Nice job!

Thanks for sharing, Joe. You are a very creative guy.

The log planters are great. I'm surprised I haven't seen something like that before, but I don't think I ever have. Someone needs to come up with a lightweight plastic version of a hollow log that looks really real (yeah, I know, ain't gonna happen).

Even hollowed out they are freakin' heavy. I used my tractor to move that one almost in place then man-handled it the rest of the way.

(The planter, not the log. That bad boy ain't moving much yet.)

You may have a nitrogen problem as the logs deteriorate. That may be a drawback.

They look nice to me. =)

I think you're definitely onto something with the log there. I'm telling you, people at craft shows would snap those up like no tomorrow. :)

Very nice!

brandon: Since these are all annuals or things I take in over the winter, I'm not too worried about that. I don't think it will be enough to bother the petunias and impatiens by the end of the summer and the brug will appreciate the extra nitrogen, I think. Their native habitat is underneath the canopy of much larger trees so the nitrogen content would likely be pretty high.

connie: Too bad I don't have a nice dead forest, huh? *grin*

Thanks everyone for your feedback!

"the brug will appreciate the extra nitrogen, I think."

It's not extra nitrogen you have to worry about, it's the lack of nitrogen. As wood decomposes, it ties up nitrogen from the soil. The nitrogen that your plants need may not be available.

Maybe not a big concern. Everything may do splendidly, and even if the annuals don't do well it's not going to be a huge loss. If you do notice a lack of vigor, especially later on, a little slow-release fertilizer might help. You could even try sealing the inside with some wood sealer. That would also help to increase the life of the planter.

I still really like your idea, and might try it myself if I come up with a hollow log.

Do I happen to see a Brugmansia in that tree???

Yep. That is one of the trunks from a huge plant last year. It had more die back than the rest so I put in in there rather than in one of the more prominent spots.

You can see a much more impressive one in this thread.

WOW! those are cool. i love the log planters, what a great way to reuse something and it looks so natural and beatiful! very cool.

Those are so beautiful! I know that wood had to be heavy to move!

"Those are so beautiful! I know that wood had to be heavy to move!"

Oh yeah. I broke my tractor on the remaining piece this afternoon.

(Actually I think the seat switch went out.)

That doesn't sound like a log wight problem (-;