DIY Upside Down Flower Pot

When it comes to planting annuals, perennials or vegetables, most people look for appropriate outdoor locations, where the plants get the right sun and air circulation. Garden locations bring weeds, diseases and garden pests with them, though, so many gardeners choose hanging pots instead. Upside-down planters allow flowers and vegetables to hang down for better sun and air, and bring a unique detail to porches and patios. Build your own upside-down planter with some standard gardening material to give your annual flowers a different growing situation.

5- to 10-gallon pot
Drill
Newspaper
Scissors
Twine
Quick-draining potting soil
Organic compost
Fertilizer
Scoop

Instructions

- 1
  Clean a 5- to 10-gallon bucket to use as your hanging flower pot. Drill a 3- to 4-inch hole in the bottom of the bucket to use as your flower opening.
- 2
  Lay newspaper in the bottom of the bucket to keep the soil from falling through the hole, and cut a 2-inch slice in the newspaper for your flowering planting.
- 3
  Find a hanging spot where the pot gets the right amount of light for your chosen flowers. Thread twine through the handle of the bucket to hang it from your chosen supports. If there is no handle, drill three holes around the lip of the bucket to use for hanging. Suspend the pot at chest or waist level to complete your planting.
- 4
  Mix quick-draining potting soil and organic compost in equal parts as your planting soil. Add granular 5-10-5 fertilizer to the soil for more nutrition. This mixture gives both annual and perennial flowers a rich, nutritious and quick-draining foundation for long-term support.
- 5
  Push the plant's root ball through the newspaper and hole, moving from the bottom of the pot, so that the root ball sits inside the pot while the foliage remains outside. Hold the base of the plant with one hand to keep it in place.
- 6
  Transfer your soil mixture into the pot with a scoop and pack it around the plant's root ball to secure the planting. Fill the pot to 3/4 full to leave room for watering, and pat the soil down firmly.
- 7
  Move the pot to its designated hanging height and secure. Water the plant with 2 gallons of water to set the soil throughout.

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