This Genius Hack Helps Me Fill Large Planters Practically for Free

Large planters are great for making a dramatic display outdoors, but often require multiple bags of soil, making the filled pot absurdly heavy and next to impossible to move around — not to mention super expensive. As a renter who loves to garden, I always felt the need to stay away from any vessels that were too large on the off chance that I needed to relocate them or take them with me to my next home. It wasn’t until a few years ago that I learned one genius tip for saving money on potting soil when filling large containers — and my bank account and my back are very happy about it! 

The key? Using empty soda cans! Placing cans at the bottom of a planter not only helps with drainage, but also cuts down on the amount of potting soil you’ll need to fill the pot. It’s basically the ideal solution; most people frequently have cans of seltzer or soda hanging around just waiting to be recycled, and they’re lightweight enough to avoid adding bulk to your planter, unlike other common options, like rocks.

Ideally, if you’re filling a very large pot and need a decent amount of soil, you should crush the cans slightly first. If you don’t, heavy, wet soil will likely crush the cans over time, and you may end up needing to top off the pot with more soil. This isn’t necessary with smaller pots, as the soil won’t get heavy enough to crush the cans.

I like to fill my planters up about halfway with cans, making sure to leave space for a few extra inches of soil under the roots of whatever I’m planting. I’ve done this for the past four years and haven’t ever had any issues with aluminum reacting or affecting the health or growth of the plants. Plus, it’s kind of fun to use it as an excuse to drink a Diet Coke (or five …) “for the garden.”