I posted this story last Spring but I thought it was worth posting again in case any of you are looking for some free containers for your garden.
Yesterday, I went to the Home Depot to pick up a gallon of stain for the garden boxes. As I was waiting for my order to be processed, I headed over to the flower section to see if there was anything I was interested in. On the way there I passed by a man who was carrying a black 5 gallon plastic pot. The kind of plain Jane pots trees come in when you buy them at a nursery. Knowing I needed to find a bunch for my greenhouse, I excitedly asked him where he found the black plastic pot.
“Over there” he pointed, as he walked by, “and they are only $9.42 each”. I stopped dead in my tracks. Did he just say $9.42 each? For a plastic pot? I thought I must have heard wrong so I went to take a look. Sure enough, Home Depot was selling the common black plastic pots for almost $10. Holy canolies Batman, who on earth would PAY for a black plastic pot I thought. What a dip. I smiled, let out a little laugh and then headed outside to the nursery area. After all, I had 15 minutes to burn until my stain was ready so I took my time walking past the tables and carts of flowers and shrubs .
And then BAM! I found gold. Did you know the Home Depot has a “recycling” program? Oh yes, yes they do Bob. Of course this is all news to me, but apparently if you purchase a tree, plant, flower, yada yada, at Home Depot, you can bring the growing container back for recycling. Wowza! There should be a press release on this for the cheapskates like me out there. Not to mention “I’ll happily pay $9.42 for a plastic pot” guy in his brown leather shoes and pressed chinos. Not that he would want to necessarily put a used {dirty} container in his sports car or anything, but still, knowledge is power.
So in stealth like fashion I quickly scooped up all the buckets I could carry {I didn’t want to leave the pots unattended to look for a cart} and headed over to the cashier stand. Yada Yada Yada, “Can I have these?” “Suuuuure” she said, obviously unaware of the riches I was holding in the form of black plastic pots. “Knock yourself out.”
Wahooo what a find! Not only did I get a boatload of large black plastic pots for the greenhouse from the Home Depot, but I also stopped by the Albertsons bakery department and asked if they had any cookie or frosting buckets they wanted to get rid of. Mr. Master Baker {who has seen me before} simply pointed to the back of the bakery and said “Take whatever you want.” And so I did.
You know what they say…
One mans trash is another man’s treasure.
How about YOU? Have you scored any awesome freebies lately?
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I worked at Home Depot for 6 years and we never had anything similar to tree pot recycling program. This is the first time I heard about it
Woo!Hoo! good for you! Actually, just this morning as I was out yardsaling, looking for canning jars, ect. I stopped at Safeway and asked for their white buckets. Scored 2 big ones and 1 small one!!Freebies
We don’t have one here either at our Home Depot either. Must be a local management decision.
People used to be able to get the buckets at Sam’s and Costco, but both say that it got messy from a customer service standpoint and they don’t do that anymore. However, I can still get them at our local Walmart… have to talk to the right person there though, which isn’t always easy. They charge $1 a bucket no matter what size. Getting that sickening smell of frosting out of them though is a bit of a challenge. I had luck with setting them in the sun full of water for a week.
I’ve also gotten 5-gallon pickle buckets from local restaurants. Unfortunately, they get rid of them as they use them, so you’re lucky to get 1 at a time. Not worth the bother, and I’d rather go to Lowes or HD and get their version for $3 each.
My son works for a professional landscaper. When he preps gardens in the spring, he brings home the empty flats with trays, empty pots and many rescued plants. Last year he brought home appx 200 flats with pots and 4 count trays. Way more than I would use so we donated most of them to my daughters 4-H. He also brings home pots of all sizes. I especially like the large ones (tree size) because they are very expensive. It is most exciting when he comes home and says “I got something in the truck for you”. It may be hydragas, iris, burning bushes, hostas, day lilys and things I don’t know the names of. All of these items are destined for the garbage/compost pile. He just has to get to them before his fellow employees. Some of the clients will want their gardens redesigned every other year. He has bought home as many as 10 mature burning bushes with the roots still semi balled. — So if you notice these landscapers at work, you may inquire if they have any containers you could recycle for them, or rescue any plants that are being discarded.
I am aware of the buckets for free area of my Home Depot and I am glad you are getting the word out to others. That was a lot more positive part of the message then the jumping to conclusions about the man shopping and willing to pay for one. Words are a powerful thing and with all the people you are now reaching…..I would encourage you to be careful in how you use them.
The man was paying for one. No conclusions jumped too.
Needing to explain his attire and then the part about the vehicle? You are wrong.
He could have saved his $10 for some more chinos. Judging by what we see of her house in all the fab pics, I’m sure Mavis is just as rich as chino guy but spends her money more thoughtfully.
I think she is British or something (she talks about her teeth)
and it is just her sense of humour.
I still remember the time she said something about the people who shop at Walmart,
and my hair stode on end.
*stood*
Would help if I could spell.
Ha! LOVE this post! Ignorance is bliss (to that guy)…now I need to head out and try this before you all scoop up all the free buckets out there. Mavis, thanks for sharing this idea!
A little off topic, but your post reminded me of a conversation I had last week with my friend that manages the local Joann’s. She talked about how frequent miscommunications and corporate decisions require her to discard perfectly good merchandise into the dumpster on occasion, and how if anyone were to try to take it out of the trash, then she would have to call the police and the company would press charges of theft against them.
At least your Home Depot gets the recycle thing for the pots.
The US Supreme Court ruled in California vs. Greenwood 1988:
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that since Greenwood
had no expectation of privacy in his garbage, it was not protected under the
Fourth Amendment. The warrant less search of his garbage was completely
legal.
The company, once they place items in a garbage container…have no right to prosecute you for searching, taking or otherwise making use of what ever is contained in that unit. The contents of the container are put there to be transported to a dump of some sort…you could just as easily follow the truck and then take the contents. If the company doesn’t want anyone to take the contents…they shouldn’t put it in an open container.
the closest thing to free we have is we get 55 gallon plastic drums from the local plumber for $5. we are going to catch the rain off of the chicken mansion to save on the well this year. nagging does pay off if done with a smile………
Thanks for posting this recycling program. I was just talking to my husband today about how I could get some free flats to transplant some seedings into. I will have to stop by our Home Depot and see if they are doing this. Thanks for the tip!
See… it’s doesn’t hurt to ask. The worst that can happen?… You know. =)
hi mavis, love your site and wish people weren’t so sensitive about some of the advise you provide “re free buckets got all kinds of crazy comments completely off track and missing the point” lol. i was looking at your lemon tree. we are in texas and things freeze here if planted in the ground. bought a huge pot to plant my 2 myers lemons in and keep them in the incubator room during the winter. right now they are FULL of blooms and trying not to rush the season and move them out too quickly. have to keep them in an fenced in area in summer because the chickens like to jump up and pluck their flowers off for some reason. maybe they are in training for some kind of chicken olympics that i don ‘t know about. anyway keep up your good work. Our world can always use more gardeners and your help is appreciated. i have been gardening and canning my own food for almost 50 years now. love it and knowing what we are putting in our bodies is a wonderful feeling. not to mention not having to depend on hitting the store everytime i have to cook.
Thank you for your kinds words Mary Ann! I’m having a good time with all this gardening, and in the end, that’s what it’s all about.