Coffee Sack Planter

I did this project a few years ago but totally forgot to post about it!  Bad blogger!  But I love it so much and with flower season quickly approaching, I figure it's time to get it out there.  When we were on Kauai, we were at an antique store and I found a Kauai Coffee coffee bean bag.  It was only $10 and I bought it.  I had NO CLUE what I was going to use it for but I thought maybe an outdoor pillow or something like that.

Instead I came up with this bad boy...

Here's what you'll need other than your coffee sack/feed bag.  (Burlap works best for outdoor use that is going to be exposed to the elements)  Two of those big ol' 5 gallon buckets from the hardware store, some quick seal outdoor caulk and a bag of patio stone pebbles (not pictured).

Cut the bottom out of one of the buckets.  We used some tin snippers we had on hand.

Like so.

Snip off the handle.

In the bottom of the bucket that will be on the bottom, drill three drainage holes.

On the bottom bucket (the one with the bottom still intact), put a goodly amount of caulk along the rim

Like so.

Take the bucket that has the bottom cut out and flip it upside down so the tops of both buckets line up.  (The cut bottom will now be the top of the whole thing)

Put something heavy on the top while the caulk dries and just when you think it's dry, give it 2 more hours.

Now it's time to ready your coffee sack.  (Don't worry about the wrinkles, in a week or so, they'll naturally fall away)

Flip the bucket structure upside down so the drilled bottom is now on top and slide the sack over it.

Flip it back so the drilled bottom is on the bottom and the sack is now right side up.  It's also important you either put this on a rolling plant stand or do the next steps in the spot you want it to reside because it will be HEAVY when it's filled.

I filled two sandwich bags with patio pebbles so they could fill out the "flappy" parts on the bottom corners of the bag.

I safety pinned the top of the sack then tucked the flaps inside.

We poured about 1/2 the bag of pebbles into the bottom for drainage and weight.

See?

Now it's time for the fun stuff.  Add some potting soil to the buckets.

Make sure you fill it to the top and keep the flaps tucked in.  The dirt will hold it in place.

I chose impatiens but you can use whatever flowers you like.

Fill it in with the flowers or a hanging plant transfers well to this if you want it to cascade over the edges.  I used a fuchsia the next year and it was really pretty.

These filled in nicely as the season went on and it gives some great height instead of your typical low to the ground planters.

A little bit of aloha on our own lanai.

Linked up with Tater Tots and Jello, Sand and Sisal, Maybe She Made It, Savvy Southern Style, 

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