Usha,

Unless I'm purchasing a special pot (usually more th $20) at a cactus and succulent show, I get all of my pots / plant containers at thrift stores.

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If the pots don't have holes (most of them don't), they'll get them by getting drilled.

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Usha, you cannot tell us that you purchased a 'cool looking planter' and then not post a picture! We want to see it!

I have found some really pretty outer containers of all kinds in thrift stores, too. I prefer pottery, copper, or brass containers.

I look for pots everywhere. I have not found any online that sell reasonable pots. I have purchased some pretty expensive pots online because I may need something for house decor or patio but the best is found in thrift stores and goodwill.

If you are looking for small pots look in the discount stores in the dinnerware area. You will be amazed what a beautiful soup bowl as a planter will look. Hey I have looked at some of my own odd Tea Cups and thought I do not need that cup I can use that for a plant. LOL

Hi Usha,

Garage sales. I've found some real beautys, decorated ceramic, less than .50.

Dollar Stores, Grocery Stores, CVS, Walgreens.
The best time to buy nice, inexpensive containers, at stores mentioned above is from late summer to early winter..But check regularly because they go fast.

About no drainage. Are you planning on setting say a plastic, growing pot directly inside a container w/o drainage or have another idea?

Toni

I do not know why I did not remember that CVS is a chain, They have a great sale going on now 50% off pots. I picked up one of their 3 size band together pots for 10.00 and a head pot for 5.00. The head pot is ugly as sin but I love different ugly.

OK OK, I will take and post pics over the weekend (to Rhizo)

Thanks you guys, I will be scouring the thrift stores this weekend - this might be fun.....

Toni, you are correct , I want to set the plant-growing- container inside the decorative planter.

BTW, I visited my sister in northern virginai this christmas break and visited an awesome greenhouse - Merrifield nursery, in Merrifield, VA. great variety, well cared for plants and it seemed to me that a lot of plants were planted in Al's gritty mix :). Highly recommend if you are in the area.

Prices were on the expensive side :(
I bought a few small plants - a lipstick plant, a sans. cylindrica and a pepperomia (the purple hued crinkled leaf kind, the name escapes me). I'll post pics of those as well. I think I am going to have to leave early from work today !

Usha
http://www.merrifieldgardencenter.com/Home.aspx

I forgot a couple of buys that I found by accident. I was looking for a new trash can for the bathroom. When I saw a beautiful can that was exactly like a planter I had been watching waiting for it to go on sale.

The planter was 35 but the trash can for the bathroom was on sale for 5.00. The only difference was the pot had a drainage hole. Made by the same manufacture. LOL

Usha. Unless you check the outside pot after watering, your best bet is to place something in-between the two pots.
Otherwise, water will build-up in outer pot, rot/kill plants. The outer pot holds water..excess water will be sucked up in inner pot, keeping roots wet.

For large pots, 6" and up, I add styrofoam sheets between pots. Leaves first yellow indicating something is wrong. If unattended, plant will get root rot and die.

If you're interested in online shopping Collection Inc is a good place to find inexpensive, ornate pots..

Collections

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Garage Sale

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Collections, Inc Santa Planter..4.00--Cactus Stand. 5.00

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Rare Secret Gardens. 12.99
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I have others, but can't find them on my site, lol.

Try Collections, Inc. Or check their online site. They also have a catalog, but I prefer ordering online. Better bargains.

Another is Lakeside Collection. Toni

Speaking of 'head planters', I've on the lookout for the ones in the attached link. I saw them first in some obscure catalog I used to get but naturally don't have any idea the name of the company. They were quite reasonable, as I recall. I 'amost' crave one of them, lol.

Just as an aside, 'gritty mixes' have been used in the trade for many years. Not just for containerized plants, but for other horticultural industries, as well. Al has really done a very good job at fine-tuning his different mixes into formulae that work very well for him and others who use it.

It's kinda interesting...the first time I saw a mix made of turface, perlite, peat moss, and bark fines was when I was attending a trade show for the golf course industry. Different variations of these ingredients were used to create the artificial medium under golf course greens. Gosh, I hate to think how long ago that was, lol.

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:69573}}

Hi....everywhere.....I buy planters everywhere and anywhere...garage sales, thirft stores, clearance racks...
I love the hippo...and I have one....the head planters are cool....I have a friend that once said to me..."you see everything with a plant in it"....lol.....a habbit is a habbit...what can I say.....linda

Linda I do the same thing. If it has a hole in the top it looks like a planter to me.

I was at Tuesday Morning today they have some beautiful pots and pot possibilities real cheap. I do not know if you have one of these stores in your area but they are a high end resale discount store, they sell some beautiful stuff.

rhizo, those are pretty colors. I wonder if you could make one if you could find one of those styrofoam wig heads and cover it with concrete or clay. Michale here sell both in small boxes for crafts like that.

I tried to post this earlier, but due to either GW technical problems or my own operator error it disappeared. So, if this shows up twice, I apologize now.
I also find planters in second hand store, discount stores, the dump. DH drill holes in the ones that need them for me. These are the ones I have in the house, I have a bunch in the shed outside.
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Tami

wow!! I feel like such a "newbie" from what you have, very nice looking plants! and the pots?? so cute. Makes me want to go out and by something for mine now-- (DH says thanks a lot!! lol) But even he likes them. ;)

I love pots especially if they are odd. You all have some really special odd pots that I would love to have.

Here are a few I have picked this year.

From the thrift store none of these were over 3.00
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Picked these up at CVS last week for 50% off. The most expensive was the group of 3 for 10.00. They band them together and you get 3 different size pots for one price.
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