Galvanized Bucket Planter with an Old Faucet

Galvanized Bucket Planter with an Old Faucet

I first noticed bucket and faucet planters at a high-end garden shop while on a shopping trip years ago. As charming as it was, though, the price was a little steep. I had a sneaking suspicion, however, that I could recreate the same look with a galvanized bucket and an old faucet.

I just needed to find the right pieces for my planter idea. So, I kept my eyes peeled for the right elements during my various Junkin’ Journey road trips. And sure enough, I found exactly what I was looking for. 

Making a porch planter

Now I just needed to bring my vision to life and add some pretty flowers!

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Building a Galvanized Bucket Planter

The galvanized bucket (complete with its red handle) is an old USDA bucket. I found it at an antiques shop in Hendersonville, NC. Isn’t it perfect?

Galvanized bucket for a porch planter

It was a great size to become a galvanized bucket planter to set on our front porch.

The old faucet or spigot is a great piece of vintage hardware. I’m not sure if it came from a kitchen or bathroom, but you can’t beat that porcelain handle.

I found it at an architectural salvage store on a Junkin’ Journey. I wish they had had more of them, but alas, this was the only one I could find.

Hose bibb for bucket planter

Either way, it would be perfect as a decorative hose bibb to have in my galvanized bucket planter.

Now, to complete my galvanized bucket planter, I needed a couple of elements from the hardware store. First, I measured the depth of the bucket and brought the salvaged faucet to the store itself.

With a little help from an employee, I was able to find a pipe and pipe nipple that fit my spigot perfectly!

Making a galvanized bucket planter

And the pipe was long enough to set the bibb well above the top of the bucket.

Now I just needed to hit the nursery and pick up my flowers of choice and some potting soil!

Galvanized Bucket Planter with a Decorative Hose Bibb

I decided to go with Portulaca (or moss roses) because I’ve always, always loved them. And I figured they would spread out nicely in the galvanized bucket.

First, I placed some gravel in the bottom of the bucket before adding the soil. Then I just transplanted a few portulaca plants from their plastic planters. 

Bucket planter with a decorative hose bibb

Now all I had to do was be patient and wait for the moss roses to fill in and spread out. Or, at least, I HOPED they’d spread out and bill up the bucket.

And spread out they did…

Galvanized bucket planter

Apparently, portulaca REALLY like a galvanized bucket planter. I’ve planted and replanted this bucket for several years now, and the result is always the same!

Sometimes the blooms even end up hiding the faucet! Maybe I should get a taller piece of pipe now?!

Galvanized bucket planter with a decorative hose bibb

And before you ask, no, I didn’t drill drainage holes in the bucket. I couldn’t bring myself to do it and year after year, the portulaca flourish!

So what do you think? I know I’m biased, but I think this one is WAY cuter than the pre-fab ones. And come autumn, it’s easy to dismantle and all the parts store within the galvanized bucket- perfect!

Gotta love how well an upcycled planter works out, right? Just like this metal magazine rack did recently!

metal magazine holder as a repurposed planter

Speaking of which, if you love upcycled planters, then you might really enjoy this collection of repurposed garden planters here for even more inspiration!

upcycled planters

Craft on!

S

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Bucket planter with a water hose spigot

bucket planter

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Sarah Ramberg is the owner of Sadie Seasongoods, a website that celebrates all things secondhand. From upcycling ideas and thrifted decor to vintage-centric travel itineraries, Sadie Seasongoods is a one-stop shop for anyone who loves thrifting and approachable repurposing ideas. Sarah is also the author of β€œCrafting with Flannel” and has been featured in numerous media outlets and magazines.

Comments

  1. sheila miller says

    I say fabulous and I’ve got to have one now, myself!

  2. Fabulous! I have to make one of these! -Dawn @ We Call It Junkin.com
    History & Home link party, Tue-Fri, weekly

    • Hi, Dawn! It really is incredibly easy to make once you find the perfect materials!! Thank you so much for the comment and for stopping by- I just ‘liked’ your FB page so I can follow along. πŸ™‚

  3. This is so cute! I need to show my husband and have him make one for me – I know he has various pipe pieces, etc from fixing our sprinklers in the yard. I love those kind of plants, too. They do really well in the Texas heat.

    • Hi, Kimberlee! It’s super easy to make- the hardest part is finding the cutest, vintage faucet that you can find!! When you make one, let me know how it turns out! And yes, the portulaca/moss roses REALLY do well in a bucket…sometimes too well and they get a little crazy. πŸ™‚

  4. That is the cutest planter. Thanks for the great idea!

  5. What a cute idea! I’ so not crafty at all but this I could probably pull off!

    • Yes, this one is REALLY easy once you have all the right parts. And I highly recommend the portulaca/moss roses as your plant…they do wonderfully well in a metal bucket!

  6. This is so pretty, I’m always looking for new ways to display containers on our porch and patio – I really love this – thank you for sharing! popping over from Fit Foodie Runs

    • Thank you for your impossibly sweet words! I love this little planter…and it’s really nothing to put together once you have the perfect little parts. I get more compliments on it than just about anything else. Let me know how yours turns out!!

  7. Adorable planter, perfect patio addition for the salvage, vintage collector!

  8. Thank you so much for stopping by The WeekendSocial Link Party over at KitchenDreaming. Hope to see you next time!

  9. Joy @ Yesterfood says

    I love this SO much! I am so glad you shared this with us at Treasure Box Tuesday- I am sharing on Facebook this afternoon at 5:30 CST! πŸ™‚

  10. I love this beautiful container! Great way to spruce up the patio! Saw this over at The Weekend Social Link up party and had to take a closer look!

  11. adorable! would love to have you link up to this weeks garden party over here at Fishtail Cottage! xoxo, tracie

  12. Kim Croul says

    This is so cute. I would love to try to make one of these. I just bought some portulacas yesterday. How perfect? Thank you for sharing the idea.

  13. Charlene Adair says

    I love it. I think I will make one for my porch. Thank you for sharing.

  14. Hi Sadie- this collection is a feature over at http://notatrophywife.com on Thursday night for Friday Favorites!
    I love the faucet bucket! laura

  15. MaryEllen Devlin says

    Thank you, Sadie! I can’t wait to try this, and make them as gifts for my sister and daughters. It also gives me something to hunt for at Brimfield. Yours is was at cuter than the commercial ones, since it’s authentic!

  16. Absolutely gorgeous! You make it look so easy. I love the rustic style too!

  17. Sarah your style always makes me smile!

  18. I’m a dunce who needs step-by-step directions. I think I have most of it figured out. How did you afix the pipe to the bucket?

    • Sadie Seasongoods says

      No worries at all! It’s just held up by the dirt- not permanently attached at all. πŸ™‚

  19. This is one of the cutest project I have seen with recycle items.
    Maria

  20. Katrina Hancock says

    😍😍😍😍😍😍 Love it and the portulacas I’ll do mine with seed as I collected a whole bunch from mine when I had them in a wine barrel

Trackbacks

  1. […] courtesy of Pillar Box Blue. A simple tin bucket makes a great upcycling project. Image courtesy of Sadie Seasongoods. This condiment caddy looks like a classic estate sale find, and it made an easy upcycling project. […]

  2. […] Vintage Bucket and Salvaged Faucet Planter by Sadie Seasongoods […]

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