by Sparx

Created on: November 06, 2009

As a general rule of thumb, anything that can hold soil can hold a plant. The only limit is your imagination.

Imagine old shoes lining the porch stairs, bright plants spilling out of each one. Novel, amusing and an great way to recycle. No need to drill holes or make any special preparation. Simply fill an old shoe with soil, add a few seeds and water regularly. As each shoe becomes too deteriorated you can just transfer the plant into the next worn out shoe you find.

For indoor use try old wine glasses. Maybe you have an old tea set that the kids have outgrown. Taking the time to decorate old containers will make them look as fresh and new as any pots you can buy at the local garden store. Of course you could also leave those containers exactly as they are.

The only limit is your imagination and whether or not you want planters for indoor or outdoor use. Indoors you can use planters without drain holes since rain will not be a factor but for containers that do have holes you will need to find something to put under it to catch run off. Out of doors you can still use things that do not have drain holes but you will have to find a sheltered area so the plants don't drown in the rain.

One do it yourself planter that is especially attractive and practical is a hollowed log. All it takes is a section of log and a little time. Using either a drill or a chisel hollow out a "starter" hole. You could do this from the end of the log or lay it on its side and make several holes or even a trough. The hole can be as big as you like and as deep as you like as long as it can accommodate one small plant. Leave the bottom of the hole in it's rough, jagged shape since no one will see it anyway and the nooks and cracks will give the roots places to work their way into the wood. Plant like you would a regular pot and find a nice area out doors for it to live. Water like you would any other potted plant. As the seasons pass the breaking down of the wood will provide the fertilizer that your plant needs to grow as well as enlarge the original hole letting you add more plants and giving you an ever changing natural, living showpiece.

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