How to Make a Planter

My garden is entirely made out of pots.  I only have a balcony to grow produce on, so I get a bit creative to find new pots.  Buying new ones each year gets expensive!  So I go the frugal route.

Most of my pots I have gotten from thrift stores and the dumpster, however my favorite one is a plastic bin that used to hold the dog food until the lid broke.   Then I turned it into a planter.  It is amazing.  I would have to pay $40-$50 dollars to buy a similar sized planter from walmart.  It allows me to grow more food, which in turn, saves us money.  All together, fun and crafty, and frugal.  Win win in my book.

Start with a large plastic bin, I got this one for 4 dollars at target. 

Drill several holes in the bottom, you want them to be big enough to allow for drainage but not too big that most of your dirt will wash away.

I had to take a break here to lock the cats in another room.  Kitteh helpers are welcome except when it comes to power tools.

If you want you can mark it with a ruler and drill along lines, I went with the"this looks like a good spot" technique. 

Place several rocks at the bottom.  I "borrowed"  these rocks from a friends yard. Make sure that they have not had weed killer, or pesticides sprayed on them.  I couldn't use rocks from around the apartment for that reason.

Apply a few inches of mulch.  I use shredded paper as mulch.  Make sure you don't use any glossy paper, newspaper is best.  

Add dirt and plants, and enjoy!

Shared at Frugally Sustainable     The Homeacre Hop              Homestead Barn Hop