DIY Ideas, Newsletter Articles
Upcycled Garden Decor: Creative Ideas for Your SoCal Yard
Almost anything that holds soil and drains can become a one-of-a-kind planter, which makes upcycling a cheap, creative way to decorate a Southern California garden while keeping cast-offs out of the landfill. Repurpose buckets, crates, old furniture, and more by adding drainage holes and a good potting mix, and if you plan to grow food in them, stick to food-safe materials and skip old treated wood and used tires.
Quick answer: Turn everyday items into garden planters and decor by adding drainage and potting mix, and choose food-safe materials if you will grow anything you plan to eat.
- Nearly any clean container works as a planter: buckets, tubs, crates, half barrels, wheelbarrows, even a laundry basket.
- Every planter needs drainage holes; drill or punch them if the item does not have any.
- Do not put gravel or broken pot shards in the bottom for drainage, since that actually makes drainage worse.
- Fill containers with a light potting mix, not heavy garden soil.
- For food crops, use food-grade materials and avoid older CCA-treated wood, creosote railroad ties, and used tires.
- Repurposing items is the most eco-friendly step in the waste hierarchy, ahead of recycling.
| Item | Turn it into | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Buckets and tubs | A roomy planter for veggies or flowers. | Drill drainage holes; use food-grade ones for edibles. |
| Wooden crates and boxes | A rustic planter or small raised bed. | Add drainage; use untreated or rot-resistant wood for food. |
| Half barrels and wheelbarrows | A big statement planter or mixed container. | Drill drainage; roomy enough for a small tree or herb mix. |
| Broken pots | A layered or fairy garden. | Stack the pieces; do not use shards as a false drainage layer. |
| Old ladders and windows | A decorative display for potted plants. | Pure decor; set finished pots on or in them. |
What Upcycling in the Garden Means
Upcycling simply means giving a used item a second life instead of throwing it out, and in the garden that usually means turning something you already own into a planter or a piece of decor. It is also a genuinely green choice: the EPA ranks reducing and reusing materials as the most environmentally preferred strategy in its waste hierarchy, ahead of recycling, because reuse keeps items out of the landfill with the least added effort.[1] On top of that, upcycled planters cost little or nothing and give a yard personality you cannot buy. If you like the handmade look, our guide to DIY garden decoration with air plants pairs nicely with these ideas.
Creative Upcycled Planter and Decor Ideas
Start with whatever you have. University of Maryland Extension points out that planters can be expensive or free, and lists plenty of reusable options that make good containers: food-grade plastic buckets and storage tubs, wooden crates, whiskey barrels cut in half, plastic kiddie pools, laundry baskets, wheelbarrows, and milk crates.[2] From there, let your imagination run: an old dresser with the drawers pulled out to different depths becomes a tiered succulent display, a chair with a pot set into the seat becomes a focal point, and a colander or an old pair of boots makes a charming small planter. Broken pots can be stacked into a layered or fairy garden, and ladders, windows, and wheelbarrows make great staging for finished pots even when nothing is planted in them directly. For easy plants to fill your creations, see our drought-tolerant picks and plants that stay green all year.
Prepping an Upcycled Container
Two steps turn almost any vessel into a healthy planter. First, drainage: UC Marin Master Gardeners call drainage holes essential so roots do not rot, and Penn State Extension agrees that no matter what you grow, a container should have holes at the bottom so excess water can flow out, so drill or punch holes in anything that does not have them.[3][4] One myth to skip: do not add gravel or broken pot shards to the bottom to improve drainage, because University of Maryland Extension notes this actually worsens it.[2] Second, fill with the right medium: Penn State advises a light soilless potting mix rather than straight garden soil, which is too heavy and dense for containers and can carry weeds and disease.[4] Give roots room with a container at least six inches deep, as UC Marin suggests, and good soil will do the rest.[3]
Is It Safe to Grow Food in Upcycled Containers?
For pure decoration almost anything goes, but if you plan to grow food in an upcycled container, the material matters. University of Maryland Extension advises avoiding older wood treatments such as CCA-treated lumber and creosote around edibles, and choosing naturally rot-resistant wood like cedar or redwood, or a non-wood material such as stone, brick, or food-grade plastic.[5] Colorado State University Extension agrees that CCA-treated wood should not be used where it routinely contacts food.[6] Clemson Cooperative Extension adds that you should not use railroad ties that are oozing or smell of creosote, and that if you ever do reuse treated wood, you should line it with plastic and plant well in from the edge.[7] Skip used tires for edibles as well: NC State Extension notes that tires contain metals such as cadmium, chromium, and zinc that can leach into the soil and plants, and concludes there are better options.[8] For plastic containers, University of Maryland Extension recommends food-grade plastics with recycling codes 2, 4, or 5 and avoiding PVC (code 3) or anything that held detergents, paint, or chemicals,[2] and UC Marin Master Gardeners say never to choose a container that held toxic products and to scrub and rinse any reused container before planting.[3] Pair upcycled planters with composting your yard trimmings and the EPA notes you close a low-waste loop while building better soil.[9]
Upcycled Garden Decor FAQ
What can I use as a planter?
Almost any clean container that holds mix and drains. University of Maryland Extension names food-grade buckets, wooden crates, half whiskey barrels, kiddie pools, laundry baskets, wheelbarrows, and milk crates as workable options.[2] Add drainage holes to anything that lacks them.
Do upcycled planters need drainage holes?
Yes. Penn State Extension says every container should have drainage holes so excess water can escape, and UC Marin Master Gardeners call them essential to prevent root rot.[4][3] Do not add gravel or shards to the bottom, which worsens drainage.
Should I use garden soil in an upcycled container?
No. Penn State Extension recommends a light soilless potting mix instead of straight garden soil, which is too dense for containers and can carry weeds and disease.[4]
Is it safe to grow vegetables in upcycled containers?
Yes, if the material is food-safe. University of Maryland Extension recommends food-grade plastic, untreated or rot-resistant wood like cedar or redwood, ceramic, or metal, and washing any reused container first.[5]
What should I not use for a vegetable planter?
Avoid older CCA-treated lumber and creosote railroad ties, as University of Maryland and Clemson Extension advise, and skip used tires, which NC State Extension notes can leach metals into soil and plants; also avoid PVC plastic or any container that held chemicals.[7][8]