Upcycle An Old Pot Lid Into Colorful Plant Stands For A Budget-Friendly DIY

Sometimes during a spring cleaning session, you may come across old pots and lids that don't have matching pieces, leaving you to just toss them all out. However, you could be missing out on an opportunity to create a cool planter design of your own. Facebook page Ami Furniture shared one unique gardening idea that involves transforming three old pot lids into sleek displays using nothing more than paint and wooden plant stands as a base. The creator coats each lid in muted colors, including beige, terracotta, and dusty slate blue, giving the finished design a modern farmhouse vibe. 

The revitalized lids are then set on top of wooden stands, creating a cool, nature-themed setup. What really sets this design apart from other stunning DIY planter ideas is that only succulents are housed in the planters — likely due to their drought-tolerant nature. In other words, they don't require as much water as other plant types. If you want to recreate this DIY, you'll only need a few basic supplies to get started. 

Other than paint and plant stands, you'll also need a bag of potting soil. It's best to use a mix made for succulents, such as Miracle-Gro Indoor Potting Mix for Cactus & Succulent. These potting mix options are formulated to drain fast and resist compacting — a feature that'll be beneficial for this DIY since there are no drainage holes. Once the stands are complete, the ones with small lids will work great for those tiny succulents on your desk like baby jades. The larger lids are perfect for bigger plants like burro's tail or Christmas cactus. Also, when buying stands, ensure they have three or four supporting legs to stabilize the lids — like the Rnined Adjustable Plant Stand, for example.

To start, place a drop cloth or other protective cover on your workbench. Then, after cleaning and drying your pot lids, lay them top-side up, and then spray their underside with a coat of paint. Once they've dried, turn them over to add a coat of paint to the other side. You can also add one or two additional coats to create a nice, long-lasting finish. Once the pot lids are dry, set them atop the planter stands, bottom-up. From there, pour in your potting soil, filling the lids and spreading it evenly until it reaches about ½ inch from the top.

After preparing your succulents, add them to the pots, making sure to nestle the root ball down into the soil. The root balls should be fully covered and their tops should be flush with the soil. This will allow the roots to settle sufficiently in the soil, creating a stable base for the plant to get its nutrients and establish itself. When watering your succulents, measure the amount of water before adding it to the soil, adding about ¼ to ½ of the amount of soil in the pot lid (using a moisture meter is also helpful). 

For example, if the pot has a cup of soil, add about ½ cup of water. Succulents can grow well in pots without drainage, but various factors like plant size, pot size, and daily sunlight exposure can affect their water requirements. In short, you'll still need to monitor your pouring to prevent overwatering the plants. Additionally, you can add a layer of gravel, pebbles, and charcoal to the bottom of the pot to help support proper drainage.

When choosing a paint for the lids, be sure to choose one that is a paint-and-primer, two-in-one mix. This way, you can skip the step of priming the pot lids first, saving you some time. If you plan to place the plant stands outside, it may be better to go with an exterior paint. You can also liven up the pots by wrapping their bases with faux vines, such as this Der Rose Fake Eucalyptus Hanging Plant, which is available on Amazon for around $9. 

As far as other colors go, there is a world of options for you to explore. For example, you can build on the modern boho look by going with other subtle tones such as lavender, gray, or a muted pink. Couple this with a complementary paint color on the plant stands themselves and you've got yourself a standout garden feature that has main-character energy. You can also put them on top of a different stylish plant stand to help tackle outdoor clutter.