[inishindie]

Paint and varnish. The pots would be ideal to paint up and use for holding small houseplants.

Bird Feeder. Using a small bead on a string to seal the drainage hole and then fill the pot with seeds and fat for the birds. These can then be hung upside down on a tree in winter. The frost might damage the pot though.

Easter egg holder. The pots are attractive enough to be the base for a seasonal chocolate egg, all that is needed is a bow and a fluffy chic.

Christmas planter. There are so many small Christmas plants that could fit into the small pots and be given as a gift. There are poinsettia, Christmas cacti, ivy, cyclamen and even miniature conifers. If you really wanted to add to the Christmas tat you could spray the tree with some glitter and add a bit of tinsel.

Pin cushion. Just add a ball of soft filler in a sock and push into the pot for the pins to stick into.

Drinking Cup. This would take a bit of planning but I can’t see why I couldn’t put a glass or cup inside the pot and then use it as a drinking vessel. I’d have to get the moss and salt deposits off first mind you.

Low energy light shade. The small low energy bulbs fitted on ceiling brackets can be encased with the pots giving a warm, terracotta glow to the room.

Lamp Base. Ideal because of the weight. Perfect for small shades and the light reflects off them beautifully.

Plant up with cacti. As the pots are already vintage I like the idea of them being around for a long time and not just to give a gift then be discarded. One of the best long lived plants to put in the pot would be a cacti or succulent. My brother had small “living stones” in pots this size and some of them were well over 100 years old!

Children can paint them. This would be entertaining for a while and could be varnished over so they could cope with being wet if used as a plant pot.

Mozaic. Use small pieces of coloured pot to add a pattern to the side of the pot.

Windowsill herb planter. Basil will do well in the pots as will most small growing herbs. The plants can be taken out and replaced often.

Place them in the ground and make a drip feeder. The drain hole can be sealed up then sink the pot into the ground (especially useful in a polytunnel or greenhouse) the pot can be filled with water and this slowly seeps out into the soil giving plants a continual supply of water.

Drill holes in them. The small holes could them be planted with small bulbs or plants.

Use broken ones in fish tanks. The fish will have a lifetime of entertainment swimming through the broken pots and hiding from their friends.

Make a clay pot person to sit in the garden. I’m scraping the bottom of the barrel here although it might look OK if done well. You could put them in poses like you would a garden gnome.

Planting up bulbs such as hyacinth. This idea would be very seasonal and I would only give these to people who would replant the pot with something else later in the growing season and not throw the pot away. If I sold them to the public I would have to vet them first for their suitability for ownership!

Make a useful gift case for gloves at Christmas/Birthdays. I think the pot would make an interesting packing container for gardening gloves. Again, vetting would need to be done to make sure the pots were used.


Terracotta pots from Carley's Bridge for sale:

Either on Donedeal http://tiny.cc/donedealpots

or Ebay: http://tiny.cc/ebaypots

[tippben]

Another use I've found for terracotta pots is as a cooking vessel. If you soak them in water for a few hours, you can use foil to plug the drainage hole, put food inside (wrapped meat or fish, or even a bean stew) Cover with foil, then bury in hot coals. In New Zealand and the Pacific Islands they do a similar thing with palm leaves, but we can use pots.

[inishindie]

I'll have to try that Tipbean, sounds interesting. I wonder if the could be used as bed warmers?

The reason I was thinking about what to do with the pots is that I am now selling packs of 6 on EBay.... Larger quantities on request.



http://tiny.cc/terracotta2pots

[Margo]

A candle on a saucer with a terracotta pot takes the chill off a outside loo or greenhouse. We used to have an outside loo and it stopped the pipes for freezing as well as a light

[Dancer]

Hi all, I've just purchased two clay terracotta plant pots in IKEA and I would love
some advice about painting them and sealing the inside as I would like to plant
tulips , hyacinths and Allium Roseum bulbs in them for next year. I am a complete
novice gardener and have only just started out so any helpful advice is greatly
appreciated. Thank you !!

[Sive]

I have done that many years ago and it was great fun and gives you smart customized pots for very little outlay. I can't remember if I used oil or acrylic paint......but I don't think it matters, as long as the pots are completely dry when you paint them.........and then when the paint has dried I used a clear matte varnish to protect and waterproof it.

[Good guy]

Here are a few more things to do with terracotta plant pots. I took these photos during a trip to gardens and chateaux of the Loire valley, at the end of the summer (a wonderful trip). These creations were at Chateau Rivau, near Chinon.
I have loads of photos from the trip, but need to work out better how to post multiple pictures. That is, if people want to see them . Other peoples' holiday snaps.............Yawn.

[Good guy]

another one

[Good guy]

good fun, these1

[tagwex]

Hey inishindie do you collect from Carleys Bridge? It's only 5 miles from me.

I am going to jump on the bandwagon here as I have terracotta chimney flues that I am trying to sell. I have used them for strawberries, beetroot, onions and carrots up to last year. Never used as a chimney flue though. 20no. Clay butt jointed straight flues 400mm high. LHS of photo. Those in the center and on the right have been sold. All clay flues are 200mm internal diameter.

Also, 17no. Lightweight precast concrete chimney blocks 450*450*215mm high from the Lagan lightweight chimney design. I had lettuce in these last year. See other photo.

[Good guy]

I use some old flue liners, scrap since a renovation, for growing my mint in. I've also used some as a little retaining wall, planted up.

[tagwex]

Doesn't mint have rampant roots?

[Good guy]

Yes, and after a season or two, the pot is choked and the mint less productive. So I turf it all out and replant again, in fresh soil.
The pots sit on slabs and are, themselves, shaded from direct sun.