ISO Plastic pots and.....

[Nyboy]

Dandelion a can of spray paint will transform your yogurt and cottage cheese containers.

 

[dandelionchick]

LOL its been years since I did any arts and crafts things, that sounds like fun! Thanks Nyboy!

 

[Smart Red]

I know what you mean Steve. At the risk of making everyone cringe, I've been using Styrofoam cups for my young plants. They work great but bad for the environment.
Smart Red how many are there, would you consider shipping them UPS if I paid? Just an idea I thought I'd put out there.
Thanks everybody!

How many pots can you stack and pack into a wheel barrow? The shrub sized ones are stacked, then the next smaller size is stacked inside, then smaller, then the smallest. Although the weight is not too bad, the number of pots makes for a pretty big box.

DigitS, don't worry. I am still a pack rat. Of course, I saved plenty of each kind, but somewhere enough is enough. After 40+ years of buying and trying new plants around the place, I have far more pots than I can ever want to use. What I need more is space. Even stacked carefully, all those pots take up room.

I, too, have been known to use (used) styrofoam cups for starting plants and for protection in the garden. My favorite "pot", however, is a school milk carton. Their just the right size and fit together in a container because they're square. They are also bio-degradable in the garden or in the compost pile. Often I just tear out the bottom and plant the whole thing. No transplant shock, water stays close to the roots, mulch can be put around without getting on the stems, and the high sides protect the plants early on! I can't imagine a school saying NO to the offer to re-cycle their waste as long as it's you doing the collecting.

 

[HEChicken]

I'm wondering why you want the plastic pots?

I usually just make the little newspaper pots. Even though I don't take a newspaper, we get a freebie delivered once a week and that supplies more than enough newspaper. I like that I can just plant them straight into the ground so I don't have to disturb the tender young roots. Best of all…they are free!

I can make a bunch in a short amount of time. I cut or tear the newspaper pages in half and then cut again across (essentially quartering each page of newspaper and making 4 pots out of it). Then I take a tomato paste can, wrap the strip of newspaper around it, tuck the ends up on one end to make the bottom of the pot and secure with a small piece of masking tape. The first few feel a little awkward but then you figure out a rhythm and in no time you have a little pile of them accumulating next to you. I made about 50 one day last week in less than an hour.

 

[seedcorn]

He chicken, how about some step by step pix?

 

[HEChicken]

He chicken, how about some step by step pix?

Ok, here goes. I just made a pot and photographed each step of the way.

First lay out the supplies - newspaper, masking tape and whatever is being used as a template. I prefer a tomato paste can but in this case, the simplest thing to put my hand on was a spice bottle.

Now I cut the sheet of paper into quarters:

Take one of the quarters and make sure there will be enough left at one end to tuck under to form the bottom. In this case I am going to start just under the cap of the spice bottle:

Now, I wrap the paper all the way around, using the entire piece, and secure with a little piece of masking tape on the side seam (hard to see in this pic but clearly visible in the next):

Now fold over the ends all the way around:

And secure with another small piece of masking tape:

Pull the spice bottle out of the newly made pot and voila! Ready to add potting soil and seeds.

These hold up remarkably well to several weeks filled with damp potting soil, and when the time comes to plant, simply dig a hold, pop the pot in, pack soil back around and you're done. The plant roots easily work through the newspaper and it breaks down during the growing season, and is absorbed into the garden bed as more organic material.

 

[Smart Red]

I'm wondering why you want the plastic pots?

The pots came with purchased plants so they were "Free". I keep the pots so I have some for starting cuttings or setting new plants into the nursery until their forever home is planned er, found. I can root tips in them and some plants that need lifting every fall are put in them. Lots of uses for them can be found and when I share plants with others in those pots I don't lose anything.

 

[HEChicken]

Smart Red, oh no, I was asking the question of the OP who was looking for somewhere online to order them. I totally get if you already have them, its worth reusing them - but it didn't sound the OP already had any and was looking to purchase and in that case I was surprised.

 

[seedcorn]

Thanks for easy to follow pix and directions. Will make some.