Outdoor planting and gardening can be a costly endeavor, especially when just getting started. Outdoor planters range in price from budget plastic to expensive glazed clay, but even cheap outdoor planters are really not cheap. Even large plastic outdoor planters can cost upwards of ten dollars, and when several outdoor planters are required they can cost a small fortune. Instead of buying flowerpots from a home and garden store or a discount store, consider the following ideas for cheap outdoor planters. These ideas for outdoor planters are cheap in price, but they are not cheap in quality, and they will save money while creating a unique new look for a porch, deck, balcony, or patio.
Make Cheap Planters with Old Wicker Baskets
Do you have an old wicker or woven basket that is a little worse for wear? Do not throw it away. Woven baskets make fantastic outdoor planters when protected with clear or enamel spray paint. Even cheap woven baskets with handles can be used as outdoor planters.
Begin by brushing away any dust, and be sure to reach the crevices inside and out. Next, spray the basket with clear outdoor acrylic or colored outdoor enamel according to product label instructions. Line the basket with a generous amount of sphagnum moss, and fill the lined basket with rich organic soil. Plant flowers of your choice to create a lovely display.
Leather Boots Make Great Outdoor Planters
Old leather boots make ideal outdoor planters. They add a touch of character and style to outdoor garden displays, and they can be considered cheap, especially if the boots were well-worn. Drill a few holes in the bottom of an old boot, and fill the base with a layer of gravel for drainage. Fill the boot the rest of the way with rich organic soil, and consider planting a few hens and chicks or a single flowering plant. Surprisingly, outdoor planters made from old leather boots can last for years, especially if the exterior has been treated with a moisture repellent.
Make Cheap Planters with Old Metal Buckets
Do you have old metal buckets sitting in the corner of a basement, garden shed, or garage? Put them to good use and create a few cheap flowerpots. Drill several holes in the bottoms of the buckets, and line them with a layer of limestone or pea gravel for drainage. Fill the buckets a few inches from the tops with well-prepared rich organic soil. Plant daisies, petunias, or any other favorite flowers, and place them on porch steps for a charming cottage touch that will brighten your outdoor space.
Plastic Wastepaper Baskets Make Fantastic Cheap Planters
Old plastic wastepaper baskets make fabulous planters, and they are available in far more colors than typical plastic pots. Look around your home for colorful plastic wastepaper baskets that can be used to make flowerpots, or visit your local discount store. Wastepaper baskets are cheap in price compared to planters, and they can provide plenty of drainage with the addition of several holes and a layer of limestone or pea gravel in the bottom. Fill it with rich organic soil and color-coordinating flowers for an eye-catching display.
Keep in mind that almost any cheap containers can be used to make cheap planters. Toy dump trucks, old shoes, and even kitchen colanders lined with sphagnum moss can be used to make cheap outdoor planters. Best of all, cheap everyday containers turned into outdoor planters will be unique and far more eye-catching than containers made especially for holding outdoor plants.
