4 DIY Planters Perfect for Halloween

Not in the mood to cover every shrub in your garden with cotton cobwebs? That’s okay! There are plenty of other ways to get your outdoor space Halloween ready. 

One of our favorite, festive-but-inexpensive ways to turn a garden spooky and scary is by painting, decorating and crafting planters. Here are four different do-it-yourself ways for you and your family to create some cool⁠—or creepy!⁠—garden decor today. 

1. Day of the Dead Planters
2. Creepy Skull Planters
3. Doll Head Planters
4. Real Pumpkin Planters

1. Day of the Dead Planters

Image Source: Creative Kismet 

Día de Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a Mexican holiday that begins October 31st and ends November 2nd. While it’s not the same as Halloween, experiencing the celebration presents a good opportunity to learn how other cultures observe special traditions.

The Day of the Dead calls for friends and family to gather together and remember loved ones who have died. It’s a celebration of life featuring food, drink, poems and bright colors. Talk to your family about the tradition this October, then take a little time to decorate Day of the Dead-inspired planters. All you’ll need is some basic terra cotta pots, craft paint and a black permanent marker.  

2. Creepy Skull Planters

Image Source: Crafty Chica

Want to add an extra dose of spooky to your outdoor space this Halloween? Try making skull planters. 

Using a warm knife, cut off the top couple inches of a hollow, plastic skull. (You can find cheap, plastic skulls at the craft store, Halloween store or online. Some dollar stores sell them, too.) Then, cut a hole in the bottom for drainage and spray paint the skulls in the colors of your choosing. Once they’re dry, add potting soil and your favorite plants. We love succulents in these, but you could try anything!  

3. Doll Head Planters

Image Source: DIY Network

Okay, this craft we don’t recommend for young children, because it’s, well, super creepy. Fair warning: dolls will be harmed in the making of these planters. 

You’ll need to remove the heads of unwanted dolls using a rotary tool, then slice off the top of the head, too. You can also remove the eyes, if desired. Then, add soil to the doll heads and plant your favorite succulents, adding moss for effect. Finally, affix the doll heads to old vases, planters or even mason jars stuffed with stones. 

4. Real Pumpkin Planters

Image Source: New England

So you took your kids to the pumpkin patch… and came home with more gourds than you know what to do with. Don’t worry! You can turn them into jaw-dropping planters with very little effort. 

Hollow out your pumpkins, then create small drainage holes in the bottom using a drill or knife. Add rock, gravel or stones on the bottom in a thin layer. Fill with dirt, and then pot the plants, succulents or flowers of your choosing. You can add extras like cobwebs, spiders, bats or bloody fingers, too. 

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