Hi redsox,
I just came home from Home Depot and they had the whiskey barrels which are 24" across. Plus they had some very colorful big flower pots (those lightweight kind). Check yours out to see if they are carrying them too.
Mary

The Lowes near me carries lots of different sized pots. One is 14" then 18" all the way up to 22." A 22" pot with a depth of around 18" would = approx. a 25 gallon pot. So the big box stores will most likely have the size you need.

Red, how huge is huge??? If your roses are outgrowing their current pots, you should have no problem.

One suggestion -- whatever pots you get, do NOT select pots with a "mouth" smaller than the rest of the pot.
You want them all to flare slightly outward so that, some day, you can easily remove them from the monster-pots.

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Hey Mary -- We learned the hard way what's wrong with those whiskey barrels, for roses.
Just about the time the rose is well-established, the barrel rots out.

You can get a plastic liner, to use inside of the barrels, and if you're gonna use barrels, I really recommend that.

We've found some good very large containers at both Costco and Sam's Club. Some fancy -- some not. All a good price.

I was going to suggest Lowes as well. I have a lot of their plastic 20" dia pots and they really hold up. I move roses from 5 gal into the 20" pots without the roses skipping a beat. Just make sure they are well watered before you do.

Liz

I use the large plastic, terra cotta colored pots too. Most of them have held up well, I have only had two that cracked, and they are pretty old (8+ years).

I'll check out Lowe's. Thanks.

I have lots of plants in plastic pots. From 4" to 24" (for roses). I have found over the years that Akro-Mils has the longest lasting plastic pots (I, like Diane, use the Terra Cotta color)currently available. I do not like the plastic pots sold at the box stores. They do not last long and are a thiner, less flexible plastic. The Akro-Mils pots I buy here are only available through private nurseries and aren't inexpensive like the cheap pots at box stores. One of my older 24" pots was priced at $25.00. Still if I get 10 years or so out of them they are worth it.

Here is a link that might be useful: Akro Mils Containers for the Garden

Some less known sources for planters and containers:

http://www2.yardiac.com/list_categories.asp?id=102&tgs=31870931:3063020&cart_id=9088194:490917748212

http://www.plantcontainers.com

http://www.gardenartisans.us

You should suggest to your local nursery that they start a plastic pot recycling program. Our local nursery (the one that specializes in plants sold to the landscaping trade -- Plant Depo in San Juan Capistrano, CA) runs such a program. People bring back pots to the nursery and get I think a small amount for them -- saves the landfills. I go there and buy the used pots and get 1 gallons for a quarter, 5 gallons for 50 cents and the next size up (BIG -- 20 gallons?) for 2 dollars. And it doesn't matter where the pots came from -- some are actually labeled Home Depot and the like. The recycling program is really no trouble for them -- they just designate an area out by their dumpsters to keep the pots and put a sign by the register explaining the program. I think the nursery actually makes a little money on it, but not much -- it's mostly as an attempt at being green. But whoever thought of it had a great idea.

Kathy

At one time I got all my pots of various sizes from a landscaper who was a branch of a large local nursery. The landscaper had a mountain of used pots. They won't pick up black nursery pots and the landscaper had to pay to have them hauled away. He said I could have as many as I wanted. I use to pick them up by the trailer full. That's how I got my very large tree pots which are bigger than a half barrel. After 8 years I'm still using them I had so many.
So look in the yellow pages for landscapers and call to see if you can get some free pots. Mine were even sorted by size where the landscaper stored them.
Some large garden centers also have a stockpile of pots.
Free is always good.

I have found good deals on EBay at PlasticFlowerPots at:

http://stores.shop.ebay.com/PLASTICFLOWERPOTS__W0QQ_armrsZ1

I like the 4-gallon trade 5 gallon pots. The top is wider than the bottom, which the roses seem to prefer. The cost is reasonable at $15 for 10 pots, plus shipping. They also carry 7 gallon and 10 gallon pots.

Here, the municipal recycling center often has a supply of black pots. However, they very much tend towards the smaller ones. I picked up about a dozen quarts last time I was there, and left the 4" ones behind.

Right now I'm looking for an 18" reasonably nice plastic pot for repotting a bay tree. I was going to hit HD, but you guys think Lowe's would be a better bet? The local nurseries don't seem to carry large plastic pots

If you have Big Lots check them out. They have great pots for a great price!

I can get you black nursery containers in sizes 1 gallon, 3, 5, 7, 10, 15, 25, 45, 65, 100, 200 and 300 gallons. Since I purchase hundreds of them I can couple your order with mine and get them from the manufacturer for you, but you must pick them up in mid South Carolina.

This post was edited by neonrider on Sun, Jul 7, 13 at 19:19

Morton's sells nursery pots at quite reasonable prices, even including the shipping.

Here is a link that might be useful: Mortons Horticultural supply

See where the local landscape architects/garden designers get their pots. They always know where the best deal is to be had.

I know all the sources. For example: a grip-lip 25 gal. container is twelve dols if 100 containers ordered. Econo-grip is even cheaper. I order them all the time. If you need some, do let me know.

This post was edited by neonrider on Sun, Jul 7, 13 at 23:23

Costco has planters for $12 each. The planters are quite large (I am unsure about the gallon size). It seems like a good deal.

Best regards,

Reem

This post was edited by reemcook on Tue, Jul 9, 13 at 15:49

No box store sells 25 gallon nursery containers. I am placing an order with HAVILAND soon since I need to expand my collection by several hundred specimen trees. Haviland is selling their nursery containers really cheap. I could get you for example 25 gallon Haviland for $5.50 each (pick up in my yard SC) if you need 100 of those. I am looking to group with someone to reduce costs per container. You could also place an order online with hydroponics.net. I bought their injected molded containers that are strong and their shipping charges are varied and reasonable.