How many plastic pots?

[veggiechicken]

This month's Gardening Which has an investigation into plastic flower pots and the difficulties of recycling them. It estimates that 500 million pots are in circulation every year and says that the Garden Centre industry should take more responsibility for recycling them.
However, the most staggering statistic for me was that the average gardener has 39 plastic pots! Only 39??? I must have that many in each greenhouse as well as the ones stashed in various outbuildings - probably several hundred in various shapes and sizes.
How about you? Apart from reusing them, have you found a way of recycling the pots?

[Matt94]

well ive got aroun 100 florist pots for the toms - plus 100's of 3 inch pots (ive bought around 500 this year alone) plus like you VC ive got many many others in all shapes and sizes - so yep just a few more than 39

[CaroltheCarrot]

39!!! Good grief I must have easily 10 times that amount

[rustylady]

I daren't count.

[Currysniffa]

I have a big box of keepers (good un's) and a big box of ones I put the plants I give away in (flimsy plastic ones) but I don't keep count.

[alex-adam]

Its always worth listing your surplus pots and seedtrays on Freecycle / Freegle.

[Rabidbun]

Blimey, I have more than that of giant foot x foot pots, let alone normal ones!

[Florence Fennel]

Another one who daren't count. I also get people at work bringing them to me when they have bought plants and I never say no thank you. After all, you can't have enough plant pots.

[chris]

I've around 500 plastic pots that are 3" or there abouts. Module wise, I've probably 20 or so trays, seed trays I've 50 odd, larger pots are in the hundreds.

I'm thinking of gradually moving to those soil block makers though.

My main reason for having so many small pots/trays is that I intend to car boot sale excess plants (though missed out this year due to everything going on).

[eirish]

I was very pleased to see that one of the garden centres near me has a big open bin out front for recycling plastic pots, complete with sign encouraging people to help themselves to anything they need.

[Two_Sheds]

I'm always being offered people's old plant pots ~ I had been cleaning them up and eBaying them, but it's really not worth the effort for a few pennies: nobody really wants them.

I have 100s, but don't remember ever actually buying any ...

[Kaiya]

They probably counted mine lol - I would think I have about 20? Maybe 30. I use modules for everything, and the few pots I have for courgettes and tomatoes. I like the larger module trays that bedding plants and strawbs come in - I have four of them. I don't tend to buy in plants, or buy pots, so I don't have a huge influx of pots...

[VirginVegGrower]

I haven't any, other than my regulation Wilkos square which I buy for potting on. Have lots of those! All my pots from DA roses go back to them for reuse. I asked them some years ago and now they will take them from you. All my others from plants bought go to my local garden centre, which does have a recycling/reuse point.

[dominic10]

Our allotment site has a big pallet where people can recycle their excess pots (clean and tidy please) and others can then help themselves. Last year they had an excess of pots and donated a lot to a local primary school. Just before we received a letter saying we were No. 6 on the list I had had a big tidy up and freecycled a bin bag full. I still have loads plus 36 toilet rolls on the go.

[zazen999]

If the camper hadn't broken down, I'd have reycled several thousand to schools this week.

I nab loads on freecycle when they are going - and the schools use them and sell them full of plants.

There should be a pot recycling section at every recycling station - really...