Once you have all of your supplies available, it will only take you seven simple steps to assemble a DIY succulent planter.
Step 1: Cut Wood Pieces
I divided the four equal-length strips into two for the bottom and two for the sides. We cut two additional 6 strips for the shorter sides as the bottom will be 8 across. That will fit properly because the lumber is 1 thick.
Make sure to cut the wood in a line that is as straight as you can. You can have the lumber pre-cut to your specifications when you buy it at the hardware store if you don’t have access to a saw or don’t trust yourself to cut it. However, most retailers will tack on a little fee for this.
I decided to sand the lumber after cutting it because I prefer features that are extra-polished. Nevertheless, depending on how precisely the wood was cut, this isn’t always essential.
Step 2: Attach the Pieces
You should start by drilling a few pilot holes on the base and on the short sides. These will facilitate even screw installation.
I joined the bottom pieces last after the four sides. Everything should fit together properly if you sized everything correctly.
Step 3: Drill Drainage Holes
You don’t want your plants to have damp feet, as everyone with a green thumb is aware of. Succulents in particular are a good example of this because they use very little water and are exceptional at retaining it.
Turn your box over and make a few small holes on the bottom to stop this from happening. Since my box is small, I just had four holes drilled. You might want 5 or 6 if yours is a little bigger. But don’t go overboard.
Step 4: Consider Your Details
Your DIY succulent planter is now complete and ready to use. But now is the time to make any last adjustments. To protect the wood from the water draining out of the bottom and lengthen its lifespan, many people may place a screen layer there. Cut your screen according to the internal dimensions, then fasten it with few tiny finishing nails.
Step 5: Treat the Outside of the Planter
It’s time to improve the planter’s appearance now. If you chose Douglas fir, as I did, you may have observed that the planter feels excellent and robust but appears quite uninteresting. I stained the box with some simple wood stain, but you may also paint it any color you choose.
You might just use some clear lacquer or leave it untreated for an au natural look if you invested in some cedar or other higher-quality lumber.
In either case, make careful to only touch the planter box’s exterior. Internal treatment could contaminate the soil and hurt your succulents.
Step 6: Add the Soil
Start with a little covering of gravel. To prevent moist feet and help the planter drain, do that. From there, you may choose from a variety of soil types, but I choose to use cactus dirt. That’s made especially for succulents and will make them flourish.
You might also think about scattering pebbles on top of the dirt to improve aesthetics. These, in my opinion, add a nice touch.
Succulents may be placed within a wooden box.
In any home, succulents are a lovely addition. They not only give beauty to a room, but they also act to increase the humidity and add more oxygen while providing significant health advantages.
Of course, they require more work to maintain than other varieties of houseplants, even though you can’t just leave them alone. That is a huge benefit if, like me, you have a busy schedule.
I recently made the decision to expand my collection of succulents. In the past, I’ve used ceramic planters, but because I enjoy arts and crafts, I thought about constructing my own wooden planter box.
The outcomes were astounding! The DIY succulent planter was enjoyable to construct, reasonably priced, and, in my opinion, extremely fashionable. I’ll walk you through how to make your own DIY succulent planter if you just follow the steps below.
Can you directly plant in a wooden box?
Editor of Houzz; former garden editor and landscape designer for Sunset Magazine; in-house designer for Sunset’s editorial test garden. Her landscape designs have been published in POPSUGAR, Inhabitat, the Sunset Western Garden Book of Easy-Care Plantings (cover), and the Sunset Western Garden Book of Landscaping.
Since wooden crates look attractive on a patio and are reasonably priced as planting pots, they are popular planting boxes for herbs, strawberries, annual flowers, and bulbs. The majority of crates are either solid wooden boxes or come with wide spaces between the boards. Here’s how to turn each kind of crate into a planter box and arrange flowers, vegetables, herbs, and berries for optimum growth.
Does a wooden planter box need a plastic liner?
Yes, wooden planters lined with plastic will endure a lot longer. Plastic liners shield the wood from ongoing contact with moisture. In turn, this keeps the wood from deteriorating before its time.
How do you waterproof a planter box?
Depending on the liner, how. If it’s a pot, just set it inside the planter of your choosing; if it’s a piece of plastic sheeting, secure it with glue or staples. You can either paint it on or spray it on if you choose to go with the liquid option.
What should I line the bottom of a planter with?
You can cover the drainage holes with coffee filters or fine wire mesh to stop soil from draining out. Newspaper or cheesecloth are other options for this use.
Step 1
To ensure a clean finish, measure and cut all of the wood pieces to the appropriate lengths, cutting the ends as squarely as you can. Make a hole with a 3mm drill bit about 2.5 cm from the end of each length to prevent the wood from breaking when you drive the screws.
Step 2
To create the frame, spread out two lengths of 100 cm, 60 cm, and 40 cm. With the holes on the side, butt one end of each length to the following one. Before attaching a screwdriver attachment and fastening the frame together with 7.5cm screws, check the angles using a try square.
Step 3
For the planter bottom, cut treated gravel board to the proper lengths. The bottom boards should be put on the frame. The planter will be lined, thus it doesn’t matter if there are spaces up to 5 cm wide between the boards. Drill pilot holes in the bottom boards, make sure the frame is square once more, and then fasten them to the frame with 5 cm screws.
Step 4
To make the bottom boards rest on the ground, turn the frame over onto its other side. Alternate the corner connections as you lay the following course. Verify that all ends are flush, then secure with 7.5 cm screws.
Step 9
Place two 40-cm pieces at an angle to the 45-cm piece to complete this layer, and then cut the remaining length to match the remaining space. Until the raised section of the planter has four layers, keep adding courses of 40 cm lengths of timber, alternating the joints.
Protecting the wood
Line the interior of the planter with plastic, such as used plastic compost bags, and secure it with little nails to preserve the wood. Before adding compost, create drainage holes.
Step-By-Step Potting
First, fill the bottom of your pot with a little substrate. It should be just enough to raise your succulent’s height to a level with your new soil level or slightly higher.
Instead of being mounded over their stems like sporadic plants like tomatoes, succulents shouldn’t be.
Since many succulents have shallow roots and small pots, it’s natural for the soil to appear sparse to the untrained eye.
This layer is a little more forgiving for other plants. This layer aids in planting by allowing your plant to “stretch its feet at the bottom” a little bit.
Place the succulent(s) in the soil and fill it in after layering the bottom.
It’s usually too much to handle all at once by hand if you’re planting a large number and they won’t remain in place.
They can be moved into their respective positions, the remaining soil filled in, and the soil compacted around them.
Tiny, tiny containers are another issue that frequently affects succulents. You can use a spoon to scrape substrate into these incredibly tiny containers.
Save yourself the trouble and take a spoon since starter succulents and miniature succulents frequently grow in just extremely small containers that are impossible for larger equipment or hands to access without creating a major mess.
Once your container has all the soil you want in it or has just enough room left over for your plant to be watered, it is full.
If the container is too full, water may quickly spill out and it will be challenging to thoroughly wet your plant.
Can succulents be grown in just rocks?
It should be obvious that succulents will thrive when planted in rocks given these circumstances. They drain very well and do not retain water, which eliminates the possibility of root rot. This does not include another component of soil, though, since all plants need nutrients.
Although succulents are not particularly hungry plants, they do need certain nutrients to grow. Other micronutrients like zinc or iron are needed in smaller levels, whereas macronutrients like nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium are essential. The plant won’t grow at all or last very long without these nutrients.
By their very nature, rocks don’t release nutrients quickly enough to keep the plants alive. They are composed of minerals, but since they decompose so slowly over time, they are not appropriate for growing on their own. Additionally, they often don’t retain enough moisture, allowing the roots to quickly dry out after draining practically instantly.
Sadly, this means that succulents cannot thrive permanently without soil in rocks. If not given regular care, they may survive for several weeks or even months on the nutrients found in the stems and leaves.
How can I grow plants on wood?
I wanted to try attaching plants to wood and rocks in addition to all the live plants I have in my substrate. Knowledge and common sense tell us that not all plants will be appropriate. So I conducted my study and created a list.
- Barteri Anubis
- Coffee Fern
- J. M. S.
- Baby Dwarf Tears (Hemianthus)
- Water Fern from Africa (Bolbitus Heudelotii)
- Holiday Moss
- Fluitans of Riccia
- Pinnatifid Hygrophila
- Bucephalandra
- Windelov, Java Fern
- Trident of Java Fern
- Nana Anubis
- Purple Water Hedge (Alternanthera reineckii)
- Bitcoiner Petchii
What should I use as a planter box’s lining?
There are only a few steps required to prepare a wooden container for plants if you are beginning from scratch.
- Fill the empty box with water and observe how long it takes for the water to drain to check the container’s drainage. No additional drainage will be required if the water readily drains from the box’s bottom seams. However, if the box continues to hold water after a minute, move on to step 2. (If not, proceed to step 3).
- If more drainage is required, drill a number of 1/2-inch holes in the bottom of the box. Additionally, drill a couple holes towards the bottom on the sidewalls of the container.
- Line the planter with porous landscape fabric to let water drain out while avoiding moist soil from coming into close touch with the wood and shortening its lifespan. Additionally, the cloth will stop soil from leaking out of any sizable gaps in the wood.
- Selecting your plants: Choose plants that will fit in the container’s length, width, and depth. For instance, succulents or other plants with shallow roots should be used in shallow boxes. In a shallow box, microgreens and the majority of salad greens will also thrive. Additionally, pick a potting mix that is appropriate for the species of plant you have decided on.
How should a wooden box be prepared for planting?
Tips for Preparing Wooden Planters for Planting
- Remove any remaining soil or plant debris.
- Apply a nontoxic, plant-safe waterproofing solution to the planter’s whole surface area.
- If the planter’s bottom doesn’t already have drainage holes, drill some.
What do you put in a wooden planter’s bottom?
Put some broken terracotta pots, pebbles, or packing peanuts on the bottom of the planter to help with drainage.
What do you put in a planter box’s bottom?
You must first be aware of the precise needs of the tree or shrub you desire to pot. The quantity of room needed in the pot or planter will probably vary depending on the kind of tree or plant. Once you know how much room you need to fill, you can start.
High-quality potting soil, rather than standard garden soil, should be chosen if you only need to fill a small area. Weeds and other impurities in the soil from your garden or other places are probably preventing the growth of your plant or tree.
The purpose of potting soil is to enable proper drainage in a planter. Planters containing soil from the earth may have drainage problems, weight problems, and possible freeze-thaw problems.
Choose the best filling for your planter’s base from the list below if you have a lot of space at the bottom that has to be filled.