Found Object Project

You will need a few basic items to create a container garden from a found object.  These are what I used for this project.

A cordless drill

Left over latex paint

Weed cloth

Box cutter

Potting Soil

Depending on what your object is you may decide to use a cheap plastic pot as an insert.

 First I will admit that this "found object" did not require a great deal of imagination to turn into a planter box for my patio.  However, the simple steps I used to turn it into a miniature garden could be used for a variety of found objects.  The most important step is also the first.  Be sure to provide drainage for your new planter.  Unless you want to grow a bog garden this is essential to the health of your plants.  Because my container was made of wood, I simply used a drill bit to provide the drainage holes.

Second because I wanted to pretty it up I painted the box with latex paint and lined it with weed cloth.  The holes where small but I prefer to keep as much of my potting mix in my container and not running all over the table top where this will live.  A bit more decorating with some acrylic paint to add lettering and my container was ready for soil.

 The girls helped me fill the box with soil.  We used a rather cheap potting soil for two reasons. This container will be emptied every year and the herbs we will be growing will not mind poor soil.  We planted the box with lemon balm, peppermint, kale, Swiss chard, green onions, cilantro, and some red romaine lettuce seed.  This will likely get crowded...but we are happy to eat anyone who runs out of room!  I will poke a few nasturtium seeds in to add some color and we will call it done.

I will post pictures in a few weeks to show how this has grown....but for me this is the perfect kind of project...most of the plants were started from seed and cost us pennies.  Many were volunteers in the garden, so we can say that this project cost us under $10 after buying the potting soil!  Not bad for a pretty little garden.