Making my own planter

Hi, I want to make a planter that's about 6 feet long and around 2 feet high and 2 feet wide, I plan to grow bamboo in it as I've been warned not to plant it direct into my garden

Can anyone send me instructions how to build one by myself as I find them very expensive to buy. I have never built one so I need full instructions from type of wood, sizes, treatment and so on.

Thanks keith

 

If you google "how to build a garden planter" it comes up with a whole list, including instructional videos.

 

Mine are made using:

Marine ply
Lined with pond liner (to protect the ply). This slightly overlaps the base (and inch or two) so the water doesn't run back into the ply.
Base made from a wide mesh - like weld-mesh. "Holes" say 3" square.
Weld mesh covered with woven mulching fabric (I've tried pond liner and perforating it, but it never drained properly). This provides excellent drainage, whilst retaining the compost.
Painted with "Barn Paint" - that's its brand name, locally availalbe here from Ridgeons. I have bought "best quality exterior paint" from B&Q and, by comparison, it was rubbish - cracked and peeled in the sun. Dulux et al would probably do, but you are looking at half a dozen coats to do the proper job, and Barn paint will do the job in two coats, and a "top up" single coat every few years when you feel the need

For compost use something including soil, rather than multi-purpose. I generally use about 2 parts multi-purpose, 1 part John Innes #3 and 1 part well rotted manure. If that's not sandy enough I add 1/4 part Sharp sand or horticultural grit (or Perlite would do). Use soil + sand in place of John Innes if you haven't got that

Not an instructional article, as such, but details of my home-made planters are on my blog here: http://kgarden.wordpress.com/projects/versailles-planters/

 

Keith , I`ve made mine out of old brick , I`ve must have spend no more then £60 ,
£30 for sand and cement and about £30 for the lights set .

in this way will last for years , but if that not you taste you can go for wooden , log or stone.

 

By the way, not all Bamboo is invasive.

 

I am going to try and make some planters from a few pallets I have laying around.It's going to be challenge but I have plenty of power tools to play with.
We also have some old decking which I think will make some nice trough planters.

 

After reading this post and looking at my overgrown garden , i decided to spare 1 extra hr at work and make few more planters to hang to the wall .....I`m bit stuck at the moment as can decide what color i want to paint them , even if i really like the weather stain color of the wood...any help?

 

I've made several planters over the years, with a variety of materials depending on how much disposable income I had at the time.

I've used left-over deckboards mitered at the corners and pieces of 2"x2" sawn treated timber in the corners and along the bottom: I've used exterior ply just butt jointed and screwed to 2"x2" softwood at the corners, and, when funds were particularly stretched, I've used Wickes 'cheapie' 2.4m interior tongue and grooved cladding, slotted and glued together then screwed to a couple of interior vertical battens, with just softwood at the corners.

I've lined all of them with a piece of tarpaulin (with a few drainage holes cut in the bottom) which makes it easier to change the soil if needs be, and acts as a very effective 'membrane' for plants which are likely to be invasive.

You might expect the interior stuff to rot within a short time, but I gave the inside several coats of the cheapest wood preservative I could buy (some ghastly dark brown colour - but hey, no-one sees it) and, after giving the outside a couple of coats of clear wood preservative, chose to paint it with the Wilko equivalent of Cuprinol 'Garden Shades' .... after 8 years, it's still going strong.

 

Nice planters there Sal , those perfect mitred joints make all the difference I would go with Fidetsmums advice on finishing them .I have found Cuprinol Ducksback wax enriched an excellent product for finishing exterior wood , some nice shades as well.
http://www.cuprinol.co.uk/products/5_year_ducksback.jsp

 

I love your planters Kristen, not only do they look absolutely brilliant (I love the addition of the decorative moulding), but to make a 3-sided outer 'casing' which just slides over the 'business' bit, is inspired.

 

Oooooo I know what I shall be getting the OH making this weekend we have left over deckboards from the dog run lol he will be a busy boy