How to make a BIG garden planter for under £20
Including a hack to save you money on compost too.
Your lusting after one of those huge metal planters to create a stunning bulb display in next Spring. But the price tag seems insane! And thats before you’ve even bought any plants or compost to fill it with.
Here’s how to create a brand new planter from an old filing cabinet and save yourself a fortune.
Step 1
Head to facebook marketplace or similar and search for a filing cabinet. I got this one for £10!
Step 2
Remove the drawers and drill some small drainage holes in the back of the filing cabinet.
Step 3
Cover any holes in the sides of the cabinet with wooden board and spray the whole thing the colour of your choice. I managed to find one that was already painted black so I only needed to spray the wooden board covering the holes that you can see at the bottom of the picture here.
Step 4
Once dry, move it into your final position. I put mine up on bricks so excess water can run out of the bottom and prevent my plants from getting waterlogged.
Step 5
In order to cut down on your compost bill, fill the bottom 2/3rds of the planter with leaves. As you add a layer, wet the leaves and stamp them down to reduce air pockets and prevent the final soil level from dropping dramatically. Keep adding layers of leaves and stamping them down. In time, these leaves will break down into soil that your plants can absorb the nutrients from.
Step 6
Fill the remainder of the cabinet with compost up to 2/3cm from the top edge of the cabinet.
Step 7
It’s time for plants! Choose a range of plants so that you have a treat for all the senses and something to give interest from Spring right through to summer.
I added tulip, daffodil and grape hyacinth bulbs. And then once they went over, some dahlias tubers, grasses and snapdragons to give bold colour and sensory delights throughout summer.
For 1:1 support with what to plant in your garden and where to plant it across a month or a full year you can book in for a Garden Glow Up or onto Garden Goals respectively.
To learn the key steps to know what to plant and where in a fun and supportive group environment come and join The Great Garden Rebellion. Pre-sale is now Open for 48 hours only.