I scored! 10 large planters; extra cheap

18 years ago

When we moved into this house last summer I set several mis-matched pots on the sunporch steps just to keep them out of the way.

I thought it would be wonderful to find 8-10 large matching pots, for a reasonable price, and really dress up the steps. (They're going to be rebuilt, but probably not this summer.)

I scored! 10 pots for 50-cents each!

I was at Lowe's, obsessing over paint colors of course, and decided to check out the still-frozen and empty garden area. There was a large pallet of 16" faux-cotta flowerpots marked "50-cents Each."

I knew it was a mistake. Still, crazier things have been known to happen so I took one of the pots to the cashiers' area. Sure enough, they were 50-cents each. I tottered back to the garden area as fast as my stubby legs would go. I needed 10 matching pots.

They had two styles on offer. I took these with the dentil molding design around the top; there were exactly 10 left.

I think the two pots at the top of the stairs should be replaced with two that are much larger than the others. Or, I could set these two up on stands of some sort.

I was disappointed when I realized the 16" pots would not fit on every stairstep. I thought about putting one on every other step and then putting smaller pots in-between them. That would not continue the "matching" theme I wanted, and any pot smaller than 16" is too hard to keep watered during our hot summer.

Then I had my V-8 moment and realized I could stagger the pots and they would "fit."

We're going to be busy trying to get the house fixed, finished, unpacked, and comfortable before fall. I'm not spending as much time and effort gardening this year as I normally do.

I'm going to set out two or three lilac bushes, remove three half-hearted shrubs from the backyard, fill the Secret Garden pot out front, and have these 10 pots of flowers on the sunporch steps.

I'm going simple and easy-care. Each pot will have two or three geraniums and one trailing petunia, and possibly a euphorbia.

The two pots at the top may get something "tall and spiky;" it could be as simple as a decorative garden stake, or a few branches of curly willow. I'll probably stick to all one, or two, colors, at most.

I can't wait to get started planting.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (16)

ont_gal
18 years ago
Ever nice,really nice
You lucky gal!
trinitytx
18 years ago
I am just sick with envy! how sweet was this? it just goes to show I need to get out more often.
You are so lucky, and it looks beautiful.

Trin
Related Discussions
Need advise on building a large planter box please!
Q
Comments (3)
This is not a good plan. The boards will end up bulging from the pressure of the moist earth if they are attached only at 8' intervals. Figure on tripling the post supports. Much (most) of the 2" x lumber is not treated for ground contact and therefore will not last long as the walls of a planter. If the bottom is open, you don't need extra drainage but the soil in the box, and below the box, should drain well. Unless it's adorned with some remarkable details or construction methods, I can't conceive of a long, low wooden box spanning all the way across the property as looking good. It sounds like something that most people could not wait to get rid of if they purchased a property with this already on it. I'm pondering why you would do this. If it's just to add another 2' of height to the arborvitaes I'd think finding a taller plant or waiting a little longer would be a better way to go. I do not get it. But if someone held a gun to my head and forced me to design a long lasting raised planter of such dimensions, I'd look into doing it out of some other material first. In Colorado, I'd think acquiring stone would not be as much of a problem as it is in other locales. Honestly, do you really need a raised planter like this?
...See More
Dollar Tree: 1 & 2 Gallon Containers - $1.00, I scored!
Q
Comments (1)
Congrats! Sounds like a nice haul.
...See More
Are cheap seeds really cheap?
Q
Comments (42)
I'm so glad some of you remember a lot of the things I do. Some of my most cherished memories are when my playmate two doors down (Ellen) and the girl our age (Mary) across the alley would play in a little lean-to playhouse built against the north side of Ellen's garage. They had a huge wooden sandbox. People don't like the tracking and what it takes to fill and maintain sandboxes, but I've got to tell you it was heaven on earth. The sandbox was under a slightly larger pergola. Over the pergola grew Concord grapes. How beautiful it was under the shade of the leaves and when the grapes hung down as we played in that sandbox. Sadly, Ellen whose parents had the sandbox died from cancer a few years back; we had been separated for years as she taught school and moved to Michigan. The other girl, we parted ways after kindergarten, and she went to the Catholic school. We made new friends and lost touch with one another. A few years ago I found her how? The internet but somebody must have given me some clue, didn't even know what her current married name was. I met her when I was 3. She lives in NC and is such a lovely person. I cannot remember the last time I saw her, before I was 10. We correspond regularly and share these precious memories. Right now I have heard that her husband is facing a terrible ordeal with cancer and his pacemaker; her health sounds good. Tears flowed from my eyes when I read that, and I need to answer soon. I didn't have a video camera, but one beautiful fall day, I walked the old neighborhood with my wide angle lens, walked up the middle of my street and back (there were low hills on both ends of that two-block long street), walked back down then around and up the alley we shared, then around and down her street, clicking all the way. I put the photos on a cd and sent them to her. She was so grateful for them. I'd never met her sister who was older and away by the time I met her, but she sent those photos to her sister, too. I'm so glad I did that. This is the same street from about the exact same spot and one of my photos from that day. The older one I took with my brownie Kodak when I was about 8. The second one was Oct 2005. My house was the one on the right that is yellow now (hard to tell the color) with a red roof and the white rails. Ellen's house was the first one on the right you can see, a grey house with red trim and grey roof. There was a small one in between that isn't visible. I presently live about 1/2 mile from there. The oddest thing is that apart from the cars, trees and a few cosmetic changes to the houses, it has changed very little. 55 years then and now.
...See More
Score! Planters on clearance!
Q
Comments (8)
I too love bargains..Unless pots are on sale, prices are unbelievable. I rarely go to garage sales, but I discovered they're the best places to find ceramic containers..most containers are in excellent condition. One year, I went to every garage sale looking for pots, saucers, plants and books. Got two 8" ceramic containers for .10 each.. And a yellow, 10" ceramic .50.. The problem is, it's difficult keeping glass with the pets..Out of all the ceramic pots I bought that one summer, two are left..lol..One being the yellow pot. Andrew, you are correct about plain, plastic, non-decorative pots being expensive. Since 98% of my plants are in these simple pots, when I run out, I purchase them on Ebay..considering there's nothing to them, they're on the high side..and forget saucers..they cost more than the pots..lol..plastic, transparent saucers. Sheesh! Another thing I do is, when I buy outdoor perrenials/annuals, I save the pots..wash, dry and save. They come in handy, especially 14" and up..Toni
...See More
des_arc_ya_ya
18 years ago
Well, you lucky dawg! Enjoy - bet they're gonna look great.
okwriter
18 years ago
Dang! That's a steal!
nodakgal
18 years ago
WHOA! I agree with Rita, thats a steal!!
Wish I could find some deals like that!
Just a suggestions, can you remove the railing on your steps til you rebuild it? I think it would look great with the pots with no railing, course if you use it and need help getting up steps then its not such a great idea! LOL
tannatonk23_fl_z9a
18 years ago
WOW! That is an excellent score, Caroline!!! I am green with envy! If they were mine I would fill them with coleus. I'll post a link to one of my favorites called Songbird.

Please show us pictures when you get them potted!

~Betsy

Here is a link that might be useful: Coleus Songbird
Happy_Go_Lucky_Gayle
18 years ago
Awsome!

We bought some huge pots for the patio, but just put the pot the plant came in into the pot. It would have been to heavy to move.

I have a baby Coleus Songbird, along with about 6 other kind.

Gayle
caroline1947
18 years ago
Do post a picture when they are in their glory!!! Nice find and arrangement
summer_tx
18 years ago
That's terrific Caroline. Can't wait to see a picture of all of your lovely plants later this season.
grammahony
18 years ago
What a bargin Caroline. I've got to run out and see if I can find something like that, before the stuff for this year comes out. I doubt it though, because our HyVee (grocery) store is already putting up their parking lot green house.
I like the way they set on your step. I may try that on my front porch.
Leslie
Linda Wayman
18 years ago
What a great deal you got. I can hardly wait to see them in a couple of months. They are going to be so pretty.

Linda
marilyn_c
18 years ago
That is going to look fantastic!! Wonderful deal you got on those pots! That is something I am always on the look out for. I scored some nice pots recently at a moving sale. Also a trellis and shepard's hook.
cate52
18 years ago
Do you fill them up with dirt or do you use some sort of 'filler' like styro peanuts in plastic bags to help fill up the bulk of the pot? What a great deal!! I'm sooooo envious!
caroline94535
Original Author
18 years ago
Betsy ~ will the Coleus Songbird be okay with about a half day of full sun? Those are exceptionally beautiful coleus. If they need shade I could put a few on the north side of the house. These steps face south.

Cate ~ I will put in some filler, a brick for extra weight and either landscape bark, packing peanuts and/or gravel, to fill about the bottom 1/4 to 1/3 of the pots. Then I'll use potting soil the rest of the way. I want the soil to be 10-12 inches deep for good water retention. I tend to completely overstuff my pots, and then give them 1/2 strength Miracle Grow every week. So far this formula has given me some lovely planter displays.
caflowerluver
18 years ago
Should look beautiful with flowers in them. I wish I could find deals like that!
Clare
kathi_mdgd
18 years ago
Wow what a deal!! I sure would like to find one like that,i'd take them all also.

Can't wait to see what you fill them with.
Does that porch get sun all day??
Kathi

I scored! 10 large planters; extra cheap

Comments (16)

ont_gal

trinitytx

Related Discussions

des_arc_ya_ya

okwriter

nodakgal

tannatonk23_fl_z9a

Happy_Go_Lucky_Gayle

caroline1947

summer_tx

grammahony

Linda Wayman

marilyn_c

cate52

caroline94535
Original Author

caflowerluver

kathi_mdgd

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

I scored! 10 large planters; extra cheap

Comments (16)

Related Discussions

caroline94535Original Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

caroline94535
Original Author