A Bit of Dirt: Balcony Planter Boxes on the Cheap

It's not quite spring here in Carmichael, California but it's beginning to feel like it. So far there has been three days warm enough for me to wear shorts. And by "warm enough" I mean temperatures almost in the 60s. A few sunny days is enough to kill my winter blues and make me instead stress about gardening.

This weekend I made a planter box for our sometimes sunny balcony. The balcony doesn't get enough sun to grow things like tomatoes but I think somewhat shade tolerant veggies should do okay.


I have some peas that I mistakenly thought would be a good idea for start here and transplant to the plot, so I have two of them already in the planter box as an experiment to see if I can get them to grow. It's probably a fool-worthy endeavor. Mostly the boxes will be use for spinach, arugula and lettuce.

The box was simple to make, and we'll see how it holds up over time. All in all it was about $20 for the two of them, one medium and one large. I used a simpson bracket, screws and bolts and the plastic planter box.



A Rough How To

Materials needed:
Plastic planter box
2 Simpson brackets (shaped like a squared-off U) for each box
Nuts + Bolts to fit bracket, not too long. 4 for each box, but this may vary if you get a different bracket
Pencil or Pen

Use the holes in the bracket to mark where on the box you want the screw holes. Use a utility knife to cut holes. It doesn't have to be perfect. Insert the screws from inside the planter box. When you are digging in it later you don't want to have a surprise injury from a screw that you forgot was in there! Tighten bolts, Hang on your balcony railing. Make you your box has drainage, and a few rocks covering any drainage hole so you don't lose dirt with the water.

I apologize if I didn't use enough building terminology. It's only because I have no idea what I'm talking about.

Paper Rose Tutorial

The Coffee Filter Rose Tutorial

Supplies:
Coffee Filters, preferable cone shaped filters. I couldn't find any so I used regular ones.
Floral Wire, I used 22 gauge.
Floral Tape
Scissors
Awl or Needle
Paintbrushes
Water Color Paint
Water for paint
Dowel or something to curl petals

Step 1:
Cut petal shapes in a range of sizes
Cut wire long enough for the stem of the rose
Cut strips of floral tape 1-2'' long until you are sick of cutting (you'll need quite a few of these)

Step 2:
Bend the tip of wire at approximately 1/2''

Step 3:
Roll one of your smallest petals. This will be the center of the flower

Step 4:
Pierce the rolled petal with your awl or needle

Step 5:
Push the wire through the hole in the first petal.

Bend the wire down so it is flat.

Step 6:
Wrap the petal and stem with a strip of floral tape.

Step 7:
Form into petal shape

Pinch the petal at the base to form a slightly convex shape.

You'll do this for all the petals of the rose.

Step 8:
Add more petals using strips of floral tape in a spiral with petal slightly overlapping.

If you are right-handed add in a clockwise fashion.
If you are left-handed add in a counter clockwise fashion.
Later on while shaping the petals, this will make things easier.

Now you have an unpainted rose.

Step 9:
Begin painting the rose with water colors. The coffee filters tend to soak up the paint making painting the inside areas easy.

Paint the outside petals working inward towards the center of the rose.

As you paint, curl the tips of the petals with your dowel. I used a double pointed knitting needle that I made too short. The other side of your paintbrush can also work.

It is better to over-curl, since they uncurl a bit while drying.

Continue painting until you are done.
Congratulations! You made your very own coffee filter rose! Now make a gazillion more until you drive yourself insane!

If you would like coffee filter roses made for you, email me at sarahjsaturday@gmail.com to discuss rates.