Planting in Flea Market Baskets by Sue Langley

Repurposed to plant!

Learn the tips and tricks for finding and planting in recycled baskets. Tuck in annuals, bulbs and perennials for quick garden color.  Hang from tree, set on a side table or bench and learn to make them last.

Catherine Lepage’s heavy woven basket,..perfect for bright flowers

First choose the right type of basket

Search for the large twig baskets popular in the 80s. These are the baskets that held imitation plants and flowers that are now quite out of style! Once you know the type to look for, you’ll begin to see them more and more.  Also look for picnic baskets, wicker waste baskets, wire baskets and basket-style purses,…any heavy woven one will do.

Birdhouses and baskets, also from Catherine…see the cat?

Catherine Lepage says, “Anything can become a flowerpot!  I collect baskets to use to display my annuals.”

Planting your garden basket

Cut a piece of black landscape fabric, heavyweight black trash bag or a double layer of burlap Line the basket and fold down the extra material to hide it below the soil line. Add soil as usual and if you hang your basket, make sure it’s supported from the bottom.

Materials for a basket planter

Stephie McCarthy’s elegant hanging basket‎

Stephie McCarthy says, “Try wrapping an inexpensive coir basket in a fabric remnant. It’s so much more unique and you can still keep the look rustic with the right fabric. We used big kindergarten stitches around the edges, but if your remnant is large enough, just tuck it in toward the bottom before adding your soil.”

Make your basket last

To make the basket last as long as possible fit a piece of heavy black plastic, with some drainage holes cut, inside before adding soil. If you use plastic, poke several slits in the bottom only.

Line with burlap, plastic or fabric

Tuck in the extra fabric

Finished herb garden in a handy basket to set by the kitchen door

Always be looking

Baskets don’t last forever and though you can safeguard them with the techniques we’ve learned, we’re always looking for replacements.  Even a basket that is sturdy but has lost it’s bottom can still be pushed down into the soil and used to corral a ground cover or creeping succulent.  At the end, they will break down completely and sink into the mulch. Completely recyclable!

Almost worn out basket

Bottomless basket still accents a flowering Geum plant

Bevy of Baskets

Billie Hayman‎ lined a wire basket with burlap

Billie Hayman‎ found this antique wire basket and planted my shamrocks in it that came up on their own!

Darlene Danielson’s Moss-lined wire basket

Pamela Stewart-Surette’s purse planter

Billie Hayman has the exact right style basket to last

Your tips:

Linda Koskinen Coffee filters work great in smaller baskets.

Carole Patilla Old woolly sweaters make good liners too – especially if they are in lovely colors!

Georgene Dignan You can pick them up cheap at yard sales last year I did a herb garden around the deck rails in baskets and it worked great.

Dianna Ryder if its a large basket or planter, i put empty water or pop bottles on bottom. saves on soil and not as heavy.

Gloria Slater I planted potatoes in a laundry basket that had fairly big gaps in the weaving and didn’t line it with anything. Didn’t have any problem with the soil escaping. As I “hilled up” the soil when the plants grew taller, I did put some pieces of cardboard up the sides to increase the height of the basket so I could put in more soil. I also used an old burlap feed sack as another potato planter. Both worked like a charm.

Gloria Slater’s potato basket

Judy Wyatt I use a coat of wood sealant to keep the baskets looking good for a few years. I also use antique cloth, old lace doilies, gingham etc. in them!

Cathy Wigington can always put a sponge in the bottom it will retain water

Cynthia Spurlock I’ve always planted grass for Easter baskets but never thought of herbs- Duh! Great ideas!

Susie Lott Thrift store is such a great place to find interesting and inexpensive planters. I bought several last year to use for plants…and I think I will get at least one more year out of them.

Natalie McPherson I found a very large old Easter basket in my stash this week. It’s going to get a coat of purple spray paint and I’m going to put it to work!