8 ways to fill old kitchen containers with flowers, making perfect garden planters

There are legends about jugs of water, wine, or oil that magically refill. Science has yet to find a way to actually make this possible, but, with a little crafty magic of your own, you can ensure your used bottles or kitchen containers never stay empty. Just fill them with beautiful flowers!

Turning used bottles and cooking containers into garden planters is a simple and attractive way to save yourself a trip to the dump and the garden store. And it will give your yard a bright, unique look. Here are 8 of our favorite ideas for you to try.

Crissy’s Crafts shows you how to cut a large hole in the side of a plastic bottle and fill it with soil and flowers. She recommends cutting smaller holes in the bottom and decorating with moss and rocks.

For a fun variation on the plastic-bottle planter, dipfeed demonstrates how to use string, plastic eyes, and a bright pom-pom to turn your plastic-bottle planter into a face with flower hair! It’s a great twist for kids of all ages.

Wine bottle planters are a bit trickier because making them requires cutting glass, but they’re worth the effort.  Jessica Snow at allwomenstalk says you can use a glass cutter if you have one or look online for instructions on how to cut glass with yarn, nail polish remover, and fire. You then fill the top half of the wine bottle with dirt and plants and the bottom half with water. Place the top half inside the bottom half and thread a piece of fabric through the neck of the bottle into the bottom half. Your planter will then water itself.

 4. Cork Planter Magnets

Every part of your wine bottle can become a planter. Upcycle That has instructions for turning corks into fridge-magnet planters for succulents. Use a screwdriver and paring knife to make a hole halfway into the center of the cork, fill with soil, and plant a succulent clipping.

Tin cans also recycle well into planters. Censational Girl shows off some eye-catching examples decorated using spray paint and painter’s tape. Hammer nails into the bottom of the cans for drainage.

 6. Colander Planter

Two Twenty One explains how to make this bright, easy planter. Place a circle of landscape fabric inside the colander to keep the soil in, then fill the colander with potting soil and plant the flowers of your choice.

 7. Vintage Tupperware

Lish Dorset shares her idea for turning vintage Tupperware into charming planters. Place the Tupperware on a wooden board and drill drainage holes into the bottom of the bowl. Then you’re ready to plant. Lish Dorset found her containers at thrift stores, but you could just as easily use plastic containers you already have.

Throw yourself a garden tea party with these adorable teapot planters. Janine Zschech of Start to Grow Your Australian Garden says they work best for succulents or annual flowering plants.