Random Container Gardening Score

[Ldavis24]

DH and I were walking on the bike path behind our house yesterday with DD and puppy, it was so beautiful out! Well on the hill that slopes down to the bike path we noticed at least a dozen plastic plant containers just being chucked over someone's yard and down onto the hill. DH grabbed them all and not one of them are broken!!

So I am psyched because we have to use all containers this season and these are a bunch of free 5 gallon and smaller containers!

However, they are a bit moldy and I am wondering if I should disinfect them somehow to make sure I don't give my little plants a fungus or something when I transplant later this season?

Any thoughts?
 

Also any other ideas on containers. Weare trying to use as much free stuff as possible!

[philomom]

Use a bleach-y solution and air dry to sanitize.

[mindymom]

For more free containers: if you have freecycle in your area, you can put out a request for unwanted pots - usually people hang onto their larger pots, though.  Your local nursery may have some used pots to get rid of.  I have also used food-grade, 5-gallon buckets; ask for these at your local deli or pizza place, they are used to hold pickles and sometimes mushrooms.  (Drill a lot of 1/4-1/2" holes in the bottom before filling.)

[LaughingHyena]

If you're asking on freecycle it might help to give a couple of examples of other containers you could use. I know I didn't imediatly think plant pot when we got a few plastic toy boxes with cracked rims but with a few holes in the bottom they would be ideal.

[RoamingWidgeteer]

When I still lived in the city I used to cycle down the back alleys on recycling day and "shop" for the garden (one reason I never leave home without some bungees). I got some excellent pots that way :)

Some recycling depots will also put pots aside for reuse.