Here at Kids of the Wild we love container gardening because our current garden is small. We also love to recycle and upcycle whenever possible. This year we decided to use an old pair of wellies to make a plant container for herbs. It’s a fun kids activity to try with children of all ages.
Kids and wellies…go together like cream and jelly?! Holey herbal wellies, I should write a song!
In this super-easy tutorial you will learn how to recycle wellies or old boots to make welly boot planters for herbs or flowers.
Children’s welly boots work especially well and this garden project is ideal for when your wild kids don’t want to part with boots they’ve grown out of – what could be more environmentally friendly than recycling old boots!
It’s an outdoor family activity that helps create nature connection even if, like us, you’ve got a small garden or outdoor space, or even no garden at all – just pop your boot plant containers on the doorstep.
How to make a welly boot planter
You will need:
- Old welly boots or walking boots
- Organic peat-free compost or garden soil
- Broken crocks e.g. terracotta pot pieces, or gravel
- Bradawl or screwdriver
- Herb or flower seedlings or seeds
- Water
What to do:
1. Take one pair of old boots, preferably patterned
2. Create drainage holes in the soles using a bradawl or screwdriver (if they’re not already holey enough!). Supervise children at this stage to avoid injury
3. Layer broken crocks thinly in bottom of each boot to provide drainage and stop the soil leaking from the holes when watering
4. Fill with compost or soil
5. Plant herb seeds or young plants in each welly boot
6. Water well and regularly to ensure the soil or compost doesn’t completely dry put as they grow
7. Stand in a sunny or part-shady spot
8. Watch them grow!
9. Take some fun pictures and post them to Kids of the Wild’s Facebook page
Plants in containers don’t last as long as those in open ground so why not re-pot them each year, or change the plants with the season?
No garden needed
You can stand welly boot planters on the doorstep if you’re short on outdoor space. Walking boot planters can be hung on a wall with a nail or bracket. Just be sure to water them regularly if they don’t get much rain.
Wild wishes on your expert welly boot planter creation!
More family gardening inspiration
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For more gardening ideas read 25 things to do in the garden and for more fun suggestions on gardening in small spaces, read how to create your own mini wildflower meadow in a wheelbarrow
Grow your own
Click on the images to buy garden supplies at Amazon for your welly boot planters
Ceramic outdoor welly planter (if you haven’t got any old ones to recyle!)
Children’s flower & herb seeds
Wildflower seeds (10 pack for party bags)
Peat-free compost
#Trash2treasure
#MyGloriousGardens
We did just this for our welly walk. they lasted really well too though we did find we had to bed them into the ground a little to stop them toppling backwards with the weight from the back of the wellies. A great activity and a good one for getting the kids involved too.
Thank you for sharing with me on #Trash2Treasure
I think ours are free standing so far though they may be supported by a plant pot!
We have several pairs around the garden, that we plant up each year. When they were younger, the children loved reminding me who used to wear each pair. #Trash2Treasure
Lovely reminders of youth! Thanks for stopping by
I keep meaning to to do this with some of my daughter’s old wellies! Must do it this year 😊 #trash2treasurs
It’s great fun. A garden near us has a wall full of walking boots with plants in. Genius!
This is such a great idea to do with children when they have grown out of their wellies! I did try this once with a class of Reception aged children and it worked well and was a fun activity (it also brightened up a muddy corner of the playground!). I love the use of herbs…..to stop the smell? 😄
Thank you for linking to #MyGloriousGardens. Please join us again next month and look out for the round up post later in the month. X
Thanks again Sophie, love the idea of the herbs getting rid of pony feet smells!! See you again next month