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i like to use 'em indoors for houseplants. because they have drainage holes, they are great for sitting within ikea's non-draining cache pots.

I keep some to use with indoor plants when they need to be repotted, and also to start seeds. if you have trouble finding somewhere to recycle them, call your local plant service company (you know, the people who water plants), and see if they have recycling set up and maybe you can add yours.

Hi all. Andrea here. Was also wondering if anyone had other creative uses for them? Utensil holders? food containers, etc....?

Take them back to where you got them. Where did you buy these flowers from? A nursery? A farmers' market? Usually, the vendor will appreciate your giving back for free what they'd normally have to pay good money for to buy new :)

I'd say it's unlikely a nursery would take them back, as the vast majority of nurseries don't grow their own plants and the plants arrive from the growers already in the pots (so they have nothing to do with purchasing them).

depending on the quality of plastic used and the size of the drainage holes on the bottom, they could be used to store various trinkets (craft supplies, tools, etc.), but keep in mind whether or not the plants were grown organically. you could also use them to make a giant sand castle.

my neighbor and I stockpile them in the shed together. They are the next step after our seedlings outgrow their peat pots, but are too early to be planted in the ground. Since we are not buying new plants now we usually run out and have to dig into our old yogurt container collections.

Reusing is always better of course. And if you find you have a glut of them, freecycling. In a pinch, that brand that makes recycled toothbrushes recycles #5 plastics that many cities won't: http://www.preserveproducts.com/gimme5/

I say offer them to someone who needs free plant containers. I'm trying to start a container garden, but I'm finding containers to be surprisingly expensive. I'm sure there are others in my situation who would be happy to take the pots off your hands - maybe they can even trade you some seedlings or seeds for them!

Yup... how about trying to raise some seeds? It's so simple if you have a little patience, yet utterly rewarding. I love checking my pots each day when I water, to see if the seedlings have popped their little heads up yet. Plus it's way more economical than buying plants pre-grown, and you can grow lots of different things that you might find it hard to find sold in pots.

DC recycles them -- probably it's not the only municipality to do so. A last resort if no re-use forthcoming.