G ARDEN projects DIY
Quick, Simple & Amazing
rustic
garden trellis
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RAISED PLANTER
P. Allen Smith’s
rustic burlap planters bonnieplants.com
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tool rack
diy for kids
PAINTED PLANTERS 1 | DIY Projects
2 | DIY Projects
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Five Must-Have DIY Tools
Tool Rack
P. Allen Smith’s Rustic Burlap Planters
Tree Branch Trellis
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PVC Pipe Watering System
Wheelbarrow Salad Garden
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Cinder Block Raised Planting Bed
20
Pepper Flake Gift Bags
DIY for Kids: Painted Planters
“I love how DIY projects not only improve the beauty and function of my garden, but also give me a sense of accomplishment.”
-P. Allen Smith
TV Host, Author & Lifestyle Expert eMagazine/eCatalog published by Hortus Ltd./ A P. Allen Smith Company. Content, images and videos are designed, produced and owned by Hortus. bonnieplants.com
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5
Must-Have DIY Tools
The first step of any project is gathering your materials. Creating a wellequipped kit of your own means you’ll always have the right tool, attachment or nail on hand. Start with these basics and add to your kit as your skill level and project interests grow.
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HANDSAW You never know when you might need a handsaw to cut wooden boards, plastic pipe and a variety of other pieces down to size. Find a saw with a soft grip that will be easy and comfortable to use.
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JUTE TWINE Whether you’re tying up limbs (see the Trellis Limb Project on page 6) or a package, twine always comes in handy. Plus, its rustic look adds a natural appeal to any project.
3
CORDLESS DRILL/DRIVER SET Invest in a quality drill/driver set and you’ll be prepared for just about any home or garden DIY project. If you’re working on a wide range of projects, purchase a bit set to get a perfect fit for every need.
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QUALITY MEASURING TAPE The old adage “Measure twice, cut once.” is still key to any project you’re working on today. Find a good measuring tape that is at least 25 feet in length and it will serve you for years to come.
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NAIL AND SCREW ASSORTMENT No matter what project you’re completing, chances are you’re going to need a few nails, screws, tacks and other pieces of hanging hardware. Purchase a set with multiple types and sizes so you’ll always have the perfect piece on hand.
GET TECHNICAL
You’ll never be without a level again thanks to the iHandy Level app. Measure angles, align pictures and find the verticality of walls all with touch of a button. Free, iTunes store
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5 | DIY Projects
TOOL RACK Repurpose a wooden pallet to create a rustic tool rackâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;perfect for storing gloves, watering cans and spades. Materials needed: Large wooden pallet Handsaw 1½-inch common nails Metal hooks
(with included hardware)
Tape measure Pencil Crowbar Hammer Drill/driver
Step-by-step instructions: 1. Use a tape measure to find the center of a sturdy wooden pallet. Take a pencil and mark this spot on both ends as well as in the center of the pallet. Connect the dots to form a line. Note: You will be cutting the board horizontally, so youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll want to mark the spots in line with the boards rather than across them. 2. Use a handsaw to cut the pallet in half along the line. Set one half aside. 3. Use a crowbar to remove three boards from the other pallet half. You will use these to create shelves on the remaining pallet half. 4. Return to the pallet half you previously set aside and use the nails to attach one board across the bottom of the pallet. Attach the second board to the top of the pallet to make the top shelf as shown in the image. Attach the third pallet board to the center to create a third shelf. 5. Use the provided screws and a drill/driver to attach as many hooks as you need to hold tools. Place them according to your needs. 6. Attach the completed piece to the wall using the proper hardware for the space or lean the piece atop a potting bench. 6 | DIY Projects
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Based on your tools and the space you have, you can customize the size of the tool rack to meet your needs. If you have a large space, you may want to use an entire pallet and a second one for the extra boards needed to create the shelves.
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Tree Branch trellis
P. Allen Smith loves to grow sweet peasâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;which happen to thrive on a structure like this branch trellis. Watch his short video to learn more.
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Follow P. Allen Smith’s lead and use nature’s materials to create a simple trellis for growing English peas, cucumbers, green beans or melons. Materials needed: Tree branches of varying sizes and thickness Mallet Handsaw Twine Scissors
Step-by-step instructions: 1. Gather branches from around your yard. (Thanks to an ice storm, there were plenty of Bradford Pear tree branches on hand for use in this particular project.) 2. Pick out the larger pieces—at least 18 inches tall and with a sturdy thickness—to use as stakes. If necessary, use a handsaw to trim pieces to the proper height. Set the remaining branches aside. 3. Use a mallet to drive one end of the larger stake pieces into the ground, forming a border around your plant bed. Depending on the size of your area and the length of the remaining branches you have on hand, you’ll want to place these anywhere from 18-36 inches apart. 4. Place two to three branches horizontally in between each stake. Use cut pieces of twine to attach the branches to the stakes.
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5. Plant your vegetables and water them. As the vines mature, use fabric or twist ties (or the twine used in this project) to train them to grow along the trellis in your desired formation. Once they attach to the structure on their own, you can remove the guiding ties. You can form these branch pieces into a variety of useful garden structures. For instance, rather than a trellis, use them to create a cone or teepee-like shape to train vines, or use them as stakes for tomato and pepper plants. Bamboo is a great choice for this type of project.
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WHEELBARROW SALAD GARDEN
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Before you plant it, be sure to place the wheelbarrow in an area that receives plenty of sunlight and that will be convenient for watering so your salad garden will thrive. Once planted the wheelbarrow will be cumbersome to move.
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WHEELBARROW SALAD GARDEN Plant lettuce and vegetables in a wheelbarrow for a whimsical take on container gardening. Materials needed: Wheelbarrow Potting soil Drill/driver Small carpenter’s apron Plants (4 chives, 2 curly parsleys, 2 arugulas, 2 red sails lettuces and 2 purple violas were used in this planting)
Step-by-step instructions: 1. Turn the wheelbarrow upside down. Use a drill/driver to drill a few drainage holes at the lowest or deepest point of its basin. 2. Turn the wheelbarrow right side up. Fill the basin ¾ full with the potting soil. Place the plants in the wheelbarrow, and then add water. 3. Use the apron strings to tie one end of the carpenter’s apron to each handle of the wheelbarrow. You can use the pockets to store garden tools such as a trowel or gloves.
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::; ' s ' d i K ed
t n s i r a e P t n Pla
Get the whole family involved with a project that encourages creativity in kids of all ages. Give your children a set of paints and allow them choose their favorite fruits and vegetables to paint on the potted planters. (We used a strawberry, tomato and pepper plant for this project.) Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll create a work of art you can use year after year in the garden.
Materials needed: 2 Large terra cotta pots (18 inch) and 2 saucers 1 Small terra cotta pot (10-12 inch) and saucer 3 Small paint brushes Red, green and black exterior paint Pencil Potting soil Determinate tomato plant Pepper plant Strawberry (or mint) plant Tomato cage or small trellis Stake (for pepper plants)
Step-by-step instructions: 1. Using a pencil, draw a tomato on one of the large pots and a pepper on the other. Draw a strawberry on the smaller pot. 2. Use a small brush to outline the drawings with black paint.
5. Add a tomato cage or small trellis for the tomato plant and a stake for the pepper plants. 6. Place a saucer under each of the planted . containers and group them in a sunny spot. Water as needed. bonnieplants.com
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4. Fill the pots with potting soil, and plant each plant in the container designated for it. Water the plants.
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3. Paint the inside of the outlines with the red and green paint. For example, you may use red for the body of the vegetable or fruit and green for the leaves and stem. Allow to dry. If you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have exterior paint readily available, use permanent markers in your selected colors to fill in the pencil drawings.
Get your children involved in gardening. Create a harvest chart to keep track of how many fruits and vegetables your plants produce.Place the chart in a convenient spot, such as your refrigerator door, so everyone can participate. 13 DIY Projects DIY|Projects | 13
Cinder Block
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raised planting bed
No matter what plants you use, think about placement. For example, this version used an alternating pattern of shorter plants for the holes in the cinder blocks and the taller plants (kale, broccoli and Swiss chard) in the center of bed. The strawberries were planted on the corners to add a trailing detail.
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Use a simple and affordable material to build practical, modern and lasting raised beds for your next crop. Materials needed: 12 Cinder blocks 4-5 Large bags of potting soil Plants (10 arugula, 4 kale, 6 broccoli, 6 Swiss chard, 4 strawberry and 10 purple viola plants were used here.) Trowel Heavy plastic to use as a liner (optional)
Step-by-step instructions:
Note: You will need a 64- x 32-inch size space to create this raised bed. 1. Outline the area where you are going to place the bed, clear the area and use newspaper or landscape fabric to prepare the ground. 2. Use the cinder blocks to create a rectangle, placing four blocks on each long side of the rectangle and two on either end to complete the shape. Position the blocks so the holes of each one are facing up. If desired, add heavy plastic to use as a liner. 3. Fill the center of the rectangle and the holes in each cinder block with potting soil. 4. Fill the center of the rectangle and the holes in each cinder block with potting soil.
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15 | DIY Projects
P. Allen Smith’s
RUSTIC BURLAP
PLANTERS
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For an added burst of color, lay the burlap out on a drop cloth and spray paint one side in your favorite hue. Allow to dry before attaching the paint can.
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rustic
BURLAP PLANTER Tur n an ordinar y paint can into a clever decorative planter for herbs. Materials needed: New gallon-size empty paint can
(You can purchase one of these at your local hardware store.)
Phillips-head screwdriver Hammer 7 ½- X 24-inch burlap piece Scissors Outdoor use adhesive Jute or twine Potting soil Herb of your choice (already growing in a biodegradable transplant pot; we like basil, parsley, thyme or lavender.)
Step-by-step instructions: 1. Start with the empty paint can. Turn it upside down and create a few drainage holes by placing the tip of a Phillips-head screwdriver on the bottom of the can and tapping with a hammer. 2. Measure the distance between the two places the handle meets the can and cut out a pair of two-inch slits at the corresponding distance on the burlap to accommodate the canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s handles. 3. Check that the burlap aligns properly along the outside of the can and use scissors to trim off any excess. 4. Use the outdoor-use adhesive to begin attaching the burlap to the can, starting in the middle and pressing into the adhesive. Allow the front side of the can to dry, and then repeat the process on the back side. Be sure to use plenty of adhesive along the edges and wipe away any excess. 5. When the adhesive has dried completely, cut out the area around where the handle attaches to the can and secure with additional adhesive. 18 | DIY Projects
6. Finish off the top and bottom of the can by wrapping jute or twine around the edges where the burlap meets the lip of the can. 7. Fill the can with the potting soil. Remove the plastic wrap and top lip of the plant container. Use your hands to pull off the bottom of the biodegradable container and gently loosen the roots of the herb. 8. Place the herb in the container, and water. Be sure to check its moisture level daily. 9. Make several planters and hang them in a unique pattern on a garden shed wall or fence for a down-to-earth decorative statement. bonnieplants.com
PVC PIPE
watering system
Keep strawberr y containers well watered with an easy-to-create pipe system. Materials needed: Small strawberry jar PVC pipe Handsaw Drill/driver Rubber band Small freezer-quality plastic bag 1 Small bag of potting soil 8-12 Strawberry plants
Step-by-step instructions: 1. Use a handsaw to cut a piece of PVC pipe to size. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll want the pipe to be long enough to extend through your container with one opening visible at the top and the other not touching the bottom to allow room for the plastic bag and not block the drainage hole. 2. Use a drill/driver and a small bit to puncture holes in the sides of the PVC pipe for water distribution. Alternate the holes on either side of the pipe, placing them about two inches apart. 3. Place the plastic bag on one end of the PVC pipe and secure with the rubber band. The plastic bag keeps the water from running all the way through the container.
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5. P lant the strawberry plants in the side pockets of the jar, filling in with potting soil as you go. Plant two to three strawberry plants on the top. Use a watering can to water the top portion of the planter and pour water down the PVC pipe, which will equally disperse it throughout the container.
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4. Hold the PVC pipe in the center of the strawberry jar with the plastic bag end on the bottom, and pour in some of the potting soil to begin to stabilize the pipe.
An extra set of hands is very helpful for this project. Recruit a friend to hold the PVC pipe in place while you begin layering in the potting soil to stabilize it. 19 DIY Projects DIY|Projects | 19
Pepper F lake gift bags by blogger
Kelly Smith Trimble
Garden blogger Kelly Smith Trimble uses her bumper crop of cayenne peppers to create small bags of hot pepper flakes for friends and family. Materials needed: Cayenne peppers Gloves Knife Food dehydrator (or oven; see note in step 2) Food processor 3- X 4-inch plastic resealable craft/jewelry bags Muslin or fabric gift pouches large enough to hold the plastic bags (You can find these bags at most craft stores.)
Decorative rubber stamp
Step-by-step instructions: 1. Pick cayenne peppers from your garden and wash them. Wearing gloves, cut the top of each pepper and slice it down the middle, creating two halves. Discard the top portions. 2. Place the peppers on the tray of your food dehydrator and allow to dry for several hours. You’ll want to complete this step on a covered patio or area with a lot of ventilation to prevent your home from filling with fumes from the “heat” of the peppers. Note: If you don’t have a food dehydrator, you can use your oven for this step. Set the oven on its lowest setting, place the food on a cookie sheet and leave the door of the oven propped open. Place a fan near the open door to reduce condensation. Adjust the timing accordingly. This method may take half the time of a regular food dehydrator. 3. Place the dried peppers in your food processor and pulse until they break up into small flake-like pieces 4. Fill the plastic jewelry or craft bags with flakes. 5. Use a rubber stamp to decorate the outside of a muslin or fabric gift pouch. 6. Place the pepper flake bag inside the fabric pouch and give to a friend. 20 | DIY Projects
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Kelly Smith Trimble of DIY Network is an editor, writer, gardener, maker and allaround DIY girl. She has worked for Southern Living magazine, Loweâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Creative Ideas magazines and Bonnie Plants, and she now works as editor for DIYNetwork.com and the Made + Remade blog. Kelly is passionate about vegetable gardening and preserving and likes to bring a touch of craftiness to both pursuits, from making handmade gift bags for dried peppers to upcycling old pantyhose into tomato ties. She also fancies herself a bit of an art-supply forager and is currently trying her hand at gathering (or growing) plants to make natural dyes. Find her latest projects at MadeRemade.com.
Before you start pulsing the peppers in your food processor, tie a bandana around your nose. It sounds silly, but it will protect your nose and prevent you from inhaling hot pepper dust. 21 DIY Projects DIY|Projects | 21
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