Summer is officially here and the green fingered among us are feeling the call of the garden! Time to get the gloves on to ensure you can enjoy it all through the summer and autumn months.
A very popular trend for gardening at the moment is to use unexpected and unusual items as planters. This adds character to gardens and can also help to maximize the use of your outdoors, where space is often at a premium.
It can also reduce the amount of plastic consumed as an alternative to plastic pots, another big concern for us all.
A great way to capitalize on this trend is to use vintage style crates and boxes. Here is a quick guide on how to prepare your boxes for planting-
Line your box- you can use a ground sheet liner but some people choose to use a simple black bin bag to cut down on costs. Place this inside the crate making sure it meets the sides.
Cut a few holes in the bottom to ensure drainage.
Use some broken pots or stones at the bottom, to weigh down your container and to help provide drainage.
Fill with a potting mix that suits the plants to go in the crate.
For seeds or bulbs just follow the planting instructions provided or on the packet. For plants remember the angle that you will view the crate from and place larger plants in the centre at the rear and smaller plants coming towards you, move the compost to one side rather than digging a hole and press the plants in firmly making sure there’s no air around the roots. Then take a sharp knife and carefully trim off all the excess plastic liner.
Place your crate in its final position. Raising it off the ground will help prevent rotting and waterlogging, and give a good water. That’s it!
Other fantastic planter ideas would be this Olive Bucket. Traditionally used to collect olives, the holes in the side would be perfect for a plant requiring lots of drainage.
Or for a stand out garden décor, why not try this hanging basket on reclaimed log stand? This would look fantastic with a trailing plant like ivy in.
Time to get in the garden and get stuck in!