The Ultimate Guide to Spring Porch Ideas on a Budget (Plus 5 DIY Planter Hacks)

The 5 DIY Planter Hacks You’ll Actually Want to Make This Weekend

I used to think DIY projects required power tools and a garage full of supplies.

Spoiler: they don’t.

These five hacks use stuff you probably have lying around—or can grab for under ten bucks on your lunch break.

Hack #1: Concrete-and-Burlap Planters That Look Like West Elm

I first saw these in a fancy home magazine and nearly choked at the $48 price tag.

Then my crafty cousin showed me how to make them with quikrete samples from Home Depot and burlap coffee sacks.

Mix the concrete in a plastic container (old yogurt tubs work great), press burlap into it, and let it dry overnight.

The texture looks intentionally artisanal—not “I made this in my kitchen.”

I keep mine on my Atlanta porch steps filled with trailing ivy.

Neighbors constantly ask where I bought them.

Shhh… our secret.

Hack #2: Tiered Plant Stands from Repurposed Wooden Crates

My Dallas apartment porch is basically a fire escape with delusions of grandeur.

No room for traditional garden design, so I got creative.

I stacked three wooden fruit crates from the farmer’s market, secured them with zip ties, and spray painted them sage green.

Now I’ve got three levels of container gardening real estate on a 2-foot-wide railing.

Herbs on top, flowers in the middle, trailing plants on bottom—thriller, filler, spiller on vertical steroids.

Just make sure your crates are sturdy before loading them up with wet soil.

Learned that the hard way when one wobbled dangerously during a spring shower.

Yikes.

Hack #3: Hanging Macramé Planters Using Basic Knots

I failed macramé in summer camp circa 1998.

Turns out adult me can master the square knot with a YouTube tutorial and $5 cotton rope from Michaels.

These take about 20 minutes once you get the rhythm.

I hang mine from my Chicago balcony ceiling with command hooks rated for outdoor use.

They sway gently in the breeze—so dreamy with trailing string of pearls inside.

Pro tip: use plastic nursery pots inside the macramé sling.

No messy soil spills when you need to water.

Your downstairs neighbor will thank you.

Hack #4: Painted Terra Cotta Pots with Removable Washi Tape

I love seasonal decor but hate repainting pots every six weeks.

Washi tape solved my commitment issues forever.

Paint your terra cotta pots a neutral base color first—this hides the orange showing through light designs.

Then apply washi tape in geometric patterns before your final coat.

Peel it off while paint’s still slightly tacky for crisp lines.

When fall hits? Just swap tape colors instead of repainting entirely.

I’ve reused the same three pots for three seasons now.

Budget-friendly doesn’t have to mean boring.

Hack #5: Vertical Pallet Gardens for Narrow Porches

My Seattle porch is narrower than my bathtub.

But a free shipping pallet from a local coffee shop changed everything.

Stand it vertically against a wall, staple landscape fabric to the back and sides, fill with soil through the front slats, and plant right into the pockets.

I grow strawberries, lettuce, and herbs in mine—edible landscaping that takes zero floor space.

Just make sure your pallet has the “HT” stamp (heat-treated, not chemically treated).

Safety first, friends.

These hacks prove you don’t need square footage or savings bonds to create urban gardening magic.

Sometimes the coziest spaces come from the scrappiest beginnings.

But plants alone won’t create that golden-hour glow when you’re sipping wine after work.

Next up: my favorite lighting and textiles tricks for turning your porch into an evening oasis—all for under $30.

Wait until you see what I did with dollar store tea lights… 👇