Wood Planters

If you want to extend the beauty of your home to your lawn, porch, or garden, then you might consider wood planters the next time you buy some new plants. With a minimum of expense, quality wood planters can add to the beauty and value of your home, but they can be functional, as well. If yard space is minimal or nil, yet you want to raise a garden, use wood planters as raised bed or container gardens.

While wood planters can work in almost any garden setting, most often the wood can deteriorate with age. And, depending upon the weather conditions where you live, the wood can rot. If you seal your wood planters properly though, they can maintain their beauty and be quite durable. While you can choose an eco-friendly sealant that won't harm your plants, it's usually better to choose a commercial sealant since it will last a long time. Simply line your planters before adding soil and plants, and then you won't need to worry about the sealant contaminating your plants. Here are some tips for sealing your wood planters with a commercial sealant:

• Seal. Apply the sealant to all of the wood, inside and out. Pay special attention to corners, crevices, knotholes, screw holes, nail holes, divots, and pockets. The point in sealing the wood is to protect it from damage from the elements.
• Reseal. After applying one coat, wait for the recommended time on the product label and then apply a second coat. Allow the sealant to dry for at least 24 hours and then test a small area by applying water. Observe the water and make sure that the wood doesn't absorb it. If it does, then you will need to apply more sealant.
• Use plant liners. Once the sealant has dried completely, line your wood planters with commercial plant liners. You may find them at your local home improvement store or nursery, but you can also make your own from plastic drop cloths.
• Properly size liners. Cut your liner or drop cloth to fit the inside of your planter, holding it in place with clothespins or binder clips while you adjust and cut, and then cut a few small holes in the bottom to allow for water drainage. Trim away the excess material from the top. The material should reach the top of your planter and match the height of it.

Line the bottom of the planter with gravel to prevent the drainage holes from becoming clogged, and then add soil to the planter to about one inch from the top. Remove the clothespins or binder clips, and you're all ready to begin planting. For smaller wood planters, you may consider adding casters to make it easier to move them around for capturing sunlight.