How many do you need? Unless you need large quantities for commercial growing, your best bet is to find a fellow gardener who has planted some trees and has them lying around because they never throw anything away... like me. I think I have 4 or 5 back behind the garage, along with more 5-gallon pots than I can cope with. Where in the County are you?

First, when you say "usually", I have a feeling you mean 15-gallon containers (not 25-gallon). Trees are commonly sold in 15-gallons. The next common size for nursery trees is a 24-inch (wooden) box.

Secondly, many retail nurseries accept returned, used containers and will recycle them (as plastic), reuse them for their own needs, or return them to their wholesaler. But sometimes they will sell them (for maybe $5) to the retail customer who asks very nicely.

They're also available, in LARGE bulk quantities, from nursery container wholesale companies if you need quite a few (100+).

Joe

Try a nursery that sells palms. 24-inch plastic pots are commonly used in the trade.

I have 15 gal pots (just not big enough for the extra tomatoes I seem so determined to grow and I'm outta space for new beds) so I'm looking for the 25 gal pots which are kinda unusual since most growers at that point use the wooden boxes-- Every few years I'll look for them and usually strike out. The 25 gals are large and round and have holes on the sides of the bottom... I have a half dozen but they're packed with Orienpet lilies in a custom soil mix that are just sprouting and I'm loathed to move at this point... they will not do as well in the 15 gal which heat up too much even shaded for the lilies but the 25 gal really helps with keeping the roots cooler and more insulated...

I have called around to some growers and haven't been successful yet. I know someone posted on here about who had them a while back (2 years ago?) And I thought I'd written it down in my garden journal but alas can't find the note now. The name of the grower is on the tip of my memory but the yellow pages didn't help... any suggestions here are certainly appreciated! It WAS a tree grower too-- [Apparently one grower is selling plastic 24" square plastic containers which I'm completely unfamiliar with. Anyone know what those are like? For $15 each.]

Finding the boxes is easy .... purchasing the boxes another story .. www.Amarootreeboxes.com HOWEVER they only sell wholesale. and http://www.gulfcoasttreeboxes.com HOWEVER they are in youngsville, LA.. the idea to grow in a box is great.. even better when your zone is out of the normal and you're willing to pull the plant/box inside another place to buy is at www.worthingtonfarms.com but they to are far far away .. if you have another source please let us know..

also wrote to www.teksupply.com to see if they carry the boxes or would conside carrying the boxes.. maybe if they had enough pre-sold they would take a partial truck load of something ..

A couple of San Diego area palm tree nurseries come to mind as possible sources: Jungle Music in Encinitas and Mt. Soledad Palm nursery in Rancho Santa Fe (?).
That size pot is often used for cycads and Phoenix roebellini.

I think that Orange County Farm supply may sell them. It is off Chapman on the 57 frwy just north of the 5/22 interchange.
Nancy

Here is a link that might be useful: Orange County Farm Supply