How to Lift Barrel Planters

Stand on one side of the barrel planter and and place both of your hands on its rim. Pull the rim toward you until the far, bottom side of the planter lifts 2 inches off the ground. While you have it lifted, instruct someone to push a square piece of plywood beneath the lifted edge. Set the planter down on the plywood.

Push the barrel onto the plywood while your helper pulls it on. Center it as best you can over the piece of plywood. Roll a hand truck to the edge of the piece of plywood so that the lifting platform of the hand truck slips under the edge of the piece of plywood. If you can't get it to slip under, use a crow bar to lift it. Slide the platform all the way under the plywood.

Push the barrel in toward the hand truck while your helper pulls it in. Wrap a ratchet strap around the circumference of the planter barrel and hook both ends to the frame of the hand truck. Tighten the straps.

Put one foot on the axle between the two tires of hand truck and push in toward the barrel, while pulling backward on the handle of the hand truck. Instruct the helper to push against the far side of the planter barrel while you achieve this balancing act. At this point the hand truck will have lifted the weight of the barrel and balanced it over the axle and wheels of the hand truck. It can now be moved.