by J J kearns

Created on: March 05, 2009   Last Updated: March 19, 2009

So you are having an outdoor barbecue and you are trying to find a way to dress up your outdoor seating area. Why not make a flower pot out of a watermelon rind. I know that it sounds hard but trust me it is a lot easier then it sounds and will add a great conversational piece to you outdoor area. First you need to choose your flowers. Any annual will work. But, you do not want to try to start seeds in your watermelon pot. It is always best to use seedlings. You can pick these up at your local gardening center and feel free to mix and match. Play with different colors and different types of plants. Last year I used white and blue petunias for our fourth of July celebration and it turned out beautiful. Now comes the watermelon.

First choose a nice looking melon and wash it to remove any dirt. Once clean take a knife and cut the watermelon in half, lengthwise, this will give you two pieces of watermelon to use as flower pots. Now simply scoop out the part of the watermelon that you would eat . But, don't waste it you can use it in a fruit salad, just eat it, or even serve it at your party.

Once scooped out fill your watermelon halves with the potting soil of your choice and plant your flowers inside it. Water your plants well and make sure to keep them moist for as long as you plants are planted inside your watermelon rinds. Now place the in your outdoor area. I do have a couple of tips about the watermelon pots. If they are not sitting flat or they are tending to roll on you simply shaved of a little of the bottom side of your watermelon, making a flat surface for the rind to rest on. But remember you only need to take off a little bit. If you take off too much your watermelon pot will leak.

My second tip is that once your party is over you don't have to throw your plants out. They will have to be removed from the watermelon as the rind will begin to spoil. But, you can simply take you plants and plant them in your flower garden that way you are not wasting the money you spent on them.

My final tip has to do with decorating your watermelon rind. If you want to add a little more show to your pots try carving a design or even painting them with a decorative design. How ever you choose to decorate or display these watermelon flower pots they will be a great addition to any outdoor celebration and after the party is over I assure you that it will be some time before everyone stops talking about your awesome flower display.

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