where to buy large black plastic pots?

[MrSalvage]

I just bought two more bags to plant the last of my backup cherry tomato's. Food Lion @ $0.99 each what a bargin...

[peebee]

Go to the deli section of your local supermarket and ask if they have any large buckets that had frosting, soy sauce, etc in it that they throw away. I get mine at Ralphs. If you need a lot, ask on what days they usually have many(usually before or during a weekend). Then wash and drill holes in them.

Also, private nurseries usually have used ones that they might sell for $2-3, and they are the big 10 gal size, minimum, that are great for tomatoes. I got several there.
Got some for free at yard sales, it helps to even ask if they have any around and they might have some in the back cuz most people don't think of selling them.

I've asked friends, neighbors and co-workers for pots, they are happy to recycle as they often throw such things away. Whenever I give someone free tomato seedlings, I ask it they can bring me used pots, whatever size. That way, I can re-use them next year for my next batch of seedlings to give away.

[venturabananas]

Originally Posted by gardeninglee

I need to upgrade some of my pots - the current ones aren't big enough. Where do you pick up these pots for tomatoes for a decent price? I'm thinking at least 5 gallons. Anyone know of an online place that will deliver?

I get my black nursery pots from Green Thumb Nursery, of which there are at least a few locations in Southern California. The standard "5 gal" nursery pot (which is closer to 3 gallons) is about $2. I wouldn't use pots that small unless you want to water your plants every day -- or twice a day -- or set up a drip system. The minimum size I use now is 15 gal, which cost about $8-9 new. This year I'm trying 25 gal, which cost $14 each. I have three plants in each. So far that's working well. They also sometimes have used pots for vastly reduced prices at Green Thumb. I have no affiliation with them. They are just conveniently located near my house. I'd think you'd have other local options in W. LA.

[SeniorTomate]

I bought some from a hydroponics store. They have the thicker, heavy duty pots and smart pots. They are around the same prices if I remember correctly. I might go today to get some more. I'll let you know the prices.

[SteveP]

They were planting a bunch of trees in a park about 5 years ago and they were loading and cleaning up the area. They had a bunch of huge black heavy rubber/plastic pots they were gathering and I stopped and asked what they did with them. He told me they throw them away and I could have some if I wanted. I stacked and loaded as many as would fit into the backseat of the car. Which was only 6 of them. They are 30 gallon. I took them home quickly and unloaded and rushed back to get more and they had already left. But I love these HUGE containers. I always keep my eye out for good containers and every so often I find some.

[WilburMartin]

Originally Posted by Gardeneer

How about using reusable grocery fabric bags ?

Those in the picture are 7 gall capacity
Gardeneer

Gardeneer - I am experimenting with those this season. Do you have them in saucers for constant water source, or just leaving them on the ground?

[JLJ_]

Originally Posted by TC_Manhattan

Tractor Supply has heavy-duty 5 gallon buckets for $3.99, and they are food-grade.
Plus, they are white so they keep your roots cooler than the black nursery pots.
I have dozens of them, drilled 1/2" holes around the perimeter, about 1/2" above the bottoms, so they drain very well.

Here's a link: http://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/pro...e?cm_vc=-10005

. . .

Were they labeled with a food grade code on the bottom or did you find the information somewhere else?

I checked online and our local TSC has them, but just lists the material as "resin" but I can't find any other info about their composition or use suitability.

I did see a review that said they were labeled food grade and was otherwise favorable . . . but it was two years old . . . the more recent ones were much lower ratings. Did you buy some recently?

(Trying to find out what I can as it's a fair journey to our "local" TSC -- close enough to be worth going there to buy buckets, but pretty far to go just to browse around.)

[Worth1]

Why are so many people concerned about food grade containers to grow things in when the big majority of the hoses they water with aren't?

Worth

[JLJ_]

Originally Posted by Worth1

Why are so many people concerned about food grade containers to grow things in when the big majority of the hoses they water with aren't?

Worth

That is a good point, Worth -- and does concern me. Mostly, I think the concern is about long term exposure to the surfaces. I try to minimize that by running some water through the hoses for some other purpose before I use them on food plants -- but food plants in containers have continual exposure to whatever the container is made of and I can't think of any good way to minimize it.

If the hoses, their fittings, and the containers were made in the US -- really in the US -- I'd have more confidence that there was at least some manufacturing desire not to include dangerous elements. By contrast, I saw a recent piece by some western reporter who'd been in China with an official visitor there, who asked a spokesman about pollution generated by a new steel plant that had apparently caused massive fish death and presumable compromise of safe food status of the surviving fish . He got an answer along the lines that steel plants were important and it wasn't in the national interest to answer the reporter's question, but he would discuss it privately, off the record, if desired.

In the circumstances, the only thing I know to do is to try to use as many components as possible that are certified OK for food use. Last time I checked, for example, Home Depot's buckets did have the code that allegedly indicates that they are safe for such purposes.

[Worth1]

I knew you would answer in a logical way.
Not all people can do this as I have asked other folks not on this forum.'

I buy hoses that you can drink out of not all will say this like the cheap hoses.

A lot of the plastics are just fine until you heat them up like with boiling water.
The plastic cups the water bottles and the polystyrene are but a few that break down and leach chemicals.

Worth

[Uncle Doss]

Originally Posted by SteveP

They were planting a bunch of trees in a park about 5 years ago and they were loading and cleaning up the area. They had a bunch of huge black heavy rubber/plastic pots they were gathering and I stopped and asked what they did with them. He told me they throw them away and I could have some if I wanted. I stacked and loaded as many as would fit into the backseat of the car. Which was only 6 of them. They are 30 gallon. I took them home quickly and unloaded and rushed back to get more and they had already left. But I love these HUGE containers. I always keep my eye out for good containers and every so often I find some.

look up any cattle owners in your area. I now have a collection of about 25 containers that are about 30 gallon each, free from cattle guys. They get tubs of a protein/mineral lick and when it is empty, they are stuck with a big plastic pot.

I have cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, green beans, etc all growing in those pots right now. I still have about 12 empty containers, and by spring, I expect I will likely have another dozen or so, and plan of filling all of them

[Uncle Doss]

Originally Posted by Worth1

Why are so many people concerned about food grade containers to grow things in when the big majority of the hoses they water with aren't?

Worth

I ask the same type of question of people who constantly say you shouldn't grow hydroponics in PVC pipes. Those people apparently don't realize that their household water likely flows through pvc

[Urbanheirlooms]

Originally Posted by JLJ_

That is a good point, Worth -- and does concern me. Mostly, I think the concern is about long term exposure to the surfaces. I try to minimize that by running some water through the hoses for some other purpose before I use them on food plants -- but food plants in containers have continual exposure to whatever the container is made of and I can't think of any good way to minimize it.

If the hoses, their fittings, and the containers were made in the US -- really in the US -- I'd have more confidence that there was at least some manufacturing desire not to include dangerous elements. By contrast, I saw a recent piece by some western reporter who'd been in China with an official visitor there, who asked a spokesman about pollution generated by a new steel plant that had apparently caused massive fish death and presumable compromise of safe food status of the surviving fish . He got an answer along the lines that steel plants were important and it wasn't in the national interest to answer the reporter's question, but he would discuss it privately, off the record, if desired.

In the circumstances, the only thing I know to do is to try to use as many components as possible that are certified OK for food use. Last time I checked, for example, Home Depot's buckets did have the code that allegedly indicates that they are safe for such purposes.

I work for a manufacturing company here in the US and we extrude many different types of plastic. We also sell our product worldwide. One thing I can tell you is that many foreign countries have much tougher restrictions on plastic types than we do in the US (China is not one of them). If you look as the MSDS sheets for most of the plastics, it states "this product contains no substances which at their given concentration, are considered to be hazardous to health". Most state "This chemical is not considered hazardous by the 2012 OSHA Hazard Communication Standard". Although we do not sell "food grade" plastics, I believe the main difference between food grade and non food grade is the type of color concentrate used to color plastic and the releasing agent used in the molds. White or clear containers do not used color concentrate. All products do require releasing agents.

[Urbanheirlooms]

A pretty good source for finding containers is Craigslist. I have saved a lot of money purchasing items for my garden.

[My Foot Smells]

Originally Posted by Urbanheirlooms

I work for a manufacturing company here in the US and we extrude many different types of plastic. We also sell our product worldwide. One thing I can tell you is that many foreign countries have much tougher restrictions on plastic types than we do in the US (China is not one of them). If you look as the MSDS sheets for most of the plastics, it states "this product contains no substances which at their given concentration, are considered to be hazardous to health". Most state "This chemical is not considered hazardous by the 2012 OSHA Hazard Communication Standard". Although we do not sell "food grade" plastics, I believe the main difference between food grade and non food grade is the type of color concentrate used to color plastic and the releasing agent used in the molds. White or clear containers do not used color concentrate. All products do require releasing agents.

Interesting. What about a home depot bucket (orange). I grew several things in those one year, but ppl kept b*tching about the unsightliness of a bunch of orange buckets. They did hold up in the sun, (some don't). I later used a burlap sack to "tone it down," but that brought on the black widows.

I like my garden to have aesthetics, so look for sales on actually design, or build my own out of stone or wood.