Why not recycle them in more interesting ways? Here are a few ideas.
Bird Baths
One way to recycle your clay pots is to turn a couple into birdbaths. Overturn two different sizes of pots (a 10-inch pot inverted over a 12-inch pot works well but you can use any size) and set a saucer on top. Use small dabs of window putty to fix the saucer to the top pot. Fill one with water and another with fine builder’s sand since birds will occasionally enjoy a bathe in the sand.
Candle Holders
it’s simple enough to turn these baths into candleholders. Just wash and clean thoroughly. Add candles of different heights to add interest at an evening alfresco meal. You can also use these as serving trays for hors d’oeuvres, snacks and salads.
Patio Table
If you have several large clay pots you are not using anymore, you can create an interesting patio table using eight or more inverted pots of descending size. Start with a 20- or 22-inch pot and, when you’ve got the height you want, stick a dowel through the holes for stability and then top with a circular glass, marble, or wooden top.
Vertical Garden
To add some height and interest to a blah balcony or patio space, make a couple of tiered planters with those old clay pots. Use three pots of descending size, fill each pot with soil and then place atop one another. Add plants of varying colour and include trailing foliage. Again for stability, insert a dowel or curtain rod through the centre of the pots before adding soil and plants.
Gift Containers
Why not turn a few of your clay flower pots into gift containers. You can paint or decoupage the outside of the pot and fill them with goodies such as homemade sweet treats, toiletries, or other small gifts.
Home Organizers
Don’t restrict your clay pots for the birds or plants. Inside use these containers to help organize stuff: to hold makeup, accessories, or soap in the bathroom. These pots can do more for your kitchen than hold plants. Fill them with sponges, dish brushes, potato scrapers, and carrot peelers.
Baking Containers
Small clay seedling pots can be pressed into service as baking containers for homemade bread rolls or popovers. To use, wash the pots thoroughly, plug the bottom hole with a small ball of foil, and then brush the inside and outside generously with vegetable oil. Follow your favourite bread or popover recipe: add a ball of dough to fill two-thirds of the pot, allow the dough to rise one inch above the top edge and then bake as per your recipe.
