only a THIRD of the nursery pots i got for free because they were in the garbage at those big box stores we find ourselves venturing in to way too often.
you could spend $15 on an amazon order of nursery pots, or you could save that $15, save the planet, and look like the smartest person at home depot (or lowe’s, or walmart.. pick your favorite, i promise you they have a trash can).
did i buy a 2.5 quart of lantana? heck no. will i take free a 2.5 quart nursery from the trash? heck yes 😎
maybe you have to dig a little, but no one cares (staff definitely doesn’t care), it’s not weird, you’ll even look cool doing it, people will probably ask you for financial advice, you’ll be saving the planet, and anyone who gives you an odd look is just jealous i swear (i just ask them to hold something wet for me real quick and they usually leave asap, works like a charm).
but most importantly, you can repot your teenagers and keep them from suffering in pots much too small for them because you’re busy waiting for the overnight temps to get with the program. and save money.
that’s it.
by she-has-nothing
13 Comments
Also, depending on how awful your area is you can check local “dump” areas! It turns out some humans are horrible horrible people and think anywhere not strictly developed land is a fine place to dump whatever they want, I’ve found two stacks from the woods adjacent to the town cemetery and a stack clearly just dropped off the hill onto the overgrown bike path below
my county has a community recycling center where, in addition to cans, cardboard, paper, etc, people can drop off household goods, books, magazines etc. and anyone can take them. one of the bins is for used plant containers and it is always full of great nursery pots like this.
needless to say, i always grab a bunch when i go there!
They keep them by the door here in Memphis and let whoever take them.
The cemetery is the first address when it comes to free pots.
My local HD built an enclosure to lock up their dumpsters. Random broken bits of wood and other materials that used to get thrown in the dumpster are now in the “discount” pile at a whopping 20% off.
I save them for starting seeds/seedlings.
Last year, I pulled a Grand Nain banana plant out of the garbage at my local Lowe’s (I made sure to confirm with an employee that I could take it). It was in terrible shape. withered, brown leaves, totally dried out.
All it needed was a good watering, and it started putting out new leaves right away. Healthy and thriving to this day.
Genius!
I never have a hard time finding containers and pots. Having to always buy good soil to fill it with is the issue. 😛
I go to Home Depot walk around and take all the stuff 1-5 gallons in size that either have no plant in them from dying or there just isn’t anything in them. And I’ll tell the person working outside the person the prior year let me take them, do you mind? Most of the time people are like please take them we would have to throw them out. I’ve got hundreds by now.
Meh I bought a 200 pack a couple years back, still haven’t even opened the second 100 pack and just keep reusing them.
I agree! This is 100% much better for the environment. I always look out for the trash cans nearby our nurseries, and I always get the “still okay” nursery pots without fail. I have around 30 plus pots I saved from the trash can in my backyard ready to be used.
You could just save all those red solo cups you used at Christmas and make a couple holes in them.