The Tipsy Planter Adventure
Yesterday, I attempted to make a “Tipsy Planter”, in which to house my herbs that I’m growing. As a quick reference, my herbs are:
• Mint
• Italian Parsley
• Oregano
• Cilantro
• Chives
• Sweet Basil
o I’m also attempting to grow strawberries from seeds. More on that news as it breaks
I know, I’m a regular Martha fricken’ Stewart. I’d say only without the government-enforced vacation, but only time will tell on that front. The instructions for this adorable little planter stand read as such:
1. Drill ½” hole in the base using ½” masonry bit
2. Turn base upside down and slide ½” x 3’ [36”] thread rod through hole
3. From bottom slide one ½” x 2” fender washer on and screw on ½” nut
4. From top slide first pot onto the base
5. From top slide another washer down and follow with a nut. Hand tighten all the way down to bottom
6. Thread another nut to about 8” from the bottom and slide a washer so it rest on the nut
7. Slide the next pot so it sits on the washer and tilt it
8. Repeat step six and seven until all pots are on
9. Finish with one final nut in the top pot so it won’t come off the rod
Sounds easy, right? And it was easy to make. The problem was keeping it standing upright. At first, it was too top heavy, so I lowered the bolt in step 6 and re-completed the instructions. That worked passably well, except the pot kept spinning to one side and overbalancing the planter. My mom suggested that that would stop when I filled the pots with dirt, but it didn’t. All in all, it was pretty much a failure. I could be to blame, though. I used cork and plastic as my base, which was probably not strong enough to hold the structure. I also used clay pots, which are heavy.
So, everything’s going back to the store (except the cork furniture saver and the plastic water saucer, and only because I drilled a hole through those), so I can buy individual pots to plant my herbs in. The whole thing only cost about $20, so that should cover the cost of the new pots. I’m also on the lookout for a plant stand, so if anyone sees a cheap, sturdy one sitting around, give me a holler, would you?