[jsgreen89]

I'm looking to plant my bean and courgette seeds today and was wondering whether I could re-use the plastic pots from last year? They've been sitting on the allotment for a while, but if I give them a good wash should they be ok?

Not sure why they wouldn't but just thought I'd check!

[DD.]

They'll be fine, but a rinse in Jeyes fluid won't come amiss.

[GrannieAnnie]

I've had some of my plastic pots for years!  like DD said, a nice wash in something like jeyes and you're ready for another season!

My beans are just coming through! 

[Paul Plots]

A Jeyes Fluid wash is a good idea.... and one day I will may get around to it. 

I re-use pots that have come from nurseries for growing all sorts of things from seed. I take more care with seeds that are expensive or delicate and need additional heat.

Re-using pots is a good way of recycling and saves a fortune. 

[mrscucumber]

what a great idea,i never normally keep mine,but buy new

[Kristen]

I take more care with seeds that are expensive or delicate and need additional heat.

Me too ... the rest just get one that I wipe out with the tail of my shirt, if they are lucky. I think too much is made of "washing pots", and its hard to do properly

But if anything is diseased I clean the pot thoroughly, and sterilise, before reuse.

[jsgreen89]

Thanks for the advice people! I gave the pots a good soak in diluted Jeys fluid for a couple of hours then thoroughly washed out. I'll hopefully get lots of seeds in there over the next few days

[GrannieAnnie]

Last year I did re-home a lot of my plastic pots, having accrued 1,000's over the years, particularly  the 15 banana boxes full that I bought at an auction for £15 about 5 years ago.  They wouldn't let me buy just one box I had to have the lot!  there were approx 500 3" pots in each box!!!

So I had a good clear out, then my good friend Joy, gave me another load of brand new 3" pots and planting modules of different sizes last year!   

[Paul Plots]

Last year I did re-home a lot of my plastic pots, having accrued 1,000's over the years, particularly  the 15 banana boxes full that I bought at an auction for £15 about 5 years ago.  They wouldn't let me buy just one box I had to have the lot!  there were approx 500 3" pots in each box!!!

So I had a good clear out, then my good friend Joy, gave me another load of brand new 3" pots and planting modules of different sizes last year!   

"You can never have too many pots!" I tell my wife as they slide off the shelves in the garage! 

But it does mean that when I give plants away I never have to ask for the pots back. 

[Ma Lowe]

Don't mention pots to Pa  he thinks i'm potty enough as it is  :blink: :blink:

I have in less than a year accumilated 100s of them I just rinse them in jeyes like everyone else.

[RsT]

All my pots have come from freecycle and seed trays/propagator lids from car boots.

The look I get from the wife when pots appear on freecycle convinces me that I currently have enough!

Have also used plastic cups recycled from my works drinking machine for potting on flowers in the past.

[alwayshopeful]

Always re-use my pots and never wash them - is that terrible   I also am on the slimming world diet and have loads of muller light yogurt pots which do make great pots (these i do wash!!).

[Robster]

Our local garden centre freecycles pots.  You just take along stuff you don't want and take what you do.  I picked up some decent 9 inch pots at the weekend for potting on my courgettes.  You could even freecycle a slug as i noticed the other day.  So cleaning not a bad idea

[LittleRedHen]

A soapy bleach solution works too, then sit them out in the sun to dry!

[savbo]

toilet brushes are very good for cleaning anything 3" and bigger...