Our family has a long tradition of making sauerkraut in 8-gallon stoneware crocks each summer (we're doing it right now, in fact). It produces delicious sauerkraut, but it's also led to more than our share of cracked crocks. They're rendered useless for their original purpose. However, we've come up with one way to reuse large crocks for summertime entertaining:
Fill them with ice and use them as party drink storage! Their thick stoneware walls will cool through-and-through and help in drink-chilling. And their large size makes them great for sinking plenty of cans or bottles down into the ice. Use a few to separate different types of drinks at a large outdoor party.
If you haven't acquired damaged crockery through years of heavy use, it is rather inexpensive (and easy to find) at antique shops or flea markets.
Do you have cracked ceramics that are no longer good for their original use? How do you put them to work for you?
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Comments (9)
I use mine for dog food and flour, but you can seal the cracks, too.
Smashed glassware/dinnerware always makes for great filler in the bottoms of potted plants for proper drainage...
...then there's mosaic crafts as well.
I pick up cracked or lidless cookie jars at garage sales and plant succulents in them. I make drainage holes in the bottom with my drill's tile/glass bit and the plants do just fine.
I was thinking planters. Or maybe a hose storage thingie. Or an organization thing for the garage to hold brooms, hockey sticks, etc.
I have a fairly large one that I use as garbage can in my bathroom.
Found a 15 gallon cracked crock at a garage sale years ago. So when I wanted to plant an heirloom tomato in it this year, I didn't feel bad about adding a drainage hole. We'll see what tomatoes I get; there are several blossoms at the moment.
Also have a large cracked one (trashpicked from a neighbor's tree lawn on garbage day!) that I use as a trash can, but it's in my bedroom. I've seen them used as umbrella stands, too.
i love the planter idea.
I have used many cracked crocks for planting and saved a beautiful one for my kitchen utensils.