Sustainable Plant Practices: Planters Beyond Pots
Let’s be honest: plant pots can get weirdly expensive, especially when your plant collection begins getting rather sizeable. The truth is, you probably have everything you need already lying around your house or waiting to be discovered on a thrift shelf. This entry is the second of 3 in Greenhaus’ Sustainable Plant Practices series & today is all about rethinking & repurposing plant pots.From mugs with no matching sets to vintage colanders with charm and built-in drainage, it’s easy and fun to turn everyday objects into functional, personality-packed planters. Whether you're downsizing your waste or just getting a little thrifty with your green space, here are some clever ways to give your houseplants a home that’s both stylish and sustainable.
1. Mismatched Mugs
We all have that one mug we never use with a chip or maybe it just doesn’t match the others. Either way, they make perfect little pots for succulents or starter herbs. Since most mugs don’t have built-in drainage, just add a layer of pebbles or drill a hole in the bottom if you can (recommended). Plants hate sitting in soggy soil, so drainage is key.
2. Vintage Teapots or Creamers
Thrift stores are gold mines for dainty old teapots and ceramic creamers. These quirky containers add charm to any plant shelf. They’re usually made of porcelain or stoneware, so they hold up well, but like mugs, they may need some drainage help.
3. Colanders
Colanders are made for drainage, so there’s no extra steps involved in this planter. Grab a vintage metal one or a colorful plastic version and fill it with soil and trailing plants like pothos or string of pearls. Maybe line it with landscape fabric or a coffee filter so the soil doesn’t fall through.
4. Baking Dishes & Casserole Pans
An old Pyrex or ceramic baking dish can become a wide, shallow planter that’s perfect for a succulent garden or mixed arrangement. Since these typically don’t have drainage, only use them for plants that like it dry or keep them decorative by leaving plants in their nursery pots and disguising them with moss or stones.
5. Wicker Baskets
Baskets are all over thrift stores and flea markets, and they’re an easy, stylish way to hide basic plastic nursery pots. Since baskets don’t hold water, they work best as cachepots (aka outer containers). Just remember: always keep your plant in a pot with a drainage hole inside, and take it out to water if the basket isn’t lined.
6. Ceramic Bowls
A vintage mixing bowl or cereal bowl can be a fun low-profile planter. To make it work for plants long-term, add a drainage hole or if you’re not up for drilling, keep the plant in a plastic grow pot tucked inside and lift it out to water. It’s just another simple way to spice up those boring nursery pots.
7. Bread Tins or Loaf Pans
Old metal loaf pans (especially the rustic, beat-up ones) have a cool industrial feel and work great for small rows of herbs. Most don’t have holes, so either drill a few in the bottom or treat them like mini raised beds & make sure excess water has a way out.
8. Glass Jars for Cuttings
Not every plant needs a full pot. Some plants are happy just hanging out in water. Reuse old glass jars (think salsa jars, jam jars, or thrifted mason jars) to propagate cuttings. They don’t need drainage because you’re rooting in water, not soil. Clear glass also lets you keep an eye on new roots forming, which is half the fun. Bonus tip: add water to your jars when they get low, don’t dump it out. When many plants root in water they release growth hormones that speed along the rooting & growing process.
9. Plant Stands from Furniture Odds & Ends
While not a pot itself, using old stools, side tables, or even bar carts as plant stands can elevate your setup (literally and aesthetically).
Bonus: Trash-to-Treasure
If you’re still feeling crafty, here are a few bonus items that can be saved from the recycling bin and repurposed into planters:
Plastic Clamshell Produce Containers: Instant mini greenhouses for seed starting. Just add soil, seeds, and snap them shut to trap humidity.
Toilet Paper Rolls: Great biodegradable seedling pots. Plant them straight in the soil when it’s time to transplant.
Tin Cans: Cleaned and poked with holes, these work well for herbs or trailing plants.
Egg Cartons: Ideal for starting seeds in individual sections. Cardboard ones can be planted directly into the ground.
Wine Corks: Hollow them out to make tiny air plant holders or label stakes with a skewer stuck in the bottom.
There’s no need to buy more when you can grow more with what you already have or what someone else has already had. Your plants and the planet will thank you.
With love,
Zoé & The Greenhaus Team
