What do you do with old nursery pots?

[natasha]

I have loads of old nursery pots. The pots that the chids come in. I will repot my chids as soon as they finish flowering, to check on the medium and for aesthetic purposes - I love using terracotta coloured plastic pots. However, I have kept the old ones, except those that are damaged. I am wondering what should I do with these stuff, since I don't think that nurseries here will buy back the old pots.

I am sure you guys must have some back in your stores too, and wondering what you did to them?

[WhiteRabbit]

good poll
i keep mine and reuse for other plants - also use for scooping and repository for unused potting mix

[Grandma M]

Most nursery pots get tossed because I grow in S/H pots. I may save a few, if they are good quality, because I do grow a few plants in a CHC mix.

When I repot from S/H pots, I wash them, store them until I have a few saved up, then soak them in bleach water so I know they are safe to reuse if I need to repot something else. S/H pots are just too expensive to toss into the trash.

Marilyn

[greenbean]

If they don't have tons of holes or slits in the sides and bottom, as some orchid pots do, I give them to the nursery I work at. They don't sell orchids, but they can reuse most of the pots I give them. It's just a small, local nursery. And of course the regular plant pots that build up go to them too.

I do keep a few pots for myself, to reuse for orchids and the many other plants I have or may acquire. I'm always starting cuttings or seeds of something!

[natasha]

i plan to paint some pots to give them new look & new lease of life. anyone have done this? if so, please let me know what type of paint to use? most of my old pots are black. i hate black pots, i'll rather spend some money and buy new pots. but i still keep them, and the pile is getting higher.

i also wash and reuse some to plant seedlings and divisions to give away.

[camille1585]

Since all the orchids I buy come in clear pots, I keep all of them, even if I'm repotting to a larger size. Clear pots are so hard to find that I keep everything for future use. For the non clear pots, I keep those too, since I'm always looking for pots to plants various things.

[sucuz]

Natasha,

Couple of choices to painting your pots. Acrylic paints work well on plastic, terra cotta, or ceramic pots. You can get as creative as your heart's content. Regular cans of spray paint work also. You can put down a base coat, then free spray patterns over it or use stencil cutouts. Lightly spraying layers of different colors so that the background colors show through looks cool also.

If you are painting over terra cotta, just be sure that the pot is completely dry before painting. If there is any moisture, your paint will bubble and peel off in only a short time.

Have fun and send pics of your results for us to enjoy.

[natasha]

Originally Posted by sucuz

Natasha,

Couple of choices to painting your pots. Acrylic paints work well on plastic, terra cotta, or ceramic pots. You can get as creative as your heart's content. Regular cans of spray paint work also. You can put down a base coat, then free spray patterns over it or use stencil cutouts. Lightly spraying layers of different colors so that the background colors show through looks cool also.

If you are painting over terra cotta, just be sure that the pot is completely dry before painting. If there is any moisture, your paint will bubble and peel off in only a short time.

Have fun and send pics of your results for us to enjoy.

i'll try to check on acrylic paints. i have some spray cans too. but now is not a good time to do this project. the weather is too unpredictable. someday it was too hot, sometimes it rains real heavy. anyway, i think i'll just clean and bleach the pots first to prepare them.

[charitysmama]

Originally Posted by natasha

i plan to paint some pots to give them new look & new lease of life. anyone have done this? if so, please let me know what type of paint to use? most of my old pots are black. i hate black pots, i'll rather spend some money and buy new pots. but i still keep them, and the pile is getting higher.

i also wash and reuse some to plant seedlings and divisions to give away.

Krylon makes a paint in a can called "Fusion". It comes in several colors and is for plastic. I have used the clear as a basecoat on plastic and then used another color over it. I have used the colored ones as well. I haven't tried it on black pots, but it worked great on my RV door.

[Louise]

I keep them all. I wash and bleach then stock for a future use. I have mainly clear pots, some non clear and some clay too. I always find a use : if it's not to put another plant, it is to raised one...