How to reuse your old flower pots, bring new life to old favorites

When pushing my cart through the nursery aisles, I find myself filling it with a variety of sizes and colors of plants that need a new home. Then, at home, after a day of planting pots and beds, I find myself with a variety of sizes and colors of pots that need a new home. Rather than toss them in the trash or even attempt to recycle them, I reuse them. There are a number of ways these plastic pots can be reused in the garden. With a little attention and a little creativity, your collection of pots can be part of the tools of gardening.

If you plan to replant in them, first you need to give them a bath. Dry brush out the crusty edges left from fertilizer or soil and then wash well in water. Next, soak in a mix of one-part chlorine bleach to nine-parts water for 10 minutes. Then rinse well, letting pots soak for a few minutes and let dry. This is important in order to avoid passing on pathogens or insects. When dry, store away from dirty pots to avoid contamination.

You can use the nice large pots in a number of ways. Flip them over and put in the bottom of larger pots to save weight and soil. Dig a hole in a flower bed and insert a large pot to soil level. Find a pot that fits inside and plant it with seasonal flowers that can then be removed and a new pot inserted, like spring dianthus, summer petunias, and chrysanthemums in the fall to give a splash of color throughout the growing season.

When mulching, use a large pot to cover tender flowers so they are not crushed under the weight of mulch. Spread the mulch and then remove the cover. In cold snaps, they can act as a frost cover, keeping your plant frost free overnight.

Use the smaller pots as a soil scoop or to shake fertilizer over planted beds. You can even paint them and repot them for a fun gift or way to brighten up the garden. If you have decorative pots without adequate drainage, use a nursery pot as a liner and plant directly into it.

If none of these tips are helpful, you might want to check with local nurseries to see if they recycle pots. You may also check with parks departments and local gardening groups to see of they can reuse your pots. Organizations that grow from cuttings or seed throughout the winter months often need additional pots and recycling them defrays their costs.

Reuse and recycle are great ways to stay green while planting green.

l For gardening questions, call the Linn County Extension Master Gardener Hotline at (319) 447-0647.