How to upcycle a wheelbarrow into a planter for your garden. This is SO EASY.

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We had an old wheelbarrow that has seen better days. Our biggest issue was that the wheel was broken and didn’t appear to be fixable. We’d made some attempts. It sort of works, but not to support any great weight. The second issue was that the handles are TERRIBLE at splintering into your hands. I can’t tell you how many splinters I’ve had to pull out of my fingers because of this thing. Meh. So we decided to turn it into a planter.

We tried it last year as a planter but didn’t put enough drainage holes. It was a massive fail. But this year I added more holes, some spray paint and vinyl, and it looks GREAT. Better yet, it’s growing lettuce like crazy. Woohoo! The best part is that it’s mobile and we’ve had issues with lettuce bolting if it gets really hot and it’s in too sunny a spot. Having it in the wheelbarrow allows us the option to move it if needed to a slightly cooler/shadier spot.

Supplies
Supplies listed below may include affiliate links to the products.

Drill (hammer and nail might work too)
An old wheelbarrow
Spray paint that will work on metal (I like Rustoleum 2x Painter’s Touch)
Soil, seeds
Silhouette Cameo and 651 Vinyl (permanent adhesive)

Tutorial

Drill holes in the bottom for drainage.

Paint. I used Rustoleum 2x Spray Paint. I wasn’t fussy about how good a job I did honestly.

I added a couple of decals that I made with the Silhouette Cameo and 651 Vinyl (permanent).

651 Vinyl on an old upcycled wheelbarrow.

Next I just filled with soil and compost. Then I planted seeds. I kept the wheelbarrow watered, just like my other plants and the lettuce is growing GREAT so far.

Note: I was a little concerned about the rust being an issue for edible plants, but a little web research and it *seems* to be okay (as long as the wheelbarrow doesn’t have lead or such). If you’re concerned, you could always line the wheelbarrow or just use it for non edible plants.

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1 Wheelbarrow Planter

How To Make A DIY Wheelbarrow Planter

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Active Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

Estimated Cost: $5-$10

Repurpose an old wheelbarrow into a DIY planter. It's such an easy project.

Materials

Drill
An old wheelbarrow
Spray paint that will work on metal
Soil, seeds

Tools

Silhouette Cameo and 651 Vinyl (optional)

Instructions

Drill holes for drainage.
Paint.
Optional - add vinyl decals.
Fill with soil and compost.
Plant seeds.

How to Make a Wheelbarrow Planter

How to upcycle a wheelbarrow into a planter for your garden. This is SO EASY.

Supplies
Supplies listed below may include affiliate links to the products.

Tutorial

How To Make A DIY Wheelbarrow Planter

Materials

Tools

Instructions

Recommended Products

How to upcycle a wheelbarrow into a planter for your garden. This is SO EASY.

SuppliesSupplies listed below may include affiliate links to the products.

Tutorial

Materials

Tools

Instructions

Recommended Products

Did you make this project?

Supplies
Supplies listed below may include affiliate links to the products.