by Kathleen Couch

Created on: August 02, 2010   Last Updated: August 09, 2011

The best place to find large inexpensive planters and pots may be as close as your own two hands.  Yes, with your hands and a little savvy you can have beautiful, large planter pots.  Many large planters that are on the market are priced the same as a major kitchen appliance.  Although you may like the look, of the planters that cost between 200 to 700 dollars, most of us can find a better use of our resources.  Let’s take a look at how we can cut the dollars spent on enhancing our patios, decks, porches, and gardens, but still have the look we desire.

Choose the lightweight, vinyl plastic pots.  These come in the terracotta, dark green, and a buff color.  At nearly any home center, or garden center you can find these in graduated sizes.  They also come in typical pot shape, square, long rectangle, and urn shape.  They can be used as is, and are much cheaper and lighter than their pottery counterparts that they imitate. Using the same lightweight, vinyl plastic pot, coat it with a stone finish that comes in a spray can, found in the paint section.  Follow the directions on the can.  You may need to first coat the pot with a spray paint primer, then spray on the stone finish as directed.  Then to protect the surface further, spray with a flat finish polyurethane.

Another choice in the garden center is the lightweight foam type planter that comes in all of the popular shapes.  Many times they even have the carved look of a stone planter.  They are also made to imitate ceramic pots.  Again, these are lighter and cheaper.

By doing a search on the internet, you will find directions and recipes for hypertufa material and how to use it for planters.  You can also find books and directions for making molds and planters from cement.  Directions to make planters from wood are also plentiful on the internet, or at home centers.

Another type of less expensive planter is made with a plastic poly made to imitate wood.  These are often found in square, and rectangle, in white or dark green.

Use discarded or found objects.  This is especially good for creating a whimsical look to the garden.  Items that can be used are bathtubs, toilets, children’s wagons, wheelbarrows, bicycles and metal pails or tubs.

End of season sales are a great way of getting large planters cheaply.  Many stores would rather sell them at a discount, than store them through the winter. Defective

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