Build a SHELF in a Tall Planter for cheap

Tall rectangular planters are a great way to define a space.  Also, they are easier on your back in the garden as you don’t have to bend down as much to weed and water.  However, taller planters will require more soil and consequently will be heavier. 

A tall steel planter box full of soil can be very heavy and if you are placing multiple planters on a deck the additional weight should be considered.  In addition, reducing the amount of soil will make the planter box easier to move.

If you have a limited amount of soil or you would like to reduce the amount of weight in your tall planter then building a shelf may be the right approach.  Check out our video for a 24”x46”x24”H Corten steel planter where we built a shelf using some old Home Depot buckets, cedar fence boards and carboard as a bottom soil liner.  The buckets are 14.5” high and that leaves approximately 9.5” for soil depth, which is perfect for the root structure of herbs.

This is a relatively inexpensive approach where the cost of the shelf materials was under $20.  Additionally , the buckets and cedar fence boards are rot resistant and should last a long time.