How to Build a Planter Container

It's easy to make a planter for an outdoor container garden. You can cast, or mold, one out of concrete. The size is limited only by the size of the containers you use to mold them. Concrete outdoor planter containers will last for many years.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 1½ inch dowel, 2 feet long
• Small wood or multipurpose handsaw
• Containers for molding planter
• Vegetable oil
• Easy-mix, quick-set concrete
• Wheelbarrow or 5-gallon bucket for mixing concrete
• Garden trowel
• Large plastic garbage bag

1. Cut the dowel. Cut off a 1-inch section of the dowel. Make the cut as straight as possible. This will be used to form a drainage hole in the bottom of the planter. Keep the longer half of the dowel; you'll use it to tamp down the concrete when molding the planter in Step 6.

2. Find two containers that are roughly the same shape but different sizes. One should be slightly smaller than and fit inside of the other. Rub cooking oil on the inside of the larger container and the outside of the smaller container. This will help keep the concrete from sticking.

3. Mix concrete. Pour a bag of concrete mix into a wheelbarrow or large bucket. Add water and stir until the concrete is the consistency of cottage cheese. The amount of water varies with the manufacturer of the concrete mix. Follow the label directions for exact mixing instructions.

4. Pour about 2 to 3 inches of concrete into the bottom of the large container.

5. Rub cooking oil on the cut off piece of 1½-inch dowel. Insert into the center of the just-poured concrete for a drainage hole. Make sure the dowel is standing on its end.

6. Place the smaller pot inside the larger one and press down until it is stopped by the dowel. Make sure the smaller pot is centered in the larger one.

7. Carefully fill the area between the two pots with concrete. Use a small garden trowel to carefully scoop the concrete into the void. Use the longer part of the wooden dowel to tamp down the concrete.

8. Carefully place into a large plastic garbage bag. Put it in the shade and let the concrete cure for two days.

9. Remove from plastic bag, and carefully remove the inner container. Then tip the larger container sideways and lightly tap the sides until it releases the new pot. Remove the wooden dowel from the bottom. Poke out any film of concrete that has formed over the drainage hole. Your new planter container is now ready to use.

Tips & Warnings

• Add small shells, decorative pebbles, or beads to the wet concrete for design and interesting texture of the finished planter container. Mix in a couple of handfuls when you're mixing the cement, before pouring into the mold. Colorant for concrete is available at the same place where your purchase the concrete. Following the manufacturer's instructions, add some to the wet mixture at the same time you add the decorative elements above. Place a rock over the drainage hole of your new planter container before filling with soil; this will allow the water to drain out of the pot but prevent the soil from washing away.
• Don't add any decorative sand to the concrete mix; it will change the proportions of the mixture and may prevent the concrete from hardening.