The Clever Reason Smart Gardeners Hoard Plastic Pots

Summary

This video provides creative and practical ways to reuse garden pots, turning them into useful tools and decorative features. It covers techniques like creating plant collars to protect young plants, using bottomless pots for tomato support, and crafting bug hotels to help with pest control. The video also suggests upcycling pots for storage, reducing potting mix costs, and crafting plant labels. It highlights how to clean pots for reuse and offers eco-friendly alternatives to plastic pots. Viewers are encouraged to get creative, recycle pots, and even donate surplus pots to keep them in circulation.

Takeaways

• 😀 Using old pots in gardening is a great way to repurpose them for various practical uses.
• 🌱 Bottomless pots can act as plant collars, protecting young plants from cold weather and pests like earwigs.
• 🍅 Larger bottomless pots can also be used as extra support for tomatoes, promoting root growth and enhancing nutrient uptake.
• 🪴 Pots can be used as storage containers for garden tools and supplies, keeping everything within reach and organized.
• 💰 Reduce the amount of potting mix used by placing an upside-down pot at the bottom of larger containers, saving both weight and cost.
• 🐞 Creating a bug hotel by filling a pot with natural materials can provide a home for beneficial insects, aiding in pest control.
• 🐜 Insects like earwigs can be encouraged near plants that need aphid control by creating an inviting straw-filled pot near them.
• 🌿 To contain invasive plants like mint, bury a pot in the soil, allowing only the rim to protrude to prevent root spread.
• 📝 Repurpose old pots into plant labels, helping you stay organized by using different colored pots for different plant types or crop families.
• ❄️ To protect young plants from late cold snaps, stack two pots inside each other to trap air and create insulation, covering them with a blanket for extra warmth.
• 🌸 Cleaning and reusing old pots can help eliminate pests, diseases, and fungi, ensuring healthy plants for the next season.
• 🌍 Consider eco-friendly options like biodegradable pots made from materials like miscanthus grass, bamboo, or coir fiber to avoid plastic waste.

Q & A

What is a useful way to protect young plants from chilly winds and pests?

A simple method is to cut the bottom off a pot to create a plant collar. Placing this collar around young plants helps protect them from cold winds and pests like earwigs and woodlice.

How do bottomless pots help support tomato plants?

Bottomless pots can be placed around tomato plants to create extra space for roots to develop, helping to anchor the plant, support it, and provide additional nutrients and moisture.

Can larger bottomless pots be used after planting tomatoes?

Yes, larger bottomless pots can be added a few weeks after planting. By slipping it over the plant, you can fill it with potting mix to give the plant an extra boost.

What’s a cost-effective method to reduce the amount of potting mix used in large containers?

To save on potting mix, place an upside-down pot at the bottom of a larger container for shallower-rooted plants like lettuce or strawberries. This creates space in the pot, reducing the need for extra potting mix.

How can gardeners help wildlife during winter?

Gardeners can create a 'bug hotel' by packing a pot with natural, dry materials like bamboo stems, leaves, and straw. This provides a safe space for beneficial insects to overwinter and help control pests in the spring.

How can gardeners control earwigs in their garden?

Earwigs can be encouraged to control pests where needed by filling a pot with moist straw and inverting it on a cane near areas affected by aphids. The earwigs will take shelter in the straw, helping keep aphids under control.

What is an effective way to control invasive plants like mint?

To prevent mint from spreading, plant it in a container, then bury the container in the ground with just the rim exposed. This keeps the roots contained while still allowing the plant to grow.

What can gardeners do with surplus plant pots?

Excess pots can be reused as plant labels. Cutting them into strips provides an endless supply of labels for various crops, and using different colors can help identify different plant families.

How can gardeners protect plants from a late cold snap in spring?

To protect plants from a cold snap, stack two pots inside each other to trap air and create insulation. Place the stacked pots over the plants, and add extra coverings like sacking if needed to further insulate them.

How can gardeners extend the life of their pots?

Cleaning pots regularly helps extend their life. A simple wash with water and dish soap can remove old potting mix, while using a wire brush can remove mineral deposits from terracotta pots. For extra cleanliness, some gardeners soak pots in a dilute disinfectant solution.