Do-It-Yourself Concrete Planters

If your garden landscape or patio needs a large feature or centerpiece, you might consider adding large concrete planters with trees, shrubs and perennials. Concrete planters are also ideal when you want to plant large shrubs or trees as they have the room and the strength to hold the larger root systems these plants produce.

Concrete planters are also an excellent way to create a border around a patio or deck or along a driveway. They are also very effective as foundation planters around your home. You can purchase planters in many styles, including concrete-look-alike materials if weight is a consideration.

In little more than an afternoon's work, you can make your own concrete planters. After approximately a week, they will be ready for planting.

To create a concrete planter, you will need concrete mix, sand mix, plywood, hammer, nails, one inch plastic pipe, a tamper, a trowel and form oil or paste wax. Once the materials are gathered, the following are step-by-step instructions:

Use 3/4-inch plywood and 1/4-inch plywood to build an outer form with inner dimensions of 18-inches long by 15-inches wide by 10-inches high. Use the 3/4-inch plywood for the sides of the form and the 1/4-inch plywood for the bottom of the form. Nail the forms sparingly for ease in disassembly when removing the completed concrete planter.
Build an inner form with outer dimensions of 14-inches long by 11-inches wide by 8-inches high for use with outer form to create concrete planter with 2-inch thick walls and bottom.
Coat the forms with form oil or paste wax to make removal from the form easier.
Prepare the concrete mix using instructions on the package and cast the planter starting with a 2-inch base layer. While laying this base layer insert the plastic pipes to create drain holes. The pipes should be centered along the width of the planter and in thirds along the length of the planter. Smooth the concrete to the height of the pipes.
Center the inner form and press it down over the smoothed concrete, continuing to pour the concrete around the edges of the mold. Use a tamper to compact the concrete around the form during pouring. Smooth the exposed surface with a trowel and keep damp.
Remove the forms after 24 hours and continue to keep the concrete damp for five to seven days before planting your concrete planters.
Clean the form parts immediately following removal and set aside to build more concrete planters for your landscape.

Experiment with the dimensions and shape of your plywood forms and you can create concrete planters in a variety of styles and sizes for your home landscape. Visit your local hardware store and inquire about dyes for concrete to add color to your concrete planters designs. Go even further and search around your home for strong containers that might serve as molds in place of the plywood forms to create more interesting shapes with texture or decorative surfaces.

» More Planters Tips