Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Support the plant database you love!

Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?

A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.

Help us grow by giving to the Plant Database Fund or by becoming a member

Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?

Share

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

Search Smarty Plants
See a list of all Smarty Plants questions

Please forgive us, but Mr. Smarty Plants has been overwhelmed by a flood of mail and must take a break for awhile to catch up. We hope to be accepting new questions again soon. Thank you!

Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.

 
rate this answer
Not Yet Rated

Tuesday - April 20, 2010

From: Austin, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Container Gardens
Title: Return of empty Plant Sale pots from Austin
Answered by: Barbara Medford and Wendy Redding

QUESTION:

Would the WFC want the empty plant containers back? I live near the center and could drop off quite a few containers, along with plastic tags. Let me know where, if so.

ANSWER:

From our Plant Nursery:

"Yes, folks may still bring pots for us to reuse. Please stress the following:

They must not be broken, we reuse them. We only accept 4", one gallon and five gallon containers. No plant tags, plastic bags, trash, dirt clumps, etc.

If they live in Austin, they can recycle broken pots, other sizes we don't use and plant tags in the single stream recycling program or they can take items to Ecology Action downtown at I-35 and 9th St.

If they do have appropriate pots for us to reuse, and if the container is no longer at the drop-off bed/front entry cistern, they can go through the Volunteer/Staff parking lot to the Nursery. The drop-off container usually lives outside the nursery fence. It's a large wooden bin." 

 

 

More Container Gardens Questions

Native small tree or shrub for container in San Angelo, Texas
July 01, 2010 - We live in San Angelo TX and are looking for some type of a bush/tree that will grow in a pot in a shaded area..we would like something that would grow to be about 5-6 feel tall and be rather narrow.....
view the full question and answer

Native plants for containers
April 22, 2008 - Dear Mr. Smarty Plants, I have found the website very helpful, but have a few questions of my own. I recently purchased the winecup plant, phlox and cedar sage perennials. I have planted them in ...
view the full question and answer

Planting horsetail indoors from Collierville TN
November 12, 2012 - I would like to plant horsetail indoors. Can it handle the inside? Will it try to go dormant or it that a temperature trigger which means it will not go dormant?
view the full question and answer

Container plant for poolside in Southern California
November 24, 2013 - Hi Mr. Smarty Plants- PROBLEM: Southern CA,-- FOUR 10gal containers poolside, FULL SUN all day in summer. Had Phormiums that did well for 4 years. Didn't make it through this summer:-( Need something...
view the full question and answer

Planter boxes on a roof deck in Boston MA
May 20, 2013 - What will grow in planter boxes on a roof deck in Boston ma? We are planning to make our own planters to sit on the framing "outside" our deck rail. We have 4 ft from the rail to the edge of the ho...
view the full question and answer

Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today.