I searched the forum a bit but didn't find a thread for it. I'd like to know your ideas/resources for finding/making free or cheap plant pots. Here is my own 2 cents.

1-Dollar Shop. You can buy buckets and other plastic containers and then burn or drill a hole in them. They come in a few different colors. Here are 2 examples:



These two I learned from Mavis Butterfield's website:

2-Flower an icing buckets from supermarkets. They have a lot of them actually. (I got from Kroger.) The frosting buckets look good and are sturdy but take some effort to clean up.

3-Recycling programs at Lowes or Home Depot. This is where customers bring back the pots which came with plants they bought in the past and you can pick them up for free.


But I like to know more. I'd specially like metallic, colorful or wide containers. The ones I mentioned above mostly give you tall pots but I like to plant shrubs in wide containers.

OH !!! YEA DUDE !!!
Go to the thrift store !!!
Pots.pans.dishes of all sorties !!!
Now you got me excited.because i'm needing a couple low pots for a succlent garden i want to put together. Heck i may pick up a couple shirts while im at it !!!
( what wall did that come off of ! )
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I save straight-walled 2-liter soda bottles from work. Cutting off the top gives a 4.25 inch diameter round pot that is very resistant to cracking, and much taller than needed.

I also make 20 ounce Sobe bottles into 2.75 inch pots, but they have horizontal ridges that get messy if the pot gets root-bound (but you can cut the plastic away to release the over-age root ball.).

Pretty, no. But free.

I also saved a discarded steel wastebasket from work, around 2 feet across at the top. I haven't had a use for it yet!

>> I like to plant shrubs in wide containers.

How about 4-5 gallon buckets cut down to 18 inches tall, and wrapped with decorative, waterproof contact paper?

Some sources of free plastic buckets if you sweet-talk well:

fast food places (e.g. pickles)
delis (dumpster-dive)
bakeries
deli & bakery departments in supermarkets
paint and spackle buckets from contractors (clean them WELL)

I'm with Phillip: Thrift store finds. I especially love old bowls that I can drill holes into for drainage.

And Yep! I have been known to pick up a shirt or two.

My favorite planter, though, was my Father's old toilet sitting out in the middle of the lawn.

Oh, and I turned an old bathtub into a duck pond once. It took some digging to bury the tub up to the lip but I plumbed it so I could drain and clean it once in awhile.

@rez: hay ! I went to thrift store today. Hears what i got. The four on the bottom. The one on the upper left is old. Imade it into a hanger. The four new ones cost me $3.75 ! Though the baskets would be good lined with plastic and a few holes punched in bottom for succlent gardens. The red one just looked to cute. No danged flannel shirts through # 👺
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@rez ; im trying to upload a picture.. maybe its the rain i try again 😎😎😎

I try again.

Just a thought... Kitty litter buckets are large and sturdy. And plastic CAN be painted...

@RickCorey Those are all good ideas although I prefer something more eye-catching.

@Philipwonel I went to the local Goodwill but didn't find anything interesting. Would love to see your photos.

I should check garage sales as well.

Philip, if you have your photos stored on your computer, you can click on the "Upload an Image" underneath the posting box. Just find the photo and open it. It will upload normally without any problems. Give it a try again.

@ plantmanager : yes ive done it before. But. Its not working ###

@plantmanager
Could it be that i used up all my
high-speed data on my phone ?
I cant even get to the NGA staff to ask them if theres a problem going on ! Ive asked them Qs in past.

When you try it, what do you see? What happens? I guess you can't give us a screen shot
I don't believe there is any problem. I just posted a photo a bit ago.

I hit the download image button. It flashes. But nothing else.

I have no idea why it won't work for you. Maybe @dave has some ideas for you to try.

@plantmanger
Thanks Karen 😎 i just tree mailed Dave. Well see what he has to say !
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Rez : find any cheep pots lately ?
My nephew just loves monty python. Search for the holy grail. So i cut a couple coconuts in half that im going to send him. My sister was over.
She said "why dont you use those for pots" I said thats a great ideal. So theres a ideal for you. Drill a hole in ends.prevent spliting and povide drainage. Hole on side, jig saw in half. Dry em out and seal em up.or not. 😎😎😎

Most data speeds renew 10th, most phones had google take over so now my gmail is called google, and I have to go clear out cookies (cache) that want to store on my old fone. Bought a 32gb storage chip, moved stuff onto there as well.Not where I can pull out picspics, but know a bunch of folks like the (hypertufa pots) they make. Me, I look for dead wood for succulents planters

I bought a couple shallow bastets. I'm gonna line with plastic with a few holes for drainage. And do a couple suculent gardens. One for sister. They were 50cents to a buck at thrift store.
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