Aldi Is Carrying An Affordable Garden Planter That Shoppers Will Snatch Up Fast

Sometimes, it can be hard to balance being a budget-conscious shopper and having a home that feels intentional and special. Not only is that true for furniture, but it's also the case for plants and planters. Sure, plants can live a happy and healthy life in cheap, reused plastic nursery pots. But when you let function take over beauty, your outdoor space can look a bit abandoned. However, there are some unique new garden planters that you can get at Aldi for $4.99 that can turn your patio or porch into an oasis that looks distinctive and intentional.

Whether you're an avid gardener or a new one, you'll likely need some mid-sized planters like Aldi's Belavi Half Barrel Planter. It's a rectangular planter that's 11.8 by 6.3 inches, and 7.5 inches in height. It looks like a wood barrel cut in half, with some interesting brown and black wooden detail all around the exterior. The planter has a black base which allows it to rest on a flat surface (ground, shelf, or table) without you having to worry about it toppling over. 

The inside of the planter is black and undoubtedly looks like plastic, but that shouldn't be an issue since it will be filled with soil. Plus, this planter is UV resistant, meaning it can be used outdoors. But the most important feature is its drainage hole at the bottom. This small but mighty hole is key to preventing root rot, which happens when soil gets waterlogged and soggy. So not only is this a budget-friendly way to avoid dealing with root rot and keep your plants healthy, it's also affordable, and pretty. 

Once filled with soil, this Aldi Belavi Half Barrel Planter can be used for tons of plants because of its depth of 7.5 inches. That's about the same depth as a 1 gallon nursery pot, and even deep plugs typically don't need much more than that. However, this planter isn't shaped like a nursery pot. Its barrel shape means the depth distribution across the entire planter isn't equal. To be safe, it's best to use this kind of planter for smaller plants with shallow root systems. Anything that's sold to grow in planter pots should work, as long as you don't overcrowd the planter, especially the sides, where there is less depth for roots.

For example, use this planter for an herb garden with basil, mint, or thyme. You can also add a pop of color to your porch by using the half-barrel for annual flowers like impatiens (Impatiens walleriana) and marigolds (Tagetes). Another option is to fill the planter with sandy soil and create a succulent arrangement. Or try this with small houseplants, like pothos (Epipremnum aureum), as long as the root ball is a few inches smaller than the pot's depth at the center. 

If you like the look of the Belavi Half Barrel Planter but aren't big on gardening, you can use this for fake plants, too. Cut a bit of floral foam, and hot-glue it to the bottom of the planter, using it to hold individual decorative fake flowers, like the Geegoods Marigold Flower Heads with Stems. You can even top the floral foam with some soil to make your faux arrangement look like a real gardener's dream. Even easier — buy potted fake plants and place them inside the planter.