Plastic Plant Pots

[matthew2riches]

I nearly had a heart attack yesterday. I am after around 500 plastic pots to start of some tomatoes, chillis and sweet peppers off for my new business venture and my eyes fell out of my head!

I first looked at Wilko = No such joy!
Online wholesales = No joy!!
eBay = Not a chance!!!

And thats as far as I got.

I was laying in bed last night and thought - PLASTIC DRINK CUPS!!!

I can get 3000 drink cups for £25.00 = A LOT CHEAPER THAN SMALL PLANT POTS. I can then melt a few holes in the bottoms with a 10" nail.

What do you grapes think?

[Cutecumber]

Are you going to be selling the plants in these pots/ cups?

If so, the cheaper the better - as long as they do the job - but cups don't look particularly great.

If you want to reuse them on the other hand, then it's better to invest in something more substantial. For only a little more cash you can get something that will last.

[carlseawolf]

try some of these council contractors that do the flowers around the town as i get mine from a friend who does this and he tells me they go to landfill every year as there not worth washing and using again.
i got 3" and 5" pots last year as they where left over plants still in the black tray and asked for another 400 if he remembers for this year.
so next time you pass a council gardener on a roundabout doing a flower display go over and ask you never no.

[kernowyon]

try garden centres, around here in the car parks of most centres there is usually a wire cage which people place unwanted pots to recycle to others, I go and get a few trays and pots every time I need them, there is always a good supply. you do have to clean them out though but then i suppose being free you can't complain.

[areia]

i joined my local freecycle site and 2 loverly ladies gave me around 150 pots even a few terracotta ones i just asked for any plastic pots any shape or size and as i picked only my local site (you can join as many areas as you like ) i didn't have far to go to pick them up me like free i do. i need to hire a van though theres a landscaping company giving away all there used pots and they have some huggggggggggggggge ones my local garden centre donates to schools and and groups so i have no luck with them

[petal]

The drinks cups break really easily. Have you tried car boot sales for plant pots or freecycle?

[terrier]

I've used plastic cups for years for pricking out tomato seedlings. Get them free from coffee machines (used). When you've finished with them just throw them away. If we're going to fill the world with plastic cups, mey as well get as much use out of them as possible.

[seasprout]

Pots

Plastic cups sound fine.

Have you tried Buy discount gardening equipment online - Garden Warehouse

Just a thought. :-)

[kirsty b]

Thats just what I was about to suggest seasprout. I have stuff from them and personally think their prices are fair. They also have bulk amounts/prices in the catalogue.

[jacob marley]

Plastic cups sound fine.

Have you tried Buy discount gardening equipment online - Garden Warehouse

Just a thought. :-)

Went and had a look on this site you can get 6000 1/4 litre pots for the same price as 500 tea cups bit of a no brainer realy

[gemlady]

I saw a piece on BBC news this morning, gardeners are being encouraged to take their old plant pots back to some garden centres around the country to have them recycled. See here and scroll down to Video and Audio News

BBC NEWS | UK

May be a useful source.

[Pieman]

Saw those flexi pots on LBS last week - they are the same as what Wilkinsons used to sell. (Under the product "Breeding Pots") - I ran out of the 0.25l ones and went into there 2 weeks ago....(they were 72 for 99p) - the asst checked the computer and not one store had any so probably been deleted

Hunting round - I didn't find anything better.......

[thecornflake]

I saw a piece on BBC news this morning, gardeners are being encouraged to take their old plant pots back to some garden centres around the country to have them recycled. See here and scroll down to Video and Audio News

BBC NEWS | UK

May be a useful source.

I just saw that on the BBC website. I was wondering why they were crushing them to be recycled when surely they could just wash them out and reuse them for plants again (in some giant dishwasher thing or something?)

[crichmond]

I get plastic cups from work from both the coffee machine and also the water dispenser.
I have put a seperate bin by both and have put signs on both the bins and also the dispensers, I am slowly training the other staff.

Cheers Chris

[SarzWix]

I'd go for the LBS Garden Warehouse mentioned above. If I was buying plants, I'd prefer them in a pot than a cup... And they'll be re-usable, which is the best way of recycling.

Or try Kays Discount Garden Supplies - N A Kays Horticulture