Instead of throwing away old plastic plant pots, you can often reuse them in practical ways around the house and garden. Here are 10 ideas:
- Seed starters
- Fill with seed-starting mix to grow vegetables, herbs, or flowers.
- Organizers
- Store small items like screws, nails, craft supplies, or office accessories.
- Tool holder
- Keep hand trowels, pruning shears, or paintbrushes upright in a larger pot.
- Mini herb garden
- Grow basil, parsley, mint, or chives on a windowsill or balcony.
- Drip tray
- Place a pot under a leaky container or use it to catch excess water from smaller pots.
- Bird feeder
- With a few modifications (such as adding perches and hanging it securely), a plastic pot can become a simple bird feeder.
- Garden scoop
- Cut a sturdy plastic pot at an angle to make a scoop for potting soil, compost, or pet food.
- Toy or craft storage
- Use colorful pots to organize crayons, markers, LEGO pieces, or other small toys.
- Plant protector
- Turn a pot upside down over young seedlings during an unexpected light frost or to shield them from heavy rain or curious animals.
- Compost collector
- Keep one in the kitchen or near the garden to collect fruit and vegetable scraps before adding them to your compost pile.
Before reusing old pots, wash them with warm, soapy water. If they previously held diseased plants, disinfect them with a solution of 1 part household bleach to 9 parts water, then rinse thoroughly and let them dry before using them again. This helps reduce the chance of spreading plant diseases.
