sourcing (and upgrading) containers for patio gardening

I live in a townhouse with a pretty strict HOA. We're allowed to grow veggies only in containers, only perennials less than 3 ft high, etc. I have tall bushes around my patio now. I'm thinking of having them cut down this spring because they block so much sun, but then I'll have to keep my patio presentable to prying eyes. Any tips for sourcing pots and containers for a reasonable price, or upgrading free/cheap pots to make it look more uniform?

Also, favorite annuals that will provide a bit of quick-growing, attractive screening? I'm in zone 5b. partial sun.

Thanks!

Hi Julie,
Depending on the size of the containers you need, I find that some big box stores and greenhouses will give away some of the smaller pots. Many restaurants, deli's, and bakery's have 5 gallon food grade buckets they will give away for free or for very little. Maybe painting the buckets all the same color for uniformity?

Hello Julie. I know that this topic is about containers and you may have exhausted other options but I have to interject one other idea: BONSAI!
A quick search on Bonsai shrub images reveals a marvelous array of possibilities for lightening up your dense shrubs. Before removing them entirely, perhaps a deep dive into this ancient art could refresh your patio with light, new greenery and privacy. Maybe your HOA has a "grandfather" clause for your shrubs if you agree to cut them back a bit. Once you take them out, you'll never get another chance to grow plants of larger size. Speaking for your silent shrubbery, "Please save us Mommy!"

Amy, that is such a great idea so I thought I would ask Pinterest about "Bonsai Vegetables."

And yes, there are bonsai vegetables and fruits:


source


source


source


source

While they may not be pretty, food containers like yogurt, cottage cheese, and sour cream can be recycled and turned into plant containers.  These could be made pretty with some construction paper, etc.

I have seen 2-liter or bigger pop bottles milk jugs, etc. made into plant containers.

Garage sales might turn up pots or even pretty bowls.

I have seen a lot of different items being utilized by others on the forum.

Matt McSpadden wrote:Hi Julie,
Depending on the size of the containers you need, I find that some big box stores and greenhouses will give away some of the smaller pots. Many restaurants, deli's, and bakery's have 5 gallon food grade buckets they will give away for free or for very little. Maybe painting the buckets all the same color for uniformity?

Thanks Matt,

I had this idea, too, but I wondered about the toxicity of paints that would stick to plastic. I will explore further....

Anne Miller wrote:While they may not be pretty, food containers like yogurt, cottage cheese, and sour cream can be recycled and turned into plant containers.  These could be made pretty with some construction paper, etc.

I have seen 2-liter or bigger pop bottles milk jugs, etc. made into plant containers.

Garage sales might turn up pots or even pretty bowls.

I have seen a lot of different items being utilized by others on the forum.

Yes, I do keep anything small that can be used for growing out of the recycle bin.

Thanks for the reminder about garage sales. I have scored some nice bigger pots in the past, but I haven't been keeping an eye on them as much . I'll try to watch out for signs this spring.

Amy Gardener wrote:Hello Julie. I know that this topic is about containers and you may have exhausted other options but I have to interject one other idea: BONSAI!
A quick search on Bonsai shrub images reveals a marvelous array of possibilities for lightening up your dense shrubs. Before removing them entirely, perhaps a deep dive into this ancient art could refresh your patio with light, new greenery and privacy. Maybe your HOA has a "grandfather" clause for your shrubs if you agree to cut them back a bit. Once you take them out, you'll never get another chance to grow plants of larger size. Speaking for your silent shrubbery, "Please save us Mommy!"

I know, I know, I hate killing existing plants! I'm still on the fence about it. Unfortunately, my HOA are definitely NOT creative types. I love your idea, though.

Hi Julie, I could tell that you are on the fence when you gave us all the backstory instead of just asking about containers. The art of seducing others into seeing things your way takes practice. I hope you stretch those neighbors a bit and give your pruners a chance. You can always chop things down later. Good luck with your edgy adventure.

In case you get hold of all sorts of containers for potting plants, one way to make them attractive is to add lines to them. Commercial planter liners are even more expensive than the pots. Maybe you can diy to decorate some buckets like wrapping them with jute cords to make them coordinate. Also a liner also prevents overheating and drying out potted soil from direct sunlight.

May Lotito wrote:In case you get hold of all sorts of containers for potting plants, one way to make them attractive is to add lines to them. Commercial planter liners are even more expensive than the pots. Maybe you can diy to decorate some buckets like wrapping them with jute cords to make them coordinate. Also a liner also prevents overheating and drying out potted soil from direct sunlight.

I saw some burlap-covered buckets that looked passably cute. There are some coffee roaster places nearby. I wonder if they discard their coffee sacks...

I saw some burlap-covered buckets that looked passably cute. There are some coffee roaster places nearby. I wonder if they discard their coffee sacks...

Coffee shops always have tons of extra burlap bags!

Also—what about grow bags? They are relatively inexpensive, and i have seen many made from old tarps or other repurposed materials. They are light weight and easy to move around. Some are quite chic.

Maggie Fitzpatrick wrote:

I saw some burlap-covered buckets that looked passably cute. There are some coffee roaster places nearby. I wonder if they discard their coffee sacks...

Coffee shops always have tons of extra burlap bags!

Also—what about grow bags? They are relatively inexpensive, and i have seen many made from old tarps or other repurposed materials. They are light weight and easy to move around. Some are quite chic.

Cool, I'll have to enquire at some coffee shops (once this snowstorm is over :)

I bought a couple of U.S.A.-made grow-bags at the local hydroponics/homebrew store. I've seen them becoming popular, but I wondered about how sturdy they really are, how dried out the soil would get, etc. I've never seen one I'd consider "chic." Do you have pictures of cute ones?

From my experience, the larger the pots are in area, and a minimum of 12 inches deep, the better veggies will be, and the easier to care for. Having some sort of reservoir/wicking system at the bottom will also help a bunch.

Do you have a place to do basic building? My friend's husband took apart HT (heat treated) packing pallets and made some lovely 3 1/2 ft squared beds that are quite tall. They took a lesson from permaculture and put punky wood at the bottom to hold water and gradually turn into good soil. You haven't said how large a patio you're dealing with.

I'd also look at edible flowers that grow well in your area, and plant them on the more visible side. Nasturtium leaves is one example.

Planting unusual veggies might also help. The multi-coloured cauliflower rather than white, or Bright-light Swiss Chard are two examples.

Jay Angler wrote:From my experience, the larger the pots are in area, and a minimum of 12 inches deep, the better veggies will be, and the easier to care for. Having some sort of reservoir/wicking system at the bottom will also help a bunch.

Do you have a place to do basic building? My friend's husband took apart HT (heat treated) packing pallets and made some lovely 3 1/2 ft squared beds that are quite tall. They took a lesson from permaculture and put punky wood at the bottom to hold water and gradually turn into good soil. You haven't said how large a patio you're dealing with.

I'd also look at edible flowers that grow well in your area, and plant them on the more visible side. Nasturtium leaves is one example.

Planting unusual veggies might also help. The multi-coloured cauliflower rather than white, or Bright-light Swiss Chard are two examples.

Yes, I do have a garage where I can build and I'm pretty comfortable with woodworking. Are HT pallets common? Since I learned about the pallet codes, most I found were the bad chemical kind, so I kinda stopped looking. I could keep an eye out again. Deeper is better, agreed. I like that idea of container hugel.

I do have nasturtium seeds, bush and climbing. I'm not sure if the deer like them, but I'll find out. I think I have pretty Chard seed. That would probably "pass" as ornamental. Even red Russian kale can probably blend in. The grounds crew are not horticultural experts. If it looks tidy and no one complains, I'll be fine.

The HOA has goofy rules. Vegetables are ok in containers. Flowers or ornamentals only in the ground. But I'm planning to be sneaky about camouflaged or dual-purpose edibles in the ground.

Julie Anne wrote:

Are HT pallets common? Since I learned about the pallet codes, most I found were the bad chemical kind, so I kinda stopped looking. I could keep an eye out again.

They are totally common where I live - I rarely seen the other sort. However, I live in Canada, in an area that tends towards environmentalism, so your location could be totally different. Maybe try different sources. One place that calls us when they get a build up of pallets they want gone, is a dollar store chain. Another place we harvest from is a Canadian hardware chain.

Jay Angler wrote:Julie Anne wrote:

Are HT pallets common? Since I learned about the pallet codes, most I found were the bad chemical kind, so I kinda stopped looking. I could keep an eye out again.

They are totally common where I live - I rarely seen the other sort. However, I live in Canada, in an area that tends towards environmentalism, so your location could be totally different. Maybe try different sources. One place that calls us when they get a build up of pallets they want gone, is a dollar store chain. Another place we harvest from is a Canadian hardware chain.

That's great info, thank you. I will look into it more.

There are things like hypertufa and all sorts of amendments to concrete to make it lighter. I haven't done it so far but it would be a nice little project. I guess you could even use some sort of fabric and coat it with concrete. Other than that you can build out of timber but it won't last terribly long.

Angelika Maier wrote: Other than that you can build out of timber but it won't last terribly long.

Upscaling a waste stream wood product that will eventually turn into good dirt, is always a win for me - even it they only last 5 years which even some of my crappiest one have. I have looked at some of the hypertufa type approaches, but they often require molds which is fine if you want to make twenty of them, but the OP is talking about a single patio.

I source all of my pots freely at Publix, a local grocery store chain. Most grocery stores order their flowers in buckets, and will have some readily available if you ask. Mothers day and valentines day are great opportunities to stock up. Hope this helps!