If you've ever tried mulching your garden beds in spring, you know how easily those emerging perennials can get buried under fresh layers of wood chips. It's a frustrating setback for any gardener — especially when you've worked all year to get those plants established.
But one creative homeowner has shared a simple, clever trick for protecting new growth and giving old plastic nursery pots a second life.
The scoop
In a recent video from Garden Gate Magazine (@GardenGateMagazine), contributor Mary Dickinson of Illinois demonstrates how to repurpose leftover nursery pots to shield tender plants before mulching.
Instead of trying to spread mulch carefully around each shoot, she simply places an empty pot over plants that are just starting to pop up. Then, once the mulch is down, the pots lift right off — leaving each perennial safe, upright, and ready for the season ahead.
It's an easy-to-follow hack that requires nothing more than a stash of plastic pots many gardeners already have in the shed. Dickinson describes it as a way to "make mulching garden beds this season a breeze," and viewers agree.
How it's helping
This trick delivers immediate time-saving benefits. Instead of bending down to carve out space around every plant, gardeners can mulch freely and keep moving — a major perk during those long spring cleanup days. It also helps prevent accidental damage to young perennials, saving money in the long run. With the cost of plants rising, protecting what you already have is one of the easiest ways to keep your garden budget in check.
Gardening itself offers huge benefits for your well-being: Research shows it can improve mental health and reduce stress levels, and community garden studies have linked regular gardening to healthier habits overall. Growing your own food can also lead to fresher, better-tasting produce while cutting grocery bills.
There's an environmental upside, too. Reusing old pots helps reduce plastic waste, while healthy home gardens support biodiverse habitats and help keep more green space in our communities.
What everyone's saying
Viewers flooded the comment section with praise for the hack.
One user called it "such a great idea."
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I can fix anything 💪 Another wrote, "So smart!"
Others appreciated how practical it is, with one commenter noting, "Common sense prevails."
With such an enthusiastic response — and a solution this simple — it's no surprise gardeners are eager to bring this idea into their spring routine.
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