Trash To Treasure: Birdhouses, Rustic Planter

Robb Whittlef shares how to turn a newel post into a bird house condo, a chicken feeder into a birdhouse, two old pot lids into a bird feeder, and a metal pully/two buckets into a rustic planter.

Filed under: Recycling, Eco-Friendly, Container Gardening

Turn a chicken feeder into a functional birdhouse. Cut shingles into small pieces and attach to a hinged top. Cut a piece of wood to fit inside the structure about one-third from the bottom. Drill a hole in the middle and add an escutcheon plate and hook. Create a stand for the bottom out of old molding.

Use a hollow newel post to make a three-section birdhouse. Cut the post into three sections and reattach the three pieces with wood squares in between. Finish the top with molding and a cap and add a large hook; attach a fence finial to the bottom.

Put an old pulley to use by making it a garden fixture or kitchen helper. Paint two metal buckets in compatible colors, tie the pulley rope onto each handle and insert a potted plant into each bucket. Or use the pulley inside to hold potatoes, kitchen utensils, etc.