You have no doubt seen or even used coconut plant liners for hanging baskets, but how about a coconut shell bowl plant hanger made from a fresh coconut? It can be done, and the only real difficulty is in cracking the coconut. Read on to try this DIY coconut shell hanging planter craft, a twist on coir lined hanging planters.
Fresh Coconut Hanging Planter
Coir lined hanging baskets are great. They retain water while providing excellent drainage, are organic with a neutral pH, and contain some potassium and phosphorous. All good things, but for a unique take on hanging planters, try using a fresh coconut. The first step in making a DIY coconut shell planter is to make a coconut shell bowl.
How to Prep Your Coconut Shell Craft
As mentioned, the hardest part about this coconut shell craft is cracking the coconut. First, using a screwdriver, ice pick, or clean nail and a hammer, poke a hole through two of the eyes at the end of the coconut shell. Then simply drain the liquid out of the shell and into a container lined with cheesecloth or through a sieve.
Yes, this will make holes in one end of the coconut shell, but those can be filled with small stones, moss, or the like. If you don’t want any holes, simply use a small saw to cut the coconut in half before removing the liquid. FYI, this method is messy and best done outside, plus you don’t get to drink the delicious juice!
If you do drain the coconut first, all that is left to do is cut it in half. You can use a saw for even halves or, if you don’t care about symmetry, go for the bang method. The latter is simply putting the drained whole coconut in a pillowcase and then smashing the entirety on a concrete curb or step. Beware that this method may result in multiple broken pieces not useful for either a planter or coconut shell bowl.
The last step is to use a sturdy spoon to remove the meat from the copra.
How to Make a Coconut Shell Hanging Planter
Now that the prep work is done you can either leave the coconut au naturel or sand it lightly and finish with a rub of either coconut or linseed oil.
To make the DIY coconut shall hanging planter, simply fill with potting soil and plants. Succulents work well as they do not require lots of water which can cause the coconut to rot.
Measure out four even lengths of jute or rope. The length depends on how far from the ceiling you wish to hang your planter. Tie them together at the bottom of the coconut shell planter and then secure the four ropes at a hook in the ceiling. If you wish, use some glue to further anchor the roping to the coconut shell hanging planter.