What Consumers Can Do with Black Plastic Pots

When growers purchase their horticulture containers directly from The HC Companies or their local, trusted distributor, they often consider what will happen to the container after falling into the hands of homeowners and landscapers.

Sadly, many will simply toss them into the garbage or just leave them sitting in the garage or under the deck for an indefinite future.

While some municipalities and businesses offer recycling programs, these programs aren’t always convenient for consumers.

As stewards of our product and the environment, it’s our shared responsibility to help educate and inform the end-user of opportunities to not only recycle where possible, but also how they can repurpose these containers to extend their usability.

And while recycling programs seem like an obvious choice for those often forgotten black-colored horticulture containers, repurposing is a viable solution as well.

Provide consumers with options on how they can repurpose those black-colored containers. Share them on social media, provide a handout at the register, include them in your newsletters or simply train your staff to make suggestions at the point of sale.

Here are a Few Clever Ideas on How to Use Black Plastic Pots

Use larger pots as protective shields against frost or hail

If your area has fluctuating temperatures with unexpected frost or hail, read on. A great way to protect more fragile plants in the ground (or in larger pots that can’t be moved) is to cover them with a black plastic pot. The black material will hold in heat, while preventing tender plants from getting damaged.

Use as a fertilizer or grass seed dispenser

Smaller black plastic pots (with holes on the sides) are a great way to disperse fertilizer and grass seed evenly on your property. Make sure that you’re close to the desired location as the product will begin flowing immediately.

Use to line containers that have no drainage

Beautiful ceramic, metal and concrete containers often do not have drainage holes. One solution to help with drainage is to use a liner – which is where your black plastic pot comes in. Use small stones at the bottom of the main pot for the liner to sit on top of to create drainage space.

Use black plastic pots as light-weight filler for larger plantings

Some large containers are simply too big to fill completely with soil. That is where a black plastic pot comes in handy. Flip it upside down and place it at the bottom of your larger decorative pot. You’ll use less soil and reduce the overall weight of your decorative container.

Use them to prop up other pots

When you include containers in your gardening plan, you won’t always have varying sizes to create height and visual interest. Using black plastic pots (flipped upside down) creates a riser to achieve this. Plus, their coloring allows them to seamlessly blend with the landscape.

And there are many other solutions just waiting to be discovered!

Positively impact the perception of your business, while keeping black plastic pots out of landfills, by simply providing your customers with these useful solutions.