DIY Concrete Planter

Rachel Metz
by Rachel Metz
10 Materials
$10
3 Days
Medium
Concrete DIY's are all the rage ...I've seen a million DIY tutorials on this but they always required cutting cardboard, getting different shaped containers, etc. I wanted to simplify it as much as I could but be able to keep the succulents in there long term without adding rocks. AKA I wanted a hole on the bottom so this is what I came up with!

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Complete list of materials is below. I used Quikrete and water for my concrete mixture.
Take your exacto knife and make a "X" at the bottom of your regular size cups.
Slide your straws through.
Push them to the bottom.
Seal that with hot glue - this will create the hole at the bottom of the planter to be able to drain the water.
Make a "X" on the bottom of your Dixie cups.
Pour your concrete in and shake it to settle it.
Once you tap it enough and the air bubbles are out, slide your Dixie cup right onto that straw and push it all the way into the other cup with concrete until concrete is level to the brim.
It should look something like this! Now depending on the size that you choose - you will have to let the concrete dry completely. Mine took about 1 1/2 days!
You can leave them as is or paint them! Totally your call.
I used painters tape and messed around with the designs but possibilities are endless (per usual with DIY's). I painted them different colors and added some spots with a smaller paint brush!
Since there is a hole in the bottom, you can plant your succulents without adding rocks but feel free to add them if you are concerned.
And voila! I mean C O M E O N with these. I made these are thank you gifts for my first DIY workshop that I hosted over the weekend and the attendees loved them!
Check out the full tutorial on my YouTube channel where I post two to three DIY's A WEEK! Yes you read that right - there is something for everyone on there. Be sure to show some love and subscribe while you're there.
Suggested materials:
  • Concrete   (Hardware store)
  • Dixie cups   (Grocery store)
  • Regular party cups   (99 Cent Store)
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Frequently asked questions
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  2 questions
  • Barbara Pearl Barbara Pearl on Aug 11, 2017

    Can the concrete be colored? I would like to try some natural-looking colors like a subtle red or black.

  • Dee Dee on Apr 06, 2018

    Very impressed with these pots. They looked pretty simple with your photos and video! Could you use plaster of Paris instead of concrete ???? 👍😍

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4 of 55 comments
  • Kat Rogers Kat Rogers on Mar 18, 2019

    SO ADORABLE, and I Love the design you painted on them!


    They look quite professional, yet you cannot beat the simplicity of making them. And I LOVE that you can make a bunch at one time... The work involved to set up & mix ingredients is the same for one as it is for 10~20, SO TO ME IT'S A NO~BRAINER~ MAKE 20... OR 30!


    Thanks for sharing this Fun Project!

  • Sharonsgarden Sharonsgarden on May 25, 2019

    For most cement products if you place them in plastic, it improves strength.

    • See 1 previous
    • Sharonsgarden Sharonsgarden on Jun 21, 2019

      Sorry, I wasn’t very clear on this. No, you wrap whatever you have made in plastic, like a plastic garbage bag. This keeps the concrete moister longer and improves strength. Most Concrete reaches its full strength in 28 days. Smaller items probably don’t need to be wrapped long. It probably depends on the cement you are using.

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