Cheap, Creative Plant Containers: 25 Ideas

Whether you want an original gift idea or just an unusual way to display a plant in your home, these creative plant containers are not just cheap - they’re also fun. Regular pots seem boring when compared to these reconceived ordinary objects. These creative plant containers include many items you may already have lying around an attic, garage, or cupboard, while others can be cheaply procured at a thrift store.

When using nonstandard containers for plants, remember to pay attention to drainage issues, as well as potentially harmful substances (i.e. residue from cleaning supplies). With good cleaning and a liner or other modifications, you can make these creative plant containers work for you.

Idea #1: Flour or Sugar Sack. After their contents have been exhausted, small flour and sugar sacks can make creative plant containers. They’re remarkably sturdy and add a beat-up pragmatic look to a kitchen counter.

Idea #2: Mailbox. Take an old school mailbox and turn it on its side to fashion a creative plant container. Great for both indoor and outdoor placement, mailboxes possess a distinct, almost artful shape.

Idea #3: Metal Garbage Pail. Oscar the Grouch isn’t the only thing that can inhabit a garbage can. These old school trash receptacles will lend a rustic urban charm and sturdiness to a small tree.

Idea #4: Boot. From a Dutch wooden shoe to an old leather boot, you can modify some footwear to make funky, creative plant containers.

Idea #5: Aquarium. Have an old aquarium that needs a second lease on life? Fill it with dirt, repot some greenery, and let the transparent sides give a new look – greenery in glass.

Idea #6: Old Dresser Drawer. If you’re discarding a desk or dresser, keep a drawer before you kick the whole thing to the curb. Sitting atop a table and filled with flowers, the idea of a drawer-turned-garden shows how a deconstructed object can be used for kitsch practicality.