever Plastic Saucer Hack

Do you have a pet or toddler who loves digging through your potted plants? Keep your indoor trees mess-free with the help of a plastic saucer hack. Rather than leaving the dirt exposed, which tempts them to dig through it, cover it up with a plastic tray. The clever hack was first introduced by TikTok home influencer Jess DesFosses, who shared a video on how she staged her indoor trees in oversized pots. To hide the dirt from view, she took a cheap $2 plastic saucer, and instead of placing it under the planter, she used it as a lid. 

She cut a hole in the center to slip it around the tree trunk and placed it on top. The size was big enough so it didn't sink into the pot but sat right under the lip. She then took decorative moss she bought at a discount store and used it to cover the plastic. The result was not only an attractive topper but also a handy cover. The plant now had two layers on top of the dirt, effectively blocking any curious hands or paws from digging through it.

While the original TikTok used this hack on a tree with a thin trunk, this technique can be used on plants of all shapes and sizes. The trick is finding a saucer that's big enough. One TikTok user had a medley of different houseplants, ranging from ferns to fiddle-leaf figs. Some had thick trunks, and others had more than one stalk growing from the center of the pot. But that didn't pose a problem.

Instead, the user sourced saucers of different heights and sizes to match the dimensions of her pots. Then, she cut a hole big enough in the center of the tray to be just big enough to accommodate the base of the plant. You don't want to leave too much space so that a curious pet or child can make contact with the dirt, but you also don't want it to be so tight that it cuts into the plant.

This hack has several benefits outside of stopping messes in their tracks. First, it's affordable. Plastic saucers usually only cost $1 to $3 each and can also be easily sourced for less at thrift stores. This makes them much more budget-friendly than specialized covers for planters that do the same thing. Depending on how big or aesthetically pleasing they are, these types of lids can cost as much as $8 a pop. If you have an extensive plant collection, catproofing it can cost a hefty penny.

Second, it's also eco-conscious. Nursery and big box plants often come with plastic saucers; most people toss them when they upgrade the plastic containers for something more aesthetic. This way, you give the plastic a second life as a handy lid. Since up to half a billion plastic plant pots end up in the trash yearly, and most have accompanying lids, it's a noble DIY to try.