Remember my statement on the thread for starting plants, when I said to use whatever you've got on hand, that works? Well, here's an idea, if you happen to have one of the Walton family's big box stores nearby! Walmart has these small white plastic trash cans for sale (in store and online) for 98 cents. They are 1.5 gallon capacity....approximately the same as a 10" pot.....and the plastic is a recyclable #5. For those not in the know, that is food grade plastic (same # as the "to go" box I got today). So right about now, you're thinking, "So what? What's this idiot going on, about trash cans??" Well, here's the thing. If you go to pretty much ANY store, and want to buy a 10" planting pot, guess what they cost? Right around $6 each, with today's inflation prices. Are you seeing where this is going? So this morning, I stopped by my local store, and bought SIX of them....for the same price as I would buy ONE regular 10" pot. It should take me all of about 2-3 minutes, to drill a couple holes in the bottom of each one, for water drainage.....and then I will have six pots, to plant smaller plants into! And since they're over 9" deep, they'll work well for anything that needs a bit more room for roots. Sterilite 1.5 Gallon Trash Can, Plastic Bathroom or Office Trash Can, White - Walmart.com Paper coffee cups (planting), plastic dome lids (humidity domes), plastic food containers (seed starters), and now trash cans. The possibilities are endless!
Oh, and I forgot to mention my friends in Alabama! To grow tomatoes and peppers, they wanted something that would work better than planting directly into their heavy clay soil. So off to their local Walmart they went, to buy: 1. a hard plastic kid's wading pool 2. some potting soil, and, 3. some of those cheap 99 cent fabric shopping bags Are you seeing where this is going? Fill the bags will soil, set them in the wading pool. Plant your seedlings, and watch them grow! To water them, simply put a few inches of water in the bottom of the pool every morning, where it will wick into the soil-filled bags, and water the plants! And if you're worried about skeeters, toss a "dunk" into the bottom of the pool!
Finally, remember these guys, that I got the seeds from a store-bought tomato I really liked? Well, they've graduated to their own cups/pots, and should be going out into outside containers, this week! I ended up with 5 plants....here's 4 of them! 'Scuze the reddish light.....they're still indoors, under a plant light, since I have limited space on my southern-facing windowsills.
I like the recycled coffee cup idea. I have some hedge apple seed that I need to start. I can put the cups in a couple drink holders. When they're all planted I can put all the trash in the fireplace.
I used those little plastic bathroom cups from dollar general that are like 200 for $1 when I was mass producing plants Good for starting and transplanting not for growing though.
This is great as now I know my wife hasn't gone around the twist. Every time we grab a sandwich while shopping at COSTCO, we also get a couple of cups for water. Yep! You guessed it. I damn well better not throw my cup away less I get the old stink-eye for the next few hours. LOL!
I love Luge"s italian ice in the summer get it at Wally World they come in small plastic cups. I drill the bottom with hole to start plants and cut the bottoms out an put them around small plants in the garden. We have problem with cut worms and this keeps the plants safe. This year has been a bumper crop of blueberries we have had plenty of rain- their big and juicy, Have put 5 gallons up in the freezer. Wife has made jelly and blueberry syrup--great on waffles and pancakes
