Pots, pots, and more pots
We use lots of pots here at the nursery. To help keep the plant costs as low as possible for you, our customers, we use lots of pre-used pots. Buying brand new pots can be not only expensive, but also almost impossible to find at times. Just think of all the plant nurseries in the country buying thousands and thousands of pots from just a handful of suppliers. That creates a shortage several times each year. The price also increases on a regular basis. Oil products are used to create these pots.
We gladly accept pots used by customers so they can be filled and sold again. We have been doing this ever since we opened way back in 2011. These pots can often be used several times. Some of our pots have been returned several times. This keeps them out of the landfill and unfortunately most can’t be recycled with other items.
Time for a change
After many years of doing this, we are having to make some changes. While we appreciate those people remembering us and bringing their pots, lately it has turned into some people bringing us everything they ever bought and used for any plant. We are no longer going to be accepting things that aren’t nursery pots.
If you’ve been here, you should have an idea of what we use for the plants. Usually black plastic pots that are somewhat near 6 inches in diameter or larger. Height is somewhere around 6 or 7 inches on up depending on the size pot. Nursery pots are often known by the “gallon” size. Most of what we use are known as “trade gallon” size. Larger plants and trees can be bought in 2, 3, 5, 7, or larger gallon sizes. Believe it or not, those get used here from time to time.
Smaller sized pots used here too
Since this is a propagation nursery, smaller pots are also put to use before the plants go out to retail sales. Since space is a premium around here, we have streamlined the kinds of small pots that we use. Square pots take up less space than round ones. They fit tightly in custom trays with little to no gaps. We use them in 2 1/2″, 3″, 3 1/2″, and 4 1/2″ square pots. We do get some of these given to us but these aren’t found that often out in the retail world and we usually have to purchase these.
All of the above nursery pot items will be gladly accepted and put to use. Even those pretty colored ones with pictures on them. If they’re dirty or still have tags attached, that’s fine.
Things that won’t be accepted
Hanging basket pots, thin-walled multi pacs, clay pots, large square pots and trays that plants are sold in some times, glass houseplant pots and fixtures, multi-pac pots, and the list goes on, will no longer be accepted. Lately we have had people cleaning out the shed or garage and bringing every sort of whatever. The only thing we can do with this stuff is put it in the garbage, unfortunately. We have been able to get rid of some more decorative items, but that is not up to us. Our garbage has increased dramatically and it has to end.
Plant containers that you thought were cute at one time but you’ve had in storage, get rid of them another way. Curbside is very popular nowadays. Set them out and who knows, maybe someone else will think they’re cute and grab them up. Things used for houseplants really don’t work around here since all our plants are outdoor perennial plants. If you bought it for your yard, odds are good that it came in a pot we can use. Cracked or broken pots are of no use to anyone.
Bottom line
Bottom line basically is if you buy some of our plants, return the pots when they’re empty. If you buy plants and trees from some other place, those pots are welcome here too. If you buy multi-pacs of veggie starts or annuals in those flimsy plastic things, throw them out in your garbage or give them to someone that does that kind of stuff. We don’t.
