Turn A Dollar Tree Wire Basket Into The Most Elegant Tiered Planter For Your Porch Or Garden

Did you know you can turn a trio of Dollar Tree baskets and a tomato cage into an elegant tiered planter for your porch or outdoor space? A fantastic summer gardening hack, it's as thrifty to make as it is stunning to behold. Adding vertical elements to your porch or garden is a smart way to create visual interest, especially if you don't have much space to work with. With this clever and budget-friendly DIY project, you can transform a standard tomato cage and a largely unsung bargain Dollar Tree find into a surprisingly elegant three-tier planter. All you need are three 10-inch Wire Hanging Baskets from Dollar Tree and one 42-inch, Three-ring Tomato Cage from Home Depot — no power tools or fancy skills required. The finished result looks professionally styled and adds an eye-catching, elevated look to even the simplest potted flowers.

What's especially great about this setup is its flexibility. You can achieve a more formal look by using identical flower arrangements in each tier, or create a cascading effect with trailing vines on top and fuller blooms on the bottom. The cage structure is pliable, so you can also shape it however you wish to some degree. Plus, it's a practical way to save ground space for vegetables or flowers by planting up towards a dreamy vertical garden. And while it looks high-end, the total cost is under $20, proving you don't need an expensive planter to achieve a polished look.

Start by removing the hanging chains from each wire basket with some wire cutters, so that they sit evenly inside the cage. Then, decide how you want the top of your planter to look. You can either leave the top ring of the tomato cage as-is, or bend the prongs down and tuck them into the frame to create a smoother, finished edge. The next step is to fit one wire basket into the base of the cage, followed by the other two in the middle and upper rings. Make sure to have some zip ties handy, as they'll help you secure the top basket snugly in place, keeping your planter sturdy even in wind or rain.

To get a luscious, full-foliage look out of the structure right away, just nest some pre-planted flower baskets inside each wire tier, raising them up with inverted pots or stands if needed. Once everything's in place, gently rotate the cage over the bottom basket to avoid damaging the plants. You can personalize your setup with different seasonal blooms or even swap in culinary herbs for a more functional spin. This is just one cool way to transform an old tomato cage for your next garden project. If you're already knee deep in planting mode, check out these tips for growing a healthy garden to help your new vertical planter thrive.