The Humble Planter

I thought it would be good to bring everything back to a basic level, today, and make a something simple.
The humble planter is a much loved thing and can be very helpful if you are operating on a budget of either money or space. It can easily increase the places in which you can grow things if you don’t own a garden as such and can also create a better looking patio.

If, like me, you find yourself in DIY and hardware stores on a regular basis then you will have noticed the planters that they invariably sell. These might not be to your liking for many a reason. Overpriced, crap quality or simply not suitable for the space you have. This blog entry will show you a quick and easy way to make a very simple planter that is approximately 350mm x 250mm and 150mm deep. These sizes are, of course, external.

Once I had rooted about in the shed and procured the timber that I’d need I set about marking and cutting the parts. What follows is a list of ingredients, if you will...

50mm x 18mm x 350mm - 6 off for the long sides.
50mm x 18mm x 250mm - 6 off for the short sides.
50mm x 18mm x 386mm - 5 off for the base.
20mm x 35mm x 150mm - 4 off for the inside posts.
20mm x 35mm x 220mm - 2 off for the feet.
All lengths are cut from pine.

The easiest place to start with this model of planter is the short side. Taking 3 of the 6 short lengths, drill and countersink a 4mm hole in the ends of each at 18mm in. Then, using a quick clamp or similar device, clamp them together, ensuring they are lined up with each other. Take 2 of the 4 inside posts, secure them to the 3 boards with 4mm x 30mm general purpose screws. Repeat the process for the other short end.
The next step is to do the same with the long sides but the end holes are drilled at 28mm in from the ends. Using a quick clamp to secure 3 of them together, and standing the 2 short end sections on a workbench, secure the long side to them. Then flip the whole thing over and screw the last 3 long pieces to the opposite side. The result is a sturdy box shape which now needs a base and a couple of feet.

The base, I think, doesn’t need to be screwed on as nails would serve just as good a purpose. Plus, once the planter is filled with soil and plants, it wouldn’t be doing much in the way of moving. Also the pine is only 18mm thick and you don’t want an errant screw to make a bid for freedom out of the side.
Take the final 5 pieces, quick clamp them, place them on the bottom of the box shape and nail it down using lost head nails. You can then do the same thing for the 2 feet, fixing them at roughly equal distances away from the edge of the outer edges.

Voila, a finished planter. All you need to do now is to line it and then plant in it. Expensive liner material is pretty pointless as a good quality bin liner works as well. Cut it to size, fill the planter with compost and await flowery glory!

The planter took me about an hour to complete and the design is such that it can be adapted for any size or shape. I may even make my next one to incorporate different levels!