Don't Throw Away Old Plastic Nursery Pots — Turn Them Into Plant Stands

If shopping for new plants to add to your garden has left you with more of those green or black plastic nursery pots than you know what to do with, you're not alone. Nursery pots are a common tool in most gardeners' arsenals, and while reusing them for plants is a great way to keep them from gathering dust, it can be difficult to know what else these plastic planters are good for. As a result, they end up stacked on the shelves or thrift stores or sent to landfills. Thankfully, with this functional and stylish DIY, you can give new life to your collection of plastic nursery pots.

When you think of ways to reuse nursery pots around your home, your mind may land back on gardening. While continuing to use nursery pots as planters or for starting seeds is great, that isn't your only option. In fact, there are various ways to repurpose plastic nursery pots, whether by using them to upgrade your hanging planters or through this clever DIY that turns them into plant stands.

If you want to transform old plastic nursery pots into eye-catching plant stands, all you need is one pot per plant stand you want to make. From there, the sky is the limit with how creative you want to be in repurposing those extra nursery pots.

With no tools or extra supplies, repurposing a plastic nursery pot into a DIY plant stand is as simple as turning your pot upside-down and placing another planter on top. This is an easy way to add elevation to your container gardens, giving depth and dimension to your setup while saving your back during watering and care.

However, you want to make sure you pick the right pot for the project. Nursery pots come in different sizes and materials, which can impact how much weight they can support. While the biodegradable pulped cardboard some nursery pots are made of is great for composting, it may not be as sturdy as plastic. As a result, if you plan on using this DIY for larger plants in heavier planters, it's important to pick a nursery pot that can accommodate the weight — especially once water is added.

Once you pick the right nursery pot for your plant stand, you're free to decorate it or redesign it how you wish. Leaving your nursery pot plain is easy and creates a simple, minimalist look. But there are plenty of ways to change up the visual appeal and coordinate it with the rest of your patio or balcony. For example, with silicone molds and a hot glue gun, you can borrow the steps for upgrading a boring planting with DIY appliques, tailoring it to your DIY plant stand. For a simpler project, a fresh coat of exterior-rated spray paint can give your repurposed nursery pot plant a new look. You can even follow the steps for creating a chic decorative planter with old marbles to transform your DIY planter into a statement piece.