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Have you ever thought about using plastic bins as planters? Plastic may not be the first material to pop into your head when you think about gardening, but plastic bins for gardening have a number of unique advantages over ceramic, wood or other materials. In Part 1, I shared the following 3 benefits:

1. Plastic bins are lightweight.
2. Plastic bins will not be subject to rot or termites.
3. Plastic bins can be used for other purposes in your yard.

Now I want to share 3 additional reasons to consider using plastic bins as planters.

4. Plastic bins can be replaced affordably and easily.

Some plants are quite happy in one planter their whole lives, but others routinely outgrow their planters as their root systems expand. If a plant becomes root-bound, it can die, which means it needs to be transplanted into another pot or planter.

This is why plastic gardening bins can work so nicely. Instead of continuously investing in new and larger expensive ceramic pots, you can just invest in larger plastic bins as your plants grow. This costs a whole lot less, and it provides you with more options for what to do with the discarded planters your plants have outgrown. There is only so much you can do with a ceramic planter once it has been outgrown, but with plastic totes, the possibilities are endless.

5. Plastic bins can be recycled.

Plastic can be brittle under some circumstances, and it is possible that a plant’s root system will cause it to fracture if the plant is starting to outgrow the bin. Other factors may sometimes cause your plastic containers to break as well.

You might think that this is an argument against plastic storage containers, but it really isn’t when you consider that plastic is recyclable. That means that even if you no longer have any use for a bin (because it is broken), you can easily recycle it and free up some space. You still will probably end up spending less money purchasing new bins than you would on pricey wood or ceramic planters.

6. Plastic planters can be upgraded.

Finally, one more awesome reason to think about plastic bins as planters is the fact that you can upgrade and modify them easily into something better than your standard planter. You can for example turn a basic plastic bin into a self-watering planter. You also have the option of using a clear plastic bin to construct a simple, inexpensive greenhouse.

We have some articles in our archive on both of these topics. While you can buy ready-made greenhouses or self-watering containers, making them yourself from scratch is sure a lot less expensive.

You now know six great reasons to consider plastic bins for planters. You do not need specialized products for this purpose—your standard plastic tub will do the trick just fine. You will save money this way, and you will enjoy more convenience and flexibility than you would with other types of planters.