Container Ideas Archives - The Micro Gardener

Container Ideas is where you will find articles showing you how to re-purpose and re-use materials as clever, crafty and creative containers for growing your food and plants.

7 Easy DIY Garden Gift Ideas

Need inspiration for low-cost, personal DIY garden gift ideas? With a little creative thinking, you can easily make your own affordable presents.

DIY Garden Gift Ideas to Inspire You

1. Tin Can Herb Planters

Mini window sill herb gardens are a favourite with just about everyone. To make these low cost gifts, save tin cans from your kitchen and reuse as cute container gardens.

Tin can herb container gardens make easy, economical gifts | The Micro Gardener

Make one or a collection. This is a gift you can keep adding to throughout the year with new herbs!

Tutorial: Simply Healthy Fam

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Anne Gibson2019-11-28T16:57:13+10:00Categories: Container Ideas, How To DIY Projects & Recipes, Repurposed Planters|Tags: Cachepot, DIY, Gifts, Pots & containers, seeds & seed saving|6 Comments

6 Easy DIY Container Garden Projects

Looking for creative DIY container garden projects? Micro Gardening in containers offers you SO many benefits. If you are a beginner or need some ideas to get started, I’ve compiled these tutorials to inspire you – regardless of your space, skills or budget!

Easy DIY Container Garden Project - I change the flowers in these bright pink gumboot planters seasonally - an easy way to upcycle outgrown boots. I also plant in my adult pairs when they split. Just drill holes in the soles! I put tiny pots into the top of this pair & they sit nicely with a clay worm as garden art.

I change the flowers in these bright pink gumboot planters seasonally – an easy way to upcycle outgrown boots. I also plant in my adult pairs when they split. Just drill holes in the soles! I put tiny pots into the top of this pair & they sit nicely with a clay worm as garden art.

4 Steps to Create your DIY Container Garden

You can make a new or repurposed planter for a herb, vegetable, ornamental or flower garden in just a few easy steps: (more…)

Anne Gibson2018-04-19T11:50:36+10:00Categories: Container Gardening, Container Ideas, How To DIY Projects & Recipes, Portable Gardens, Repurposed Planters|Tags: Beautiful gardens, Cachepot, Container gardening, DIY, Getting started, Micro gardening, Pots & containers, repurposed planters|17 Comments

Inspiring Pallet DIY Garden Projects

Looking for ways to upcycle pallets? Some creative DIY pallet garden projects? Recently I repurposed a pallet and large square wooden crate lying around a local landscaping yard, into a mini garden shed for $7. I was so pleased with the result, it made me consider other ways to reuse materials for my garden needs. More of us are conscious of repurposing rather than impacting on landfill with unnecessary waste. So I thought I’d share these DIY creative ideas to upcycle pallets. You may be amazed at the possibilities!

Cheryl has turned this hardwood pallet into a stunning vertical garden – perfect for a narrow balcony or limited space. Repeating coordinated colours works well. You can find the DIY instructions below.

“Upcycling is the process of converting waste materials or useless products into new materials or products of better quality or a higher environmental value.” – en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upcycling

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Anne Gibson2022-11-25T14:40:31+10:00Categories: Clever Design Ideas, Container Ideas, Frugal Gardening, How To DIY Projects & Recipes, Vertical Gardens|Tags: DIY, Pallets, repurposed planters, small garden design ideas, Vertical gardens|69 Comments

Garden Design Ideas for Small Spaces

Good design is essential for small space gardens. If you have limited room to grow as many of us do in urban areas, maximising the area you can garden in and wise plant selection are top priorities. These space saving solutions may be just what you need.

It's important to use good design principles to make the most of small garden spaces. | The Micro Gardener

Sometimes it just takes a little inspiration to make some simple but creative changes to your space.

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Anne Gibson2022-11-25T12:05:40+10:00Categories: Clever Design Ideas, Container Ideas, Hanging Baskets, Problem Solving|Tags: Clever design ideas; Tips & Tricks, Container gardening, Micro gardening, Problem Solving, small garden design ideas|19 Comments

Creative Ideas for Portable Gardens

Short of space? Renting or on the move and need a mobile garden solution? Or perhaps a health issue means you need a little more flexibility … Get some inspiration from these ‘pick up and grow’ creative ideas for micro gardens.

If your soil is too poor or difficult to dig, a mobile solution in a compact space might be an easy solution.

Wheelbarrows are ready-made gardens on wheels – if yours has seen better days, rusted out or you want to make the most of the sunny spots you have, they are a great idea! (more…)

Anne Gibson2022-11-25T12:05:50+10:00Categories: Container Ideas, Portable Gardens, Repurposed Planters|Tags: Container gardening, portable gardens|2 Comments

DIY – Make Your Own Creative Repurposed Shoe Gardens

If you need a little inspiration for your next plant container, the solution might be right at your feet … so to speak!

Don't give your shoes the boot. Repurpose them as decorative planters and sensational shoe gardens

Don’t give your old shoes the boot. Repurpose them as decorative planters.

If you’ve only got space for a micro garden, shoes make easy planters for herbs, shallow rooted leafy vegies and succulents that all do well in small spaces.

Repurpose with a purpose - This cute garden is from Lizard’s Home Sweet Home. Photo: Rabbit_mage

One night someone came into this school and broke every single pot in the garden. Instead of tossing it all, the kids picked up the bits, decorated them, and piled them along with some unique shoe planters and succulents, by a tree to make a cozy home for the wild lizards that hang around the school.

When your shoes have served their purpose, why not give them a new green life as a planter? Add a few drainage holes with a screwdriver for soft soled shoes and use a drill for leather ones. If your sole already has a hole worn through, the job may be done for you! Just fill with potting mix and plant away. See below for boot-iful DIY shoe planter projects. (more…)

Anne Gibson2022-11-21T17:21:50+10:00Categories: Container Ideas, Repurposed Planters|Tags: Container gardening, repurposed planters|15 Comments

Choose Safe Containers for Growing Food

Do you want to grow food in safe container gardens? Whilst not wanting to dampen your enthusiasm for using repurposed planters or getting started, I encourage you to do your due diligence when choosing that perfect container. Even raised beds are big containers. So it’s worth considering the materials you use so you are not accidentally introducing chemicals that leach.

The majority of pre-loved or second-hand goods may well be safe to use. However, before you reuse a container for planting in, there are some considerations, other than whether it can hold some dirt and leafy greens!

My philosophy is “to err on the side of caution – it’s better to be safe than sorry!”

Tips to Help you Choose Safe Containers for Growing Food

1. Check the Skin it’s In!

What is the container is made of? If you can, find out what material the planter or item is made from (especially on the surface).

Can you find out more from the manufacturer? Check their website or contact them directly.
Is the surface porous? Some materials such as terracotta or unfired clay are extremely porous. They can absorb and leach water-soluble chemicals through the surface into the soil.
Make sure you wear PPE (personal protective equipment) when handling repurposed materials to avoid accidental contamination. Dust, peeling paint and chemical residues are easily inhaled or absorbed through your skin so take care to wear suitable gloves, masks and eye protection.

Affiliate Links: Your support of this site is appreciated!

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Anne Gibson2020-05-03T15:15:57+10:00Categories: Container Gardening, Container Ideas, Grow Your Own Food, Repurposed Planters|Tags: Cachepot, Growing food, Pots & containers, repurposed planters|151 Comments

DIY – Make Your Own Garden Planters

Why buy new when you can DIY and save money? Need a little inspiration to get your garden started in a container? Check out what some amazingly creative people around the globe have used to grow a garden in – just about everything!

School desk edible planter - just one of many Clever Plant Container Ideas @ www.themicrogardener.com

This old desk school desk has a new life in the garden as an edible planter filled with luscious lettuces, shallots and colourful flowers.

Ideas for Repurposed Planters … INCLUDING the Kitchen Sink!

Stuck for where to start? Looking for inspiration for what to grow your next garden in? Look no further! I hope you like these creative planters as much as I do.

Porcelain planters seem to be quite popular in some gardens.

A new meaning for ‘potted’ plants! These old toilet cisterns have also been given a new life as planters. Porcelain is long lasting and with built in drainage, their prior lives could be concealed behind other plants or a bamboo screen around the base.

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Anne Gibson2022-10-17T08:21:21+10:00Categories: Clever Design Ideas, Container Gardening, Container Ideas, Frugal Gardening, Repurposed Planters|Tags: Container gardening, Frugal gardening, repurposed planters, small garden design|33 Comments

Repurposed Container Gardens – Turn Trash into Treasure

Ever wonder why some people’s gardens look so beautiful, full of character and have that special charm? If you look closely at pictures in garden magazines or visit open gardens and nurseries, you’ll notice one of the clever design tricks they use is adding interesting features, repurposed containers and collections.

Small courtyard garden with good design creates an appealing space to enjoy.

This small courtyard garden is a good example of clever design and use of a collection of new and old pots. A seating area, water fountain, screening plants and coordinated colours also help unify this tiny space.

These little touches help to:

unify a garden
give it focus
create a theme
reflect your personality
add character

and enhance the visual appeal so you want to spend time in that special space.

“Designing your garden space is even more important if you have a micro garden.”

With a limited space and budget, it’s not always possible to buy new plant containers or garden art but you can still achieve a dream look and great functional growing spaces by ‘turning old into new.’ You don’t need special skills – just a little inspiration … and perhaps a little time to hunt around for the right object.

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Anne Gibson2018-04-19T18:04:55+10:00Categories: Clever Design Ideas, Container Gardening, Container Ideas, Frugal Gardening, Repurposed Planters|Tags: Container gardening, Frugal gardening, repurposed planters, small garden design|4 Comments

Ten Benefits of Using Repurposed Planters

Don’t have the time or money to buy a new pot or build a garden bed? It’s much easier than you may think to find the perfect container without costing an arm and a leg! If you’re not in the habit of finding ‘new ways with old things,’ read on to find out why you should consider reusing what you’ve already got. Repurposed planters may be just the solution.

Twinings Tea Tin Windowsill Planters - Items you might otherwise throw away can be useful plant containers instead. | The Micro Gardener

These quaint little metal Twinings vintage tea tins have been reused as small herb pots. They make a cute set of windowsill planters. To avoid rust damage, sit metal tins on a tray to catch water from the drainage holes.

1. Save money/make money

Turning ‘trash into treasure’ is one sure way to be thrifty in the garden. If you don’t have to buy a container, you can keep your money in your purse for plants or other garden supplies you really need to buy. Being creative with your hands and making attractive, affordable planters, potting benches and unique pots for other gardeners may also be a niche market to make money or raise funds for a worthy project. (more…)

Anne Gibson2022-10-17T08:18:07+10:00Categories: Clever Design Ideas, Container Gardening, Container Ideas, Frugal Gardening, Repurposed Planters|Tags: Benefits of container gardens, Frugal gardening, repurposed planters, Save money|5 Comments

12 Next

DIY Garden Gift Ideas to Inspire You

4 Steps to Create your DIY Container Garden

Inspiring Pallet DIY Garden Projects

DIY – Make Your Own Creative Repurposed Shoe Gardens

My philosophy is “to err on the side of caution – it’s better to be safe than sorry!”

Tips to Help you Choose Safe Containers for Growing Food

1. Check the Skin it’s In!

DIY – Make Your Own Garden Planters

Ideas for Repurposed Planters … INCLUDING the Kitchen Sink!

1. Save money/make money

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