How to Make an Upside Down Planter

Hang your greenery from the ceiling with an upside down planter.

upside down hanging planters next to subway tile

When you don’t have a lot of space for plants, turn to some often-overlooked retail—the ceiling. These innovative planters will have guests doing a double take when they see that your dangling herbs aren’t falling out of their pots. A sneaky trick, thanks to a piece of air conditioner filter, ensures that no dirt falls on your countertops. If watering these looks difficult, fear not: Pour water into the top of the pot and it’ll travel to the roots.

Start to Finish 45 Minutes
Difficulty Projects Kind of Easy
Involves Drilling, Sawing, Planting

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What you need

Tools

2 1/2-inch hole saw
Utility knife with new blade
Scissors
Ruler
Drill
1/4-inch drill bit

Materials

6-inch plastic pot
1/8-inch nylon rope
Window air conditioner filter
Herb plant

How to do it

Step 1 Cut Hole in Planter

Since your planter will hang upside down, you’ll plant your herb through the bottom of the pot instead of the top. To fit it through, cut a 2-1/2-inch hole in the bottom of the pot using your hole saw. Use protective eyewear while cutting plastic.

Step 2 Cut Out Filter

using planter to cut circle in filter material

using scissors to cut air conditioner filter

Using the bottom of the pot as a guide, use a utility knife to cut a circle from the air conditioner filter of the same size. Fold the foam piece into a cone and, using scissors, cut the tip of the cone to make a hole in the center of the circle. Then, cut a radius in the filter circle. Your piece should look like a donut with a line going through one side.

Step 3 Drill Holes for Rope

Drill two 1/4-inch hanging holes on opposite sides of the pot. Place them 3/4 inch down from the top edge of the pot. You may want to drill over a piece of scrap wood to steady the pot while you work.

Step 4 Thread Rope for Hanging

Thread one end of the rope through a hole from exterior to interior and tie a knot inside the pot to secure it. Repeat with the other side. You can use one continuous piece of rope or two single pieces depending on how you want to hang the pot. Hang the pot where you can easily access it to work on planting. (This doesn’t have to be its permanent location.)

Step 5 Plant Herb and Hang

place potting soil into upside down planter

Remove your plant from its nursery pot and carefully brush away enough soil from around its roots so that it fits through your container. Insert the root end of the plant in the hole you cut in the bottom of the planter. From the top opening of the pot, put the foam filter around the stems of the plant and press it into the bottom of the pot to prevent soil from spilling out. Add additional soil and hang in the desired location. Water your plant from the top end of the pot.