Halloween is the time to get crafty—ideally, on a budget. With easy-to-find dollar store supplies and a little DIY effort, we turned these plastic pumpkin buckets into scary-cute planters. Grab your fairy godmother wand and get creative.
Bright orange pumpkin buckets come back around every Halloween. Typically they're used as a trick-or-treating accessory but, this year, we're giving them a makeover. Make these festive planters with only a few dollars and some DIY tricks. You’ll want to bring out these planters out year after year for your favorite fall growers.
Gold Planter
Love the spooky season but not the gory decor? This shiny gold pumpkin planter is the perfect combo of festive, contemporary, and easy to make. Prep the bucket by removing the handle and drilling drainage holes in the bottom. Spray-paint the entire bucket gold. Place potting soil and your plant of choice inside the bucket and find a spot for your modern pumpkin planter to stand out.
Mummy Planter
Dress up a pumpkin bucket in a Halloween costume of its own. Start by removing the handle and drilling drainage holes in the bottom of the bucket. Next, spray-paint it white. Mummify the planter by hot-gluing cheesecloth around the bucket. For the eyes, cut out two circles of white felt and two smaller circles of black felt. Glue the black circles on top of the white circles to make the eyes. Glue the eyes to the front of the pumpkin. Plant mums in your mummy planter for a spooky (and punny) Halloween decoration.
Concrete Planter
This pumpkin planter takes a little more time and effort, but the outcome is worth it! Start by spraying nonstick cooking spray on the inside of a pumpkin bucket and the outside of a one-quart container. This will make the containers easier to separate from the concrete once it has set. Head outside wearing a dust mask and waterproof gloves for the rest of the project.
Mix concrete according to package directions, stirring until the mixture resembles stiff cookie dough. Pour the concrete mix into the pumpkin bucket until three-fourths full. Tap the bucket onto the table to settle the mixture. Push the one-quart container down into the opening of the bucket. Make sure the rim of the bucket is flush with the concrete. Place a heavy object on top of the one-quart container to keep it in place for 24 hours. After the concrete has set for 24 hours, use a box cutter to cut the pumpkin bucket and one-quart container away from the concrete. Place soil and your choice of plant inside.