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Heavy duty plastic crates

Mike FridayMike Friday Posts: 82
in Tools and techniques
Anyone know where I can obtain about 3 of those heavy duty rigid plastic crates in London that nurseries and garden centres use?  Garden centres won't part with them even at at a price. I saw some online today at £7 each, but £45 for postage - no way!
This pic is from an Australian site.


Posts

  • LoxleyLoxley Posts: 5,227
    Have you tried Gumtree and Ebay?
  • FireFire Posts: 17,116
    edited March 2022
    Try Ebay. Search for "bale arm" crates. There may be someone in your area selling them for collection in person. Or people are sending them too.



  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 83,768
    edited March 2022
    I think I’ve seen similar crates in The Range and/or Hobbycraft. Think they were different colours but otherwise much the same sort of thing. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • Mike FridayMike Friday Posts: 82
    Loxley: Gumtree yes, and preloved, I did buy a couple from Ebay a couple of years ago from a garden centre in Ireland. Cost me £8 each, but one seller currently has them listed for £13.99 or offer.

    Fire: The bail arm crates are not as deep as the ones I'm looking for.  To make matter worse, 5 were offered on Freegle only a week or so ago but I lost out out on them!

  • FireFire Posts: 17,116
    edited March 2022
    Have a hunt around on Ebay. They are going for about £4 each.


  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 16,665



  • Mike FridayMike Friday Posts: 82
    edited March 2022
    Fire:  Your first link is for collapsible ones, not as rigid.  The second link would be my second choice, less rigid but not bad. This type is used by some greengrocers or small supermarkets - if you can find them.

    Figitbones:  They're not bad, nice and deep, I'll put them on my list to consider. Actually the place in Ireland still has them for sale but, because of Brexit, not in the UK. Ireland & Northern Ireland only.

  • pinutpinut Posts: 115
    These crates are often discarded by your local pavement-side fruit&veg man. In London, these are fruit&veg stalls which display their goods directly in front of a small shop or newsagent.

    The crates are discarded at the edge of the pavement, as commercial rubbish, next to the road for daily collection by the bin men. Be brazen and just pick up a few.

  • Joyce GoldenlilyJoyce Goldenlily Posts: 2,316
    I have a few bakery crates which I picked up on roadsides. Useful for storing pots etc. I have also used them for sowing seeds.
    Have a scout around the back of shops, greengrocers, and bakeries. Super markets usually have a fairly efficient recycling system but you may be lucky. The crates will probably not match, depends on how particular you are about them being the same.
  • Mike FridayMike Friday Posts: 82
    I've visited a local greengrocers stall and picked up a couple of smaller lightweight ones, but they don't have the same ones from day to day.  Another stall is 'built' on the larger crates, but the guy gave me a definate 'no' when I asked if he ever throws any away.
    I'll keep looking out for some!
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