Urban Gardening – Hanging Baskets from Tin Cans

Urban Gardening – Hanging Baskets from Tin Cans
A small balcony doesn't mean you can't create a sea of flowers. If you don't have the space to spread your blooms horizontally, just go vertical! And the best way to do that is with things you already have at home.

Tin cans are more useful than they first appear. Instead of simply throwing them away, you can disguise tin cans as hanging baskets to add a vibrant splash of color to your balcony.

Granted, old tin cans are anything but decorative. But with a few simple steps and some paint, you can create fantastic hanging baskets that will look great on your balcony! And these tin cans can hold more than just flowers; they're also perfect for vining herbs or even fruit and vegetable plants.

Here's what you'll need for your tin can hanging baskets:

• 3 old tin cans
• Potting soil
• Flowers (or herbs, small veggies)
• A thin rope or metal chains
• Screw hooks for hanging

That's all it takes to transform your balcony into a colorful oasis. To ensure your tin cans don't end up looking like a corn or bean can on your balcony, first remove the labels. This works best by soaking the cans in lukewarm water with dish soap for a while. This makes the labels incredibly easy to peel off without leaving any residue. Afterward, wash and dry the cans thoroughly.

Then, the tin cans can be painted in your desired colors and with cheerful patterns. Weatherproof paint from a hardware store is best for this. Of course, the tin cans can also be kept simple for a more stylish hanging planter.

To transform the tin cans into a hanging planter, two holes are drilled into the rims of the opening of each can. In two of the three cans, two holes are also drilled into the underside. Then, the tin cans are connected with rope or metal chains so they hang one below the other. A rope is also knotted into the holes of the top can, with its ends left long and knotted together at the top, allowing the planter to be hung later.

All that's left are the plants! If you want to snack from your hanging baskets, consider planting hanging strawberries. Nasturtiums also trail beautifully from the planter, and their flowers are a lovely addition to a summer salad. Any other trailing plants are also suitable for tin can hanging baskets. However, the plants shouldn't grow too large, as their roots will have limited space in the cans.

Finally, hang your tin can hanging baskets from screw hooks, and voilà—your vertical garden in the Urban Gardening style is complete!