I am often criticized by many of being ultra-miser, almost exactly like William Shakespeare's character of the Shylock. However, I believe that I am deeply misunderstood. I mean, If you prick me, do I not bleed? if you tickle me, do I not laugh? And if you poison me, then do I not die? OK, I leave the melodramatics for now... But I still will state one thing, which is that I personally hate to see anything go to waste. That is why, even though it may have cost me almost nothing to replace these 4 broken clay pots - I still decided to repair them all with plaster of Paris! My masonry skills may not be topnotch, but at least I did this totally on my own (without any help)! if I remember correctly, then 2 of these 4 pots are today 20 years old! So who knows exactly how long will they continue to serve me. Repairing 4 broken clay pots. ( photo / image / picture from S-H's Garden ) Repaired 4 clay pots! ( photo / image / picture from S-H's Garden )
Great job S-H!! I hate to see anything go to waste myself so repairing those pots is what I'd have tried to do too. Let's hope they last you another 20 years.
Thanks Eileen and Frank, I too think that they look great. I had originally thought of giving them a wash with plaster of Paris, so that they will become white colored pots (and the fixed area will become totally hidden) - But after repairing them, I decided to leave them as they were. Because they now seem to carry a lot of character! Of course, when I said this exact same thing to someone just few minutes ago - She simply said: "Can't tell of their character, but they do say one thing very clearly. Which is that you're a total cheapskate!"... HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! :-D
I think they look great, they do have personality. You're not a cheapskate, you use your money wisely. Now you can take the 'almost nothing' you would have spent on new pots with no personality, add a little more money to it and buy some seeds or a new plant thus raising yourself from a cheapskate gardener to a wise one. Very well done.
That's really wonderful advice from you Toni! But someone out there who called me a cheapskate, has now just branded me to be a "crackpot" (for bothering to fix cracked pots)! And you know something, I kind of like being called that once in a while. It actually depends on who is calling me that... HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! :-D
Great looking crack pots. I have a few pots at home I used glue on but they did stay together.I never thought of plaster and I have a box at home.I need to go home and fix them now except it is 1500 miles away
I think the perfect remedy for broken clay pots would be to repair them with wet clay. And then when it dries, simply touch them with fire (so it becomes rock solid) by using a blowtorch... So doing this will make a permanent bond! And no one will ever be able to tell if the pot had ever been repaired (as you'd be repairing it with the same material from which the pot itself is made)!
I have fixed treasured clay pots with thick wire around the rim, but I do like your repaired pots. See, the modern age of just buying new all of the time. I bet our grandparents wouldn't have just thrown them out, they would have repaired or recycled them for sure. Great job!
Good idea with the Plaster of Paris S-H,that's something i never thought of,glue yes,but used lots and not such a great job as yours,they will last.
I like them better than new pots too. It gives them character. And think of all the beautiful plants you've started with them through that 20 years. Bravo!
OK people, here they are - Being used once more! I just planted tomatoes in them, as they had gotten too big for their previous sized pots. Repaired clay pots being put to use once again! ( photo / image / picture from S-H's Garden )
I would have done the same, and I would probably also be called a crackpot. I like the look of them. Well done you.
Thank you all for appreciating my effort of restoring these old broken clay pots. And EJ, you are 100% right, our grandparents also would have repaired more, and bought less - That of course was the whole point of this thread: Waste not, want not! As for me, well I have so far been called ultra-miser, cheapskate, as well as a crackpot! However, now I have just been compared to Mr. Oliver Douglas (of the classic Green Acres TV show)! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MohJmg9ku0A They are just some old clay pots, repaired by plaster of Paris. But isn't it amazing how much people like to make an issue out of such small things???
