We’ve all got them around the house … metal containers. And with just a few steps you can recreate this easy DIY Garden Project!! If you don’t have any around that you can spare – don’t worry. The family picked a few up from the $1 bin section at Target.
But I bet if you open up a few cabinets, you will find some tins you can spare. My kids were able to scrounge up some old baking tins that have gone unused for years!! Ice buckets, paint cans, food cans – you name it!
All from the pantry ready for recycling… and more. Get them out of the garage and turn them into something pretty with these quick and easy tutorials. Trust me, this DIY Garden Project is something everyone can do.
DIY Garden Project: Metal Container Planter – what you need:
- Metal container
- Hemp cord or rope (optional – for hanging, or handles)
- Drill
- Jump ring (optional – for hanging)
I’m going to show you three different (and easy) ways to turn your found items into planters. This DIY garden project will turn any bland corner in your backyard into a green, rustic escape.
Turn a tin into a planter
The first one is the easiest. We simply want to take whatever item we want to turn into a planter and drill a drainage hole into the bottom. You can put this outdoors, or place it on a dish on a counter to catch any water that runs through.
Turn the vessel upside down and drill very slowly into the base so you don’t buckle the metal and put a dent in it.
Tip: I like to add rocks in a thin layer inside the bottom of the tin before adding dirt so that the dirt doesn’t just run straight through.
DIY Garden Project: How to add handles to a tin planter.
Now we are going to step it up a little. I’m sure you’ve seen the cute tins that have hemp cord handles. These handles don’t actually do anything other than add an aesthetic appeal. Unless of course, you are using a larger vessel such as an ice bucket or pail as a planter, then it’s handy to have handles for moving it around.
For this planter, I used a mini loaf/bread tin. I have so many in the kitchen and this one still had the label on the inside. I found it in a storage box in the garage where it had been for 2 years, so clearly wasn’t going to be using it for baking anytime soon.
You are going to drill a hole in the bottom just like for the first tin I showed you, but to add handles, you’ll also drill 2 additional holes on either side.
When choosing the correct drill bit size to use, look at the width of the hemp cord you’ll be using for the handles. You want to be able to thread it through the hole, tie a knot on the inside and have it stay securely in place without coming back through the hole.
I wanted my handles to stay up (for decorative reasons), so used Gorilla Glue under the lip of the tin to hold them in place. A DIY Garden Project must!!
Turn a tin into a hanging planter.
For the last planter, we are going to go one step further. I’ve taken an ordinary tin can from the pantry and turned it into a hanging planter. You can macrame a basket to hold the tin, or simply drill three holes around the top (after adding a drainage hole to the base), and then tie hemp cord leading from the tin to a jump ring.
Use a measuring tape to mark three or four points around the top of the tin can that are equal space apart, and then drill your holes.
Tie a hemp cord the same way as the previous planter through the holes in the tin, but then tie all of them together through the jump ring at the other end.
And you have a simple hanging planter that’s perfect to hang under your eaves.
Take a look at what you’ve got hanging around the house that can be turned into a planter, but here are a few ideas:
- Paint tins
- Ice buckets
- Buckets
- Baking tins
- Vintage cookie or tea tins
- Watering cans
- Food cans
These also make great gifts and are perfect for placeholders and table decor for events.
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