Are your plastic flowerpots looking a little tired this year?  Give them a quick and easy makeover with two cans of spray paint and a little bit of creativity.  I’ll show you how you can transform your pots from blah to wow with this easy DIY.

Start by cleaning your plastic pot and letting it dry.  Turn it over and spray paint it the colour you want most of the pot to be.  Use a heavy hand with the spray paint, because you want to take advantage of the dripping.

After you’ve covered as much as you can, spray paint the top (aka of the bottom of the pot because you’re working upside down) with the second colour.  Spray paint the colour much closer than you normally would.  Gravity needs to do that work for you.

Related: Blue and White Patio Makeover Inspiration

Next spray a bit of the second colour in the middle of the pot, from farther away than the can recommends, so you get a bit of definition to your drips, and it makes a nicer ombre effect.

Let the pot dry overnight, or at least 2 hours.

Flip the pot right side up and spray paint with your first colour.  I used a bright blue and navy, and I’m very happy with the results.

Once the pot is totally dry, fill with soil and your favourite flowers or vegetables!

P.S. Planning on putting vegetables in those pots?  Here are my favourites for beginners.

How Long will the Paint Job Look Good?

So far, my made over plastic flower pots have endured three summers on a blistering hot, south-facing deck. They have not been taken indoors over the winter and have basically been left to fend for themselves. Most of the pots I spray-painted have held up very well, only needing some light touch ups after 2 years. The only exception is one larger and older pot that came with the house, which the paint seems to scratch off very easily. I’m assuming it must be made of a different plastic.

How do you Touch Up Tired Looking Containers?

To touch up your container, follow these steps:

1. Remove all soil from the container.
2. Wash the container inside and out, removing all dirt, and let dry.
3. If the tops of the container are the only part that need touching up, just lightly spray paint that area.
4. If the whole container needs touching up, repeat the process you initially used to spray paint the container, giving a slightly thicker spray to the areas that need it.

Repeat the process every 2-3 years and enjoy your containers for many years to come.

Short on garden space?  You might like these square foot gardening ideas:

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Kristen Raney

Kristen is a former farm kid turned urban gardener who owns the popular gardening website, Shifting Roots.  She is obsessed with growing flowers and pushing the limits of what can be grown in her zone 3b garden.  She also loves to grow tomatoes, but oddly enough, dislikes eating them raw.