Fourth of July: Tin Can Patriotic Planters

In the last of my series of posts on easy and inexpensive Fourth of July outdoor decorations, I’m featuring these tin can American flag planters, which are quick, easy, and use recycled materials to boot!

 Though of course you create planters like this using paint, what makes this project so simple and fast is the use of colored electrical tape, which you should be able to find at your local home improvement store. Scotch 3M sells a pack of five colors, but you can buy individual rolls too. I also used silver star stickers (the package was $1 at the dollar store), and three aluminum cans of the same size (mine originally held Spaghettios, I must confess).

Start with the red and white striped cans first. Measure your can to see how wide your tape rows need to be. Remember that you’ll need thirteen (13) rows, seven (7) red and six (6) white. You can overlap the tape to make the rows the correct width; no need trim the tape to the right width. Start at the  bottom of the can and work up, one row at a time. When you reach the top row, tuck any extra tape over the rim of the can.

 For the red, white, and blue can, tape three red rows and three white rows, and finish with blue. Apply the star stickers around the can, spacing them neatly (you probably wont be able to fit all 50). Press the stars firmly into place, including the edges. I was worried that the stars might come off easily, especially when wet, but they are surprisingly durable.

Before you add plants, be sure to turn the cans over and poke some drainage holes in the bottoms using a screwdriver and hammer. You can also skip the holes and use the cans as vases; I’m thinking they’d look great with Shasta daisies or mixed wildflowers. I planted mine with Salvia farinacea, one of my favorite butterfly nectar plants.

Remember that we have more great Fourth of July decorating ideas here on our blog, over on our website, and on our Pinterest boards:

• Fourth of July: Decorated Outdoor Votive Holders
• Fourth of July: Pinwheels and Flowers
• Plant a Patriotic Container
• Pinterest: Garden Decor
• Pinterest: Recycled Backyard