Repurpose Your Old Grill To Turn It Into A Rustic Outdoor Plant Pot

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If you've got an old grill that's smoked its last wiener, or a rusted-out smoker collecting dust behind your shed, you might not need to callously toss it to the curb. With a splash of creativity, an unused barbecue can be repurposed into a fun and easy container garden, perfect for adding character to your deck, backyard, or front walkway. This eco-conscious DIY is a great way to develop a unique aesthetic for your home, while creating a budget-friendly planter to beautify your space. Depending on how beat up the grill is, and what craft supplies you have on hand, this might be the quickest, easiest way to substitute a boring planter pot with something fun. 

Most grills, especially those designed for charcoal, are equipped with holes in the basin to catch ashes and vent airflow. These make for perfect drainage holes, making the body of the grill ideal for housing plants and flowers. You can always add them, if needed, with the right drill bit or hole punch. Whether you're planning on filling the basin with soil, lining it with pebbles to house succulents, or turning the whole affair into a miniature herb garden, the visual appeal of this upcycle project cannot be denied. 

Depending on your aesthetic preference, you can lean into the weathered, rusted look or give your grill new life with a rough sand and a few coats of outdoor paint, like Rust-Oleum Ultra Cover lilac metal spray paint. Further customize your project by putting a fresh pair of wheels on the base, layering moss and wildflowers over the edge, or repurposing the lid as a home for garden supplies.

Before you convert your old grill into a functional planner, you'll need to do a bit of prep work to make sure your grill is safe, sturdy, and clean for your plants. Begin by clearing out any remaining ash, grease, or debris leftover from cookouts past. From there, you'll want to clean the grill with a stiff brush and a bucket of soapy water. You don't need to go too hard on this step, but you should ensure that the acrid grease and ashen charcoal remains are fully washed away. Removable grates can also be cleaned and repurposed for a variety of functional and decorative uses. 

Once everything is cleaned up, inspect the grill and make sure the rust hasn't eaten away too much of the basin. If it's too rusty in its current state, you can always repair the metal with bondo body filler, spray foam, and duct tape, like an old pickup truck's rusty fenders or rocker.

Once your grill has been fully prepped for planting, throw in potting mix, or a mixture of soil and gravel, depending on your planting goals. Fill the basin about two thirds to the top, and leave some space for your plants to grow and spread out. Succulents and drought-tolerant plants do quite well with a gravel-heavy blend. Consider mixing and matching small succulents like echeveria and hen-and-chicks, or fill it with beautiful flowering stonecrop which may become your least-demanding plant. Herbs and colorful flowers generally prefer a nutrient-rich potting soil. Just remember to combine herbs or flowers that have similar soil and water needs.