Outdoor Plant Stand Ideas You Can Make on a Budget

You don't need to buy a stand to lift plants off the ground. Crates, cinder blocks, an old ladder, a stool or a few boards will do the job, and most cost little or nothing. What matters is that the stand is level, stable and sized to the pot once it's watered.

Below are outdoor plant stand ideas grouped by what you want to display, plus the proportions and weight rules I'd check before you build anything. Succulents are a good fit for most of these, since they like sun and sharp drainage, but the ideas work for any container.

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What can I use as an outdoor plant stand?

Almost anything sturdy, weather tolerant and flat on top. These are the usual suspects for cheap outdoor plant stands:

• Wooden crates or pallet boards, stacked or turned on their sides for steps
• Cinder blocks, which give you two heights depending on how you turn them
• Upturned terracotta pots under a smaller pot
• Old stools, side tables and chairs with the seat removed
• A stepladder or ladder, leaned against a wall
• Cut logs or thick tree rounds

Anything that sits on soil will eventually rot or sink, so set wood on pavers or a flat stone. Untreated softwood outdoors lasts a few seasons at best. Cedar, or any wood sealed with an exterior finish, lasts longer.

Simple DIY stands for a single plant

For one statement pot, a raised block is enough. Stack three or four bricks or pavers, or cut a square of thick lumber and screw short legs to the corners. A plant riser a few inches high also lifts the pot off a wet patio, so water drains freely and the base stays drier.

For diy outdoor plant stand ideas that take twenty minutes, an upturned bucket or flowerpot with a flat board on top works. Check that it doesn't rock. Shim any wobble with a folded piece of rubber, since a stand that tips on a windy porch breaks both pot and plant.

How to build a tiered plant stand

A tiered stand shows a collection without eating floor space. If you want to know how to build a tiered plant stand from scratch, the simplest version is a set of steps:

1. Cut two side pieces with a stepped or sloped top edge, or use two sturdy stepladder sides.
2. Screw three or four shelf boards across them, each about 6-8 inches deep, so the shelves read as steps.
3. Leave 10-12 inches between shelves for small succulents, more for taller pots.
4. Add a diagonal brace across the back so it doesn't rack sideways.
5. Seal or paint it with an exterior finish and check it sits level.

Put the heaviest pots on the bottom shelf. Sun-lovers go on the top tiers, where they get the most light. Flowering plants and fruiting vegetables need at least eight hours of full sun a day, according to Colorado State University Extension's container gardening guide, so face the stand toward your sunniest side.

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Small outdoor plant stand ideas for balconies and steps

Where space is tight, go vertical and keep the footprint under a foot or two.

• A narrow ladder shelf leaning against a balcony wall
• A corner stand with three small round shelves
• A rail planter or bracket-mounted shelf, if your lease and railing allow it
• A small stool beside the door for one trailing plant

On a balcony, check the weight limit with your building manager, since wet soil is heavy. Pots with drainage also need a saucer or a tray so water doesn't run onto the neighbor below.

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Large outdoor plant stand ideas and heavy duty options

Big containers need real structure. A 5-gallon container is the minimum for vegetables such as tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers, per Colorado State University Extension, and a pot that size is heavy once wet. That is a good reason to build heavy duty outdoor plant stands rather than reuse a flimsy side table.

As an architect, I'd build large stands from 2x4 or 4x4 lumber, with legs set at the corners and a lower shelf or crossbars to stop racking. Metal brackets add strength where wood alone would loosen over time. A solid platform on casters lets you wheel a big pot to follow the sun, but choose locking wheels and keep it off sloped ground.

Plant benches suit large collections. A simple one is a long board across two sets of legs at about 30-36 inches high, which also saves your back when you water and prune.

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Tall, corner and hanging stands

Height adds drama to a flat patio. Tall, narrow stands work best on either side of a doorway or in a corner, where a tall plant fills the space a low pot leaves empty. SDSU Extension notes that ornamental grasses such as Northwind switch grass add height in a planter, which is a useful trick when you can't build up.

For hanging plants, a freestanding shepherd's hook or an arbor beam saves wall drilling. Anchor hooks well, and keep hanging baskets out of the path of anyone tall, including a dog who likes to run through the yard.

Keep the stand safe for pets and people

Dogs bump things. Choose wide, low-center-of-gravity stands for anywhere a dog runs, and keep light pots off narrow tables. Ceramic pots shatter, so plastic, resin or terracotta on a low platform are safer choices for busy corners. Some plants are toxic to pets, so check with your vet before putting anything within reach.

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Whichever stand you pick, make sure water can drain from the pot, not pool beneath it. Check the stand's level every season, since soil settles and wood swells. Mixing a few heights, such as a low block, a medium crate and a tall ladder, will make the whole display look planned.

If you want more ideas for planting once the stand is built, see our outdoor succulent garden ideas. For other budget projects, try budget pond ideas or these cheaper alternatives to IKEA pieces.

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