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Making a Log Planter for Flowers

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July 12, 2013 by Kendra 68 Comments

Disclaimer: Post contains sponsored links. #LetsGarden #Monrovia

You know it’s summer when flowers and gardening take over the blog.  Like this post, making a log planter for flowers.

Making a log planter for flowers.

Back in March I found and shared this photo on Facebook. I loved the idea and wanted Jason to help me make one.

The response from every-one was overwhelming, and I was asked to share photos if I ever made one. Well it took several months but I now have a log planter in my back yard!

I found a log that was about a foot in diameter and 45″ long.  We stripped all the bark off and then Jason set to hollowing out the center. Due to memory card problems on my camera at the time, I lost the first photos I took.

Yes, I laid on the ground taking photos of my hubby showing off his skills with the ax! How about them wood chips?

Making a log planter for flowers

Making a log planter takes a bit of work  but the results are amazing!

I didn’t watch the whole time, but I know that he used a chainsaw to make the defining cuts for the sides and edges and then used the ax to hollow it out. If you look at the photo below, you can also see where he used the chainsaw to cut smaller sections in the area to be hollowed out.

Making a log planter. Use a chainsaw and ax to hollow out an old log

Ivy leaf geraniums were on sale, so I bought them to fill the log with.

Ivy leaf geraniums to plant inside a log planter

Ready to plant:

Making a log planter step 3

And planted!

Making a log planter from a hollowed out log.

I love how my log planter turned out! And now that our patio is all finished it just looks amazing out there. So, who wants to come for a cookout this summer? Hopefully we will have at least one….

If you are wondering what plants would be good for your log planter, visit Monrovia.com and enter your zip-code. This will pull up the plants that grow best in your area with all of the info on each plant’s needs.

FAQ about Making a Log Planter:

Q. How long will it last?
A. This is the 3rd summer I’ve had it and the underside is beginning to show a little rot, but still very solid and I expect to get another 3 years at least out of it.

Q. Does the log hold water?
A. Not very well. We have to water it every other day in the summer.

Q. What tree makes the best log planter?
A. The harder your wood, the longer it will last. However, hard wood is difficult to cut. We used Maple which isn’t as soft as pine nor hard as oak. It seems about perfect for this.

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Filed Under: Home and Garden Tagged With: flowers, gardening, planters, planting

Respectful opinions are always welcome

  1. Jane Martin says

    July 12, 2013 at 7:50 am

    Great job! I’ll have to get someone to make me one!

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      June 8, 2018 at 6:51 pm

      I made one for my mom 2 years ago an the frist year all flowers died so we thought it was the dirt so we took out old an put new soil an they all died again. Is there somthing im supose to put in or on inside of the log first???

      Reply
      • Kendra says

        June 11, 2018 at 11:50 pm

        Did you by chance use a walnut log? Walnut is often toxic to plants.
        Otherwise be sure to water daily as the log will suck the moisture away from the plants.

        Reply
      • BMan says

        May 7, 2021 at 11:43 am

        Soil temperature is very important in many plants. In direct sunlight in summer, above ground planters of all varieties can cause plants to die. Watering consistently does help to cool, as evaporation is a natural cooler. You can also line the log with plastic to help the vessel hold water. Good Luck.

        Reply
  2. Sue@housePretty says

    July 12, 2013 at 9:43 pm

    Love that log planter! And, I would love to “drop by” (all the way from Canada) for a cookout with you guys! By the way, I got the thank you card in the mail from you, this past week, for placing my order for my Lilla Rose barrette! That was so sweet of you! And the barrette is so INCREDIBLY comfortable!!! I have to say, I see treating myself to another barrette in the near future…

    Reply
    • Kendra says

      July 12, 2013 at 10:03 pm

      I knew you would love Lilla Rose 🙂 And how fun would it be if you did “drop in” 😉 I’ve been able to meet a few other bloggers in person, and it is so much fun!

      Reply
  3. Jill Flory says

    July 12, 2013 at 9:58 pm

    Cool! Way to go Jason! That looks so cute! I’ve got some ideas for using logs to decorate this fall !!!

    Reply
    • Kendra says

      July 12, 2013 at 10:04 pm

      I can’t wait to see it!

      Reply
  4. Susie@homemaker-mom.com says

    July 13, 2013 at 2:31 pm

    ok that looks amazing! Enjoy!

    Reply
  5. Susie@homemaker-mom.com says

    July 13, 2013 at 2:32 pm

    OO and I voted for you today at the Fence my friend!

    Reply
    • Kendra says

      July 14, 2013 at 11:32 am

      Thank you so much! 🙂

      Reply
  6. Krystle says

    July 14, 2013 at 2:56 pm

    Wow!! I love this idea!! So cute!!

    Pinned it! Thanks for sharing this with us at One Sharendipity Place this weekend!!

    Krys @thet2women.com and http://www.worshipingwhilewaiting.blogspot

    Reply
  7. The Smelly Lady says

    July 15, 2013 at 12:13 pm

    That’s cute. I like it.

    Reply
  8. hsmominmo says

    July 16, 2013 at 10:51 pm

    beautiful! this looks like a project my sons should whip up for their mother 🙂

    Reply
    • Kendra says

      July 16, 2013 at 11:00 pm

      I’m sure they would enjoy doing it!

      Reply
  9. Lexie Robinson says

    July 16, 2013 at 11:15 pm

    Too cute! I can’t wait to try it next year. Thank you so much!

    Reply
  10. Jamie Koenig says

    July 18, 2013 at 10:08 am

    thats a very unique idea. Will be keeping this in mind since i’ve been gardening some this summer.

    Reply
    • Kendra says

      July 18, 2013 at 2:45 pm

      You definitely should make one!

      Reply
  11. Teresa from NanaHood says

    July 18, 2013 at 8:48 pm

    That is so cool and how sweet that your husband made it for you! Thanks for linking up at NanaHood.com I really appreciate it and hope you will come back!

    @NanaHoodYears

    Teresa

    Reply
    • Kendra says

      July 19, 2013 at 12:59 pm

      He is a sweetheart for sure! And I added your party to my party page, so I will be back 🙂

      Reply
  12. Kasey says

    July 23, 2013 at 11:21 pm

    Now to find a log. I’ve got a willing husband and he has an ax. And since I love to lay in the grass, I wouldn’t mind a bit getting down there to snap some photos of my hunk in action! Thanks so much for the photo tutorial…I’ll let you know if I manage to get one made! Thanks for linking up also!

    Reply
    • Kendra says

      July 24, 2013 at 8:03 am

      “Of your hunk in action”! That’s exactly how I felt 🙂
      And yes, if you make one, let me know, I’d love to see it!

      Reply
    • CJ says

      May 6, 2019 at 3:23 pm

      We made a planter out of an extra large log. We drilled 3 holes on the inside just large enough to hold 6 inch pots. We left the bark on. We painted it inside and out with several coats a clear wood safe sealer. Then we placed the plastic pots with flowers in the holes. We’ve had it for several years now. This year my husband made me a planter in the shape of a tractor out of a log. Next he’s going to make me a train to put around the tree in the front yard.

      Reply
  13. Jessi @ Practically Functional says

    July 24, 2013 at 1:17 pm

    I just love this planter Kendra! Hubby did a great job on it! I know you already saw that I featured this on my blog today, so I’m just stopping by to pin it and say thanks again for sharing!

    Reply
  14. Carrie says

    July 25, 2013 at 8:52 am

    LOVE, love, love the planter! I’m going to have to encourage My Better Half to clean one out for me! Thanks for linking it up to Think Tank Thursday. I have featured it today. http://www.saving4six.com/2013/07/welcome-to-think-tank-thursday-40.html

    Reply
    • Kendra says

      July 25, 2013 at 2:08 pm

      Oh how fun! I love being featured 🙂

      Reply
  15. Margo says

    July 25, 2013 at 9:10 am

    I just love this idea, it turned out so nice for your patio!

    Reply
  16. Jennifer @ Dimples and Tangles says

    July 25, 2013 at 9:33 pm

    This is such a great idea! I love natural wood elements and the geraniums were the perfect choice to fill your log planter. Hmmm, the next time I see a stump on someone’s curb I need to snatch it up! 🙂 I do a little round up of great projects on Fridays..hope you don’t mind if I include yours tomorrow!

    Reply
    • Kendra says

      July 26, 2013 at 1:35 pm

      I’m thrilled to have you share it!
      And keep your eyes peeled, it really wasn’t hard at all to find one.

      Reply
      • Sharon says

        July 21, 2017 at 11:25 pm

        My neighbor just cut down a tree and I’m going to try to make one. I love yours.

        Reply
        • Kendra says

          July 31, 2017 at 7:40 am

          Awesome! Mine is still going strong. It’s starting to split a bit on the ends, but we’re on it’s 4th year and it’s full of flowers again 🙂

          Reply
  17. Lauren says

    July 28, 2013 at 7:49 am

    Ooh, I love how this came out! What a great idea! Thank you for sharing at our Pinteresting Party.

    Reply
  18. sherry says

    February 19, 2014 at 1:25 pm

    Speaking from experience I can tell you that wood in contact with the ground will draw termites.

    Reply
  19. Jean Elliott says

    February 22, 2014 at 12:12 pm

    I love this! Have to get one made.

    Reply
  20. Lorene Hodges says

    February 26, 2014 at 12:21 am

    Thanks for sharing how to make the log planter. Love your website – nice to see a Christian one!!

    Reply
    • Frank says

      April 1, 2019 at 1:25 am

      Great Idea, make a log cross and fill it with flowers for the cemetery!

      Reply
  21. Sharon Rouse says

    February 26, 2014 at 5:27 pm

    We have a tree stump in our back yard. It’s about 5′ tall and takes two people to reach around it. I think I will try this on that tree stump. Maybe a “bowl” in the top and a couple of rings around it. We really miss our great big shade tree. But this would be something pretty to do with what’s left. Thank you for the great idea!

    Reply
    • Kendra says

      February 26, 2014 at 8:16 pm

      Oh, a tree stump would make the neatest planter ever!!!

      Reply
  22. Rebecca Burney says

    April 4, 2014 at 12:10 pm

    I love these log planters! Very pretty. I would love to try it. Do you think a “strong” women could do the ax portion. I indeed have a “hunk” ….same one for over 30 yrs. but I fear his health would not be up to it. Would it be difficult for myself? Thank you for your answer.

    Reply
    • Kendra says

      April 4, 2014 at 12:21 pm

      I consider myself a girl-whimp, but I could’ve done it if I had too. However, it will depend on the wood you are using as well. Ours was really soft, but some of those harder trees wouldn’t be easy to do.
      So yes, I’m sure a “strong woman” could handle it. I could’ve done it, but I wouldn’t have done the chainsaw part, I’ve always been a bit scared of them after my dad nearly took off his knee.

      Reply
  23. KAREN says

    February 17, 2015 at 9:44 pm

    didnt read every post. Did you put holes for drainage? Would they be necessary?

    Reply
    • Kendra says

      February 19, 2015 at 7:17 pm

      No, we didn’t need to. The wood grain naturally wicks the moisture to the ends of the log. We had to water every other day during the dry season.

      Reply
  24. Homeless Spirit says

    March 15, 2015 at 5:24 pm

    I really like the look of the planter. Did you do anything to prevent the log from rotting?

    Reply
    • Kendra says

      March 15, 2015 at 10:26 pm

      Sadly no. However this is our 3rd year with it and from what I’ve seen so far it’s still pretty nice.

      Reply
      • paulo says

        January 5, 2016 at 3:08 pm

        You ought to raise it up on bricks/rocks so it’s not sitting in the dirt, but ‘on’ it. Then just cover the bricks with mulch and/or surround the planter with flowers at its base.

        Reply
        • Kendra says

          January 6, 2016 at 3:33 pm

          I could… honestly though, I rolled it over to attack morning glory vines that were growing under it, and it still looked amazing! I’m guessing we get several more years out of the log as a planter. Knowing how I am with changing things up, I wouldn’t be half surprised if we get rid of it long before it’s rotted away.

          Reply
  25. Patty says

    July 5, 2016 at 8:22 pm

    I love the planter. I am going to share a tip I got last fall. I love geraniums but they are a bit costly every spring. Someone on one of the blogs – I’m sorry I don’t remember which one – said to pull up my geraniums, knock the dirt off them and hang them in a cool dark space – I used the basement. She also said to spritz them with water every so often but she did not always do that and neither did I. Anyway I kept forgetting to plant the roots (I’m an old lady) but I finally remembered about 2 weeks ago. I cannot believe it but they are green and growing leaves. No blooms yet but I have faith. This saved me a lot of money.

    Reply
    • Kendra says

      July 7, 2016 at 10:59 pm

      Awesome idea! We don’t have an ideal dark space but I’m keeping it in mind for when we do.

      Reply
  26. gail says

    July 7, 2016 at 11:24 am

    I’ve seen that on pinterest too, and love it!

    I can’t use an ax, but if I ever get a log, I’ll find a way to chip it out. Thanks for sharing at Talk of the Town!

    Your log planter looks fabulous.

    gail

    Reply
  27. the cape on the corner says

    July 8, 2016 at 12:35 pm

    i absolutely love this idea. i saw something like this in mexico and i took a picture to remember. not only do i love this look here, but you’ve reminded me of a wonderful vacation.
    thanks!
    b

    Reply
  28. J.M. says

    October 8, 2016 at 5:37 pm

    I think I got the jest of how to do this….. too, too many ads took up most of page. Good luck

    Reply
  29. William says

    November 26, 2016 at 7:04 am

    First off… I love the idea, and I think I’m going to make a few up at the. Outage this summer. These aren’t as hard as most (maybe all) of these readers are thinking though. Jason didn’t use the axe to hollow the tree. He used a chainsaw. In one of the pictures with the flowers you can see the corner cut out and know it’s not an axe that cuts wood like that.. secondly you left the chainsaw oil out in the table behind him… third back to the cuts… inside the hollow tree are straight line cuts where you possible used the axe after cutting the 10″ chunks… use a chainsaw… it’s not as romantic as these staged pictures, but the planters will be made WAY easier and u can probably make 3 in the time it would take with an axe… sorry I had to help these people out.

    Reply
  30. William says

    November 26, 2016 at 7:09 am

    I don’t want my comment posted… I just didn’t read a whole lot in your blog about the chainsaw… it wasn’t meant as anything more than a suggestion… I Re-read it andwhen I moved some things my first comment that said all this was missed…

    Reply
  31. Kim~madeinaday says

    March 28, 2017 at 11:08 am

    What a cute idea! So rustic! Love it! Thank you for sharing on Merry Monday! Have a great week!
    Kim

    Reply
  32. Joyce says

    April 6, 2017 at 8:04 pm

    Love this! Would love to try this myself but um.. eh.. maybe I get my husband to do it. Thank you for sharing this with us at Funtastic Friday link party.

    Reply
    • Kendra says

      April 7, 2017 at 2:28 pm

      Haha!!! yeah, I definitely suggest that you con him into the dirty work 😉

      Reply
  33. Angela @ Simply Beautiful By Angela says

    July 19, 2017 at 12:31 pm

    This is so awesome!

    Reply
  34. Mary H says

    September 1, 2017 at 10:25 am

    Any suggestions on how to avoid termites?

    Reply
    • Kendra says

      September 5, 2017 at 11:48 am

      We haven’t had an issue with them. Perhaps the trick is in what type of wood you use. And before you ask 🙂 I don’t know what ours is. Jason just found a log that looked the right size and brought it home. It’s looking pretty rough now but still holds plants quite well!

      Reply
  35. rainfirerestoration says

    April 3, 2018 at 9:16 pm

    After I originally left a comment I appear to have clicked the
    -Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and from now on whenever a comment is added
    I get four emails with the same comment. There has to be a way you
    can remove me from that service? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Kendra says

      April 3, 2018 at 9:44 pm

      I’m not sure I can. You should be able to unsubscribe directly from the email notification.

      Reply
  36. Janet says

    February 28, 2019 at 3:23 pm

    did you seal the inside with a wood sealer? I saw that on another sight… but wondered if ut would cause harm to the plants, and / or anything else. We live in the deep south (Alabama) and the summers here are HOT. Also, Did you drill drainage holes ? It is amazing and I HAVE to make some of these!!!!! Thank you for sharing Janet

    Reply
    • Kendra says

      February 28, 2019 at 6:50 pm

      We didn’t use a sealer because you are right, it would be very hard on plants. And there was no need for drainage holes because the natural wood grain wicked the water away really fast. In the heat of summer we had to water daily.

      Reply
  37. Michele Michael says

    June 9, 2019 at 1:38 pm

    Thanks for posting at Funtastic Friday . I’m going to share with my peeps on FB and pin to my driftwood and garden board.

    Reply
  38. Stephanie says

    July 2, 2019 at 4:40 pm

    How wonderful that I came across this today- I’ve been looking for things to repurpose into a planter for my front porch area, and I just happen to have a perfectly sized log in my backyard!!! Thanks for this lovely tutorial.

    Reply
  39. DIY Crafts says

    July 31, 2019 at 11:39 am

    Hello, Kendra

    This is the best project you have done beautifully, I want to add it in our DIY list, Thanks!

    Reply
  40. Donna @ Modern on Monticello says

    June 1, 2022 at 10:45 am

    I have a yard full of trees – and cut logs – so I love this idea. Thanks for taking the time to share the updates on how it is holding up over time as well. #HomeMattersParty

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. 5 Ways to Display Flowers - Sisters Know Best says:
    July 12, 2020 at 7:02 am

    […] with potting soil, add flowers, and step back as others admire the effect. Here are directions on how to make a hollow log planter. And if you aren’t into DIY you can also purchase a hollow log […]

    Reply

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about-small Hello, my name is Kendra. I am married to an amazing young man named Jason, and together we have 3 boys! Here at A Proverbs 31 Wife, you will find posts on homemaking, natural living, marriage, and motherhood. My goal is to uplift and inspire Christian wives and Mothers. {Read More}

 

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