If you’ve got potted plants, chances are there’s been a time or two where you’ve run across something you thought would make a good container for them – and either you chanced it or you didn’t. If you’ve braved that world of nontraditional pots, good for you! If you haven’t yet, now’s the time to go for it!
Given proper drainage, treatment (if necessary) and space for a plant’s root growth, almost anything – including a weathered antique soda-pop crate – can serve as an adequate container. Used sparingly, novelty vessels can add character and charm to a garden.
Photo Credit: ©2000 Dolezal Publishing/Doug Dealey
Let your plants take a tricycle for a spin – inside or out!
Photo Credit: ©2000 Dolezal Publishing/John M. Rickard
An antique tea service can become a beautiful (but temporary) container set for a collection of flowering annuals, making a conversation-starting table centerpiece for a luncheon or shower.
Photo Credit: ©2000 Dolezal Publishing/Image Point
The truth is, just about any vessel can be transformed into a planter – it just needs to meet two basic criteria: It has to hold enough soil for the plant selected, and it has to permit water to drain properly. If you’re respectful of these requirements and you properly prepare for the planting, success is within your reach.
Of course, your planter should also be durable. If you ever need to transfer a plant from a broken or rotted container before the plant takes root, it will suffer trauma – but a durable pot helps protect the plant inside. Some container choices are naturally tough, such as concrete chimney pots and troughs, old sink basins and vessels made of clay or galvanized metal.
By contrast, old, untreated wood or similar organic material filled with soil and set on the ground will quickly decay and break down. You can extend the life of these containers by treating them with clear waterproof latex sealer, inside and out, allowing them to thoroughly dry before planting. (If the treatment discolors the finish, paint it with decorative latex exterior paint after sealing to restore its original look.)
If an unusual container is not suitable for planting, it still can be enjoyed in the garden as a sculptural piece, or use it to highlight a pathway or add texture and color to a potted floral arrangement. Depending on its size and dimensions, it may be able to hold a smaller, less interesting but better-suited pot. Old wood troughs, for instance, can define a border while housing several smaller containers filled with plants.
As expressions of style and whimsy, unusual containers have their place in any garden setting. Keep in mind, however, that restraint is a guiding principle. Too many unique planters will make your container garden look cluttered, as well as detract from the beauty and splendor of the plants they contain. For maximum impact, place just one or two container treasures in highly visible locations.
If you want to add a touch of whimsy, personality or zing to your garden, head out to antique shops and garage sales to unearth some container treasures. The planters may need some modification to support healthy plants, and if it seems too difficult, then perhaps it could serve as a decorative housing for a planted nursery pot. For some guidance on how to add drainage holes to a metal antique find, just take the easy steps shown in the following pictures and described in their captions. Happy container hunting!
Adding Drainage to Unusual Plant Containers
Adding Drainage to Container - Step 1
Find an interesting container with good planting potential. (Many a stunning container begins its garden career in an antique store, flea market or garage sale.) Inspect your finds carefully and reject those with structural defects or finishes that will be ruined or easily tarnished by exposure to soil and water.
Photo Credit: ©2000 Dolezal Publishing/Image Point
Adding Drainage to Container - Step 2
Add drainage holes if necessary. (Most unusual containers lack suitable ones.) Mark the center of the container’s bottom and cover it with an “X” of masking tape to guide the drill and protect the container surface should the drill bit slip.
Photo Credit: ©2000 Dolezal Publishing/Image Point
Adding Drainage to Container - Step 3
Using a 1⁄8-inch masonry or metal drill bit in a variable-speed drill set at low speed, drill a pilot hole through the middle of the taped “X.”
Photo Credit: ©2000 Dolezal Publishing/Image Point
Adding Drainage to Container - Step 4
Mount a 5⁄8-inch drill bit, and drill the final drainage hole, again using a slow motor speed.
Photo Credit: ©2000 Dolezal Publishing/Image Point
Adding Drainage to Container - Step 5
Remove the masking tape, then rasp any burrs away with a circular file. If the cut will be subject to rust, daub it with waterproof sealer and allow it to dry. Your container is now ready for planting.
Photo Credit: ©2000 Dolezal Publishing/Image Point
Adding Drainage to Container - Step 6
Water your potted plant in a sink and allow it to thoroughly drain and dry before displaying it.
Photo Credit: ©2000 Dolezal Publishing/Image Point
