This tip was inspired by a friend of mine I visited a few days ago (which is also the reason for a few skipped posts!). This friend took an empty cat litter bin — you know, the really large square shaped cat litter buckets? — washed it, dried it, painted it a nice looking green color (using some leftover paint), drilled holes in the bottom for drainage, and used it to plant his crop of sweet potatoes. He had two of these “pots” sitting on his patio and I had no idea that they were anything but purchased flower pots. They blended in very nicely with the rest of his patio decor and other decorative pots. Unfortunately, I didn’t snap a photo, so you’ll have to take my word for it.
This made me think about other things that could be used as flower pots. Laundry detergent bottles (comes with a nice handle!), painters’ buckets, an old light fixture, a tin or metal pot, old dishes… as long as you can create drainage, you can create a usable flower pot!
I have used several things like these, and just love the idea. Some have been more attractive than others. Perhaps my most frugal one has been the bubble cover from the packaging for some kind of ethernet cable/adapter thing. I don’t remember exactly, because I had aloe vera planted in there for FOUR YEARS, and it lasted me through 3 moves. It finally outgrew the ‘pot’, so I replanted into an old ceramic casserole dish. I have also used the bottom of milk jugs, coffee cans, and a plastic 5 cup measure that had cracked. I also save the plastic boxes that strawberries come it, and use them to start seedlings in the spring. They have drainage holes and a clear lid already built in. For some of my plants I don’t worry too much about drainage holes, and haven’t had any complaints. I just make sure not to overwater. I love reusing what I have rather than running out to the nearest store to pull out my wallet, and my plants seem just as happy.
All my garden is made out of repurposed containers. My favorites have been: plastic 1 lt ice-cream tubs with drainage holes in the bottom, milk cartons with the tops cut down, and plastic 2 lt soda bottles: I cut them in half, put drainage holes in the bottom, and plant: then I use the top half without the cap as a cover: works as an improvised greenhouse but it lets the plant breathe
A large plastic container – both top and bottom were deep enough to use. Metal tubs. Cans. Cups. Pitchers. And as you’ll see in a post on my blog next week – the legs of old jeans.
Thanks for the extra ideas — I can’t wait to see your post on jeans!
Medea – great use of repurposed containers! Thanks for the ideas.
My grandmother’s house was a cornucopia of miscellaneous containers reused for plants. Butter tubs, gallon jugs, bleach bottles, even ceramic bowls were washed and reused in her home to hold her incredible garden! She never dressed these up, just allowed them to be natural yet somehow it looked really good!
The hanging pot on one of my plants has finally started to fail so I’m thinking of taking a page from her and putting this plant in a gallon ice-cream bucket and use the built-in handle to hang it up..
We have all of these things – why not use them?
All of the ideas are very amazing, thanks for sharing, what I like the most, is the jeans technique, gotta see that!
very interesting and useful articles.
I use Charles Shaw wine boxes (Trader Joe’s). To support the box for longer time, I bind the box with wires or ropes. Only downside is the hard paper ‘pot’ does not look good. However, when the pretty flowers blooming, who cares the containers which are hid in bushes.