Article By: Mirna Cacic

We just love anything shabby chic, and this cute chair planter is no exception! Raid your local thrift store or garage sale for an old wooden chair that you can turn into a planter for cheap! This is a great way to dress up your porch, patio, or garden if you’re on a budget. Paint the chair a fun color or add whimsical designs to it to dress it up and match it to your garden decor. This project is great because you don’t need any special power tools to get the job done, and it can be done in less than an hour!

Supply Checklist:

1) Old Chair

2) Paint

3) Sand paper

4) A planter with a lip, wide enough to fit inside your chair (the lip will help hold the planter in place)

5) Polycrylic

6) Screwdriver

7) Damp cloth

8) Plants and soil

Step #1:

Sand your chair using the sand paper. This will help remove any varnish that will prevent the new paint from sticking to your chair. Sanding the chair will roughen up the surface so the paint can stick better.

Step #2:

Take out the seat from the chair. You can do this easily by removing any screws using a screwdriver.

Step #3:

Get a damp cloth and wipe down the chair to get rid of any dust before painting. When you’re finished, paint your chair your desired color.

Step #4:

To make the new paint on your chair last longer, give it a few coats of polycrylic.

Step #5:

Add your soil and plants to your planter, then place the planter into the spot where the chair seat originally was. Now place your new shabby chic planter anywhere you like! Try it out on your patio or porch, or place it in your garden amongst your flowers!

Photos: DIY Cozy Home, Love This Pic, Moonstruck Vintage.

Growing strawberries in hanging baskets has always been popular, mostly because strawberries are really easy to grow and maintain. There are several varieties of strawberries to choose from, but most only require minimal but frequent care. These will look great hanging from your front porch, or on your patio! Read the following steps on how you can get started planting your own!

Step 1: Prepare the Baskets

The most popular baskets to use for strawberries are wire baskets lined with Coco fibre. However, any hanging basket or pot with good drainage will work well. Before adding soil to the basket, make sure that you soak the basket or pot that you will be using.

Step 2: Soil

You’ll need to create a mixture of soil for your basket. Use peat moss, vermiculite, and perlite in a 8-1-1 ratio and mix well. This will be a lightweight mixture that won’t weigh the basket down. It’ll also retain water better than most potting soils and keep your strawberry plants from drying out too quickly.

Step 3: Add the Soil to the Basket

Take the mixture you created and fill the basket to a depth of 2-4 inches from the top. Create a hole in the soil that is large enough for the strawberry plants. Try to spread the plants out to help stimulate growth.

Step 4: Water

Next you need to water the plants thoroughly so that the soil and the roots of the plants are soaked.

Step 5: Hang the Basket or Pot

During the first few days after planting you’ll need to make sure that the plants are in a location out of direct sunlight. Keep the plants in that location for 3-4 days while they are adjusting to their new basket or pot. After, you can gradually move the strawberries into the sunlight. Only leave them in the sun a few hours a day at first, and gradually increase the time until they are left in sunlight for 6-8 hours a day.

Step 6: Maintenance

Make sure that the soil is moist but not soaked. Use a water soluble fertilizer every 10-14 days. Use fertilizers that are high in phosphorus because this will promote growth.

Photos: Tumblr, DIY Crafts Mom, Growing Days.