How to Make Garden Container Using Soda Can

Almost anything can be used as a container in your garden…
Your imagination is your only limitation…

This has almost become a cliche for it can be heard from every gardener or read in every book of container gardening.

Yet, nevertheless, it’s so true.  In fact, this is what make container gardening so much fun.  We can just be creative and playful and use whatever material we have on hand to make containers into certain sizes, colors, functions that suit our specific needs and styles.

And yesterday, I tried to make a container with a soda can.  I have especially chosen a can of coke light for I like how its silver and red match nicely with the little beet I bought earlier.

Here is how I made the soda can container. 

First, I compared the size of the soda can, the beet, and the pot to determine how big of a container should I make (e.g. how deep should I make the cut, etc).

Since I couldn’t find a pair of scissors sharp enough, I used a hand pruner to cut the can.

Then, with a pliers, I bent and rolled down the pieces one-by-one (sometimes, it could be easier by just using hands).

I poked 3 holes at the bottom of the can for adequate drainage.  While I did this after all the cutting and bending, I would suggest you to do this first, before anything else.  It will make life a bit easier for you.

Put a piece of landscape fabric at the bottom of the can to keep the soil from washing through the drainage hole.

Next, I carefully took out the beet…

and loosened up it’s root a bit.

Before putting in the beet and soil, I put in some horticultural charcoal for better drainage (Perlite or vermiculite works just as well).

After filling up the can with soil, I watered the beet and it’s done.

I probably can keep this cool-looking coke light beet on my desk as a table decoration for a few weeks. When the plant overgrows the soda can, it’s time for me to repot it and find it a new, bigger home 🙂