Unusual items to use as plant pots or plant supports

[idontwanttodiet]

I've just painted an old wooden ladder I found in my outhouse which was left by the previous owner and I plan to use it as a trellis for my clematis.

This got me thinking, what items have you used or adapted to use in the garden as plant pots or in any other way.

I'm looking forward to the shops opening up again so I can wander round the junk yards, so looking for some ideas please

I havnt actually done this but you've reminded me that I have an old cot side under the spare bed....

Also lastly year, due to not really being able to get to shops ( and then there being no pots in stock) alot of my plants were grown in cut-off milk cartons

We have the bottom parts of two Henry Hoovers with plants in

Last year I grew some flowers in old mugs and put them on the garden table. I have kept a pair of DS' old wellies to try to plant something in this year.

Stair gates and cot sides as climbing frames for squash and cucumbers

I use driftwood as plant supports. Sometimes you get fabulous curly rooty pieces, but ordinary straight bits are lovely too.

I found two old coal scuttles made of aluminum basically at a dump. I painted them and used them as planters on either side of the front stairs. Until they were stolen...

I made shelves for my succulent collection out of an old wooden ladder.
Chipped tea mugs and a couple of old milk jugs I use for succulents.
I have a few old chimney pots I use as planters.
In the greenhouse I use old polystyrene boxes meat orders arrives in to plant cucumbers, radishes and shallots in.
I have used the ends of old wooden curtain rails to put on the ends of garden canes.
Old pallets I have made plant stands for pots out of. I have a couple more pallets waiting for me to either turn into a garden table or anything else I can think of.
Cheap Poundland wire hanging baskets I use over my pots. Keeps the cats and fixes out of them and they also act as a frame for bedding plants to grow through.
I also have two large glass trays from a couple of old microwaves that I stand pots on and the large glass bowl from my old air fryer is waiting for me to turn it into a succulent garden.
Shoved in the back of a cupboard I found my sons old knackered violin which I thought would look good with some trailing petunia and hung somewhere in the garden. So I will do that in may when the chances of overnight frost has passed.

I love these ideas. How clever we are!

The people across the road from us use two motorcycle helmets as hanging baskets.

We used cut off milk bottles too for carrots. We also use loo rolls, with the bottom cut around and folded in for growing seedlings.

@LoveFall

I found two old coal scuttles made of aluminum basically at a dump. I painted them and used them as planters on either side of the front stairs. Until they were stolen...

My friend had a couple of coal scuttles, she said it was the only way she could grow hostas as the slugs didn’t like crawling up the metal.

We had a few house refurbs in our street several years ago. Daft builders removed and skipped old fireplaces so I rescued about six slate mantles from the skips . They look terrific with pots on, I raise them up a bit with a few bricks. I also have a huge slab of marble, don’t know what it was originally, but it weighs a ton.

Cheap cane or wicker waste paper baskets make nice planters. Line with black plastic with a few holes in the bottom for drainage. They only last 2-3 years, but they look nice and you can paint them different colours or use fence stain. You can use the baskets left over from flower arrangements too, and if they have a handle you can use them as hanging baskets (reinforce handles with wire though).

I've just screwed some rusty tin cans onto posts that I use to support veg plants, and planted them with succulents.

Some weeks my veg box comes in one of those plastic stackable mushroom trays. They are perfect for putting pots of seedlings in in the greenhouse to keep the same type together. Easy too to carry the whole lot out into the garden during the day when I'm hardening the seedlings off.

Washing machine drums - a couple for plants and one makes an excellent fire pit

I have an old coal scuttle that makes a great container.

Wrought iron gates (or even parts of old bedsteads) can make wonderful supports.

We planted flowers in a pair of old wellies last year (one had a tear down the side).

We are treating ourselves to a new garden fence and gate very soon and have decided to use our old wooden gate as support for our raspberries which grew exponentially!

Tin cans with the labelling ripped off are okay for indoor plants. I put a thick layer of gravel at the bottom so the roots don't get waterlogged.

I've also planted cyclamen in teacups and succulents in little china bowls. Again for indoors only, otherwise they get drowned in the rain.

Loving all these ideas. I do love to try and re-use anything I can in my garden and it's great to see how creative you all are.

2 old car tyres with tall grass and sprawling berries growing inside. Eventually the berry plant will disguise the tyre. The plants have now rooted into the ground so no more extra watering needed.

If anyone is gardening with children, maybe in a school I saw a great idea to help children understand where food comes from. It is simply growing the food in an appropriate container.

So a tomato plant in a passata carton.

Potatoes in a huge crisp packet

Peas in a frozen pea bag

SweetCorn in a cornflakes packet

Wheat in a bread packet.

Etc etc

Some seeds or plants will be easier to source than others, but I think the display I saw had about thirty different food plants growing in appropriate containers.

That's a lovely idea visque.
I use large tea cups for flowers too. I have an old creamery can I use.