Teacup Planters

Christine Weber

This simple project is a wonderful way to use the china teacups gathering dust on your shelves. Filled with soil and ivy they make dainty and long-lived planters.

Materials and Equipment:

a large plastic bag or several sheets of newspaper
one or more teacups, preferably with saucers
potting soil, enough to fill a teacup
Advertisement
a tablespoon
small ivy plant, I find the slow growing variety "Glacier" works well

Instructions:

Clean and dry the teacup before starting. Clear the table and cover it with newspaper or a large garbage bag to avoid getting soil on the table.
Fill the bottom third of the teacup with potting soil.
Take the ivy out of its container and remove any pot-bound roots. Place the plant in the teacup.
Fill the rest of the teacup with soil, covering the roots of the ivy. Press the soil down with your spoon or hand.
Water lightly and place in indirect light. Fertilize every few weeks.
Remember that there are no drainage holes in the teacup, so water sparingly. If you over water, just tip the cup to drain the excess water out. My teacup planters have lived happily for several years following this advice!

An ivy plant in a china teacup with saucer.

Add your voice! Click below to comment. ThriftyFun is powered by your wisdom!

Dana Sipe

May 3, 20060 found this helpful

Top Comment

This would make a nice Mother's Day gift for mom.
You could find the cups and saucers @ the Goodwill or yard sales. I think that I would hot glue the cup to the saucer for fear of my kids knocking the plant over. It would make it more stable.

Great job Christine!

Renee

January 21, 20120 found this helpful

Top Comment

I agree with you, those teacups which are shoved to the back of the cabinets make such cute planters. I prefer though, to drill drainage holes in them as it is easier for the water to drain than pour from the cup. It just takes some patience and time especially if they're made of bone china. I put a masking tape on the part to be drilled and use the smallest tile/glass drill bit to make a indentation; then carefully drill away.

I rest in between drilling time till the correct size drainage hole is achieved. Each project is a challenge but when I finish one, my happiness and satisfaction is unmatched by anything else.

By Linda (Guest Post)

May 3, 20060 found this helpful

What an absolutely cute idea, Thank you for sharing it with us.

By Cadensnana from Delaware (Guest Post)

May 4, 20060 found this helpful

I love this idea! I have a few old cups that I don't display any longer but this would be a perfect way to use them. The idea about hot gluing them made me think of using museum putty to hold the cup to the saucer if you wanted them to stay put but removable if you ever wanted them separated again.

I have found lots of uses for museum putty or gel. Thanks for this idea!

By jmiller51 (Guest Post)

May 4, 20060 found this helpful

this is the perfect size for hospital trays. Someone gave my grandmother one and it went with her to the nursing home.

Sherry Hampton

July 5, 20060 found this helpful

I agree with luv2craft, my Mom doesn't care for real plants. I'll make one for myself and they woulld be great Christmas gifts for my 3 Sister in Laws. They love Houseplante. Do you know of any other plants I could use also, maybe a small blooming cactus that will not stickyou? I was thinking of putting small pebbles on top. So many ideas. I'm in high gear on this craft. Thanks for the info.

Anonymous

September 19, 20120 found this helpful

I would like to share my white rose picture. Yes, it blooming, but I need some advice here; how can I make it have more flowers?

Add your voice! Click below to comment. ThriftyFun is powered by your wisdom!