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    Home » Crafts » DIY Recycle Project: Spray Paint Spam Cans To Use As Succulent Pots

    DIY Recycle Project: Spray Paint Spam Cans To Use As Succulent Pots

    Modified: May 17, 2023 by Kathy Owen
    This post may contain affiliate links

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    DIY recycle project using spam cans and Rustoleum Metallic Spray Paint to create beautiful succulent pots.

    Your friends will be amazed when you tell them what your fabulous DIY Succulent pots are made of. I recycled food cans and fruit containers using metallic spray paint to make these planters. A great way to help save the environment.

    DIY Recycle 

    Spam cans, food containers made out of plastic, fruit cartons, etc., can be spray painted and turned into cute little planters. I’ve done it. Call me crazy. I think you’ll like this idea. Let me know after you take a look at the pretty metallic containers.

    Supplies List:

    • Recycled Food Containers- metal, plastic, paper
    • Spray Paint- Metallic is perfect
    • Old Denim Jeans
    • Plants or Flowers- Succulents or violets

     

    how to recycle luncheon meat cans and Spam cans

    Spray Paint The Containers

    Before spray painting the food containers clean them really well with soap and water. Any grease or oily substances on the containers will keep the spray paint from sticking.

    Rustoleum Metallic Spray Paint Colors look great sprayed on recycled food containers used as succulent planters

    I could have used plain old white spray paint or turquoise or black, but why be ho-hum. Instead, I chose metallic colors in gold, silver, and bronze. I wasn’t sure how well the containers would take the spray paint but I didn’t need to worry. The metallic paints stuck like glue.

    recycle denim jeans and use strips of denim to decorate succulent pots or flower containers

    Decorate Spray Painted Food Cans

    Once I had the containers painted, I got to thinking about how I could decorate them. I didn’t need to go overboard because the shiny metallic colors said a lot all by themselves. I remembered the jeans I made into shorts earlier in the year and how I had saved the cut-off denim legs.

    wrap recycled denim scraps around recycled spam can

    It was easy just to cut part of the hem from a jean leg and wrap it willy nilly around the tall can.

    Succulent Container Idea Using Recycled Food Cans & Cartons

    Then I cut a square of denim to stick down into the small can and flip over the rim to the outside. Again just winging it and not being precise with anything. I work best that way.

    fill bottom of succulent planters with rocks

    Tips For Putting The DIY Succulent Planters Together

    Before putting the plants into the pots, I filled the bottom with rocks and glass beads. This will keep the plant roots from soaking in water if you have a tendency to overwater. I have the opposite problem but I was being optimistic about remembering to water the plants. I read up on how to care for succulents here.

    spray painted Spam cans and plastic food containers

    That’s all there was to making the succulent pots. I saved some clear plastic fruit containers but haven’t tried spray painting them yet.

    make succulent containers using recycled food cans

    You know, the spray painted containers could be used for lots of things not just as planters. Maybe use them as remote control or phone holders……jewelry trays…..fruit bowls….etc.

    make plant pots using recycled Spam cans and plastic fruit containers

    So guys, which is your favorite metallic color? How do you feel about the denim? How do you feel about succulents?

    how to make succulent plant containers or pots using recycled cans or food containers

    This is my first Aloe Vera plant and I read that you can just cut a piece off and rub the plant on a burn, cut, etc. Does anyone do this?

    recycled Spam cans or luncheon meat cans can be spray painted and recycled as plant containers or plant pots

     

    I have a great project for faux succulents using recycled film reels and I made a video. It's short and sweet and features three projects....

    See how to recycle old furniture drawers here...How To Repurpose An Old Drawer

    More Metallic Spray Paint projects here...Best Rustoleum Metallic Spray Paint Colors For Home Decor

    That’s it for me. You guys have a great day….and save some food containers to paint. Kathy

    Kathy Owen
    Website

    Author: Kathy Owen (Petticoat Junktion)
    Kathy is the founder of PetticoatJunktion.com, a home décor blog focused on repurposing and upcycling furniture, old hardware, rusty stuff, and thrifty finds into unique home décor. Kathy’s projects have been featured on the Home Depot Blog, Plaid Crafts, Behr Designer Series, and in numerous magazines. Read more about Kathy here.

    DIY Recycle Project: Spray Paint Spam Cans To Use As Succulent Pots

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Mum

      March 30, 2023 at 11:44 am

      Just another comment on the benefits of aloe vera: I'm a breast cancer survivor and during treatment was badly burned by radiation therapy. Someone suggested I split aloe vera leaves (fronds?) and apply them directly to my skin, which I did. Unbelievably, the burns were healed within a couple of days!
      Now I always have aloe vera plants in my kitchen to use for minor burns and scrapes!
      Hoping this will help someone along the way.

      Reply
      • Kathy Owen

        March 30, 2023 at 1:35 pm

        Thank you so much for sharing. My cousin just underwent radiation treatment and has the same issue with burns. I will tell her about this. Thanks again, Kathy

    2. Ann Butler

      August 19, 2020 at 6:49 pm

      Thank you so much for sharing! Your project is absolutely darling!

      Reply
      • Kathy Owen

        August 19, 2020 at 7:47 pm

        Thank You Ann!

    3. Meg Daves

      August 19, 2020 at 6:48 pm

      What a great addition to our linky party! We are so happy to have you!

      Reply
    4. Beth Watson

      August 19, 2020 at 6:48 pm

      Thank you for participating in our linky party!

      Reply
    5. Laura Walters

      August 19, 2020 at 6:47 pm

      We are so excited that you participated! Thank you for sharing your creativity! This is so cute!

      Reply
    6. Jan

      August 16, 2020 at 11:59 pm

      I recently went on a succulent binge and have several that need repotting. I'll have to look in my recycling bin. Great suggestions.
      And yes! I use aloe vera all the time, especially on burns. I'll snip a stem off and then trim it just longer than my injury. Then I slit the leaf along one edge and with sharp knife filet the "skin" off the surface of the leaf. Then I put the leaf with the gooey gel side on my owie and tape it in place. Any tape will do. I've used medical tape but Scotch tape and duct tape also work. I just want to hold it in place as long as possible. All day or overnight is great. If you leave it in place long enough you can prevent the burn from blistering. I may reapply another leaf it if it's in an awkward spot and gets wiggled around too much or if it's a particularly severe burn.
      I don't always want to go out with a leaf stuck to my hand or arm (where most of my burns occur) so I'll wrap it with white cloth of gauze, and it looks like a regular bandage. If I have a blister on my foot I'll apply it overnight. It will make a huge difference overnight.

      And if your aloe vera does well, you're gonna need a bigger pot!
      Jan

      Reply
      • Kathy Owen

        August 17, 2020 at 9:23 am

        Thanks for all the info on Aloe Vera. I'm laughing because I was just looking at the Aloe Vera plant last night thinking it sure was getting big. On the hunt for another pot.

    7. Creatively Beth

      August 14, 2020 at 8:38 am

      Brilliant upcycle! Love the metallics and denim together! I'd love for you to join us for the Creative Crafts Linky Party
      Have a nice weekend!
      Creatively, Beth

      Reply
    8. Susan

      August 06, 2020 at 11:58 pm

      Very cute, love the metallic BUT you should NOT use metallic spray painted containers as fruit bowls, or for any other foods for that matter!
      Please note: spray paints ARE NOT FOOD SAFE!

      Reply
    9. Barbara Carolan

      August 06, 2020 at 6:04 pm

      With a pot of aloe just outside my kitchen door, small cuts, nicks, scrapes and burns are treated quickly and well. Aloe is my first choice for treatment for any minor mishap.

      Reply
    10. Gracie Redfield

      August 05, 2020 at 6:20 pm

      A lady after my own heart! You are recycling, upcycling, and creating beauty!
      My favorite item in this post is the decorative denim band on the luncheon meat can. Having raised five kids, if I had a dime for every pant leg band I`ve thrown away after altering jeans, I`d be a rich woman today! 😀

      I love to recycle glass jars, bottles, etc., food cans, and even small cardboard boxes (e.g.:candy). I like all the metallic spray colors---hard to choose a favorite. My husband buys his coffee beans in large cans. I clean the insides, remove the labels, and decorate the cans with scrapbook paper, washi tape, lace, flowers, and other bits and bobs I`ve saved.

      Please show us more of your recycle creations! Love them!

      Reply
      • Kathy Owen

        August 05, 2020 at 8:32 pm

        You are a woman after my own heart! I will definitely work on some more recycling creations.

    11. Rebecca Payne

      August 05, 2020 at 1:57 pm

      I love this idea of recycling.

      Reply
      • Kathy Owen

        August 05, 2020 at 8:32 pm

        Thanks

    12. Sharon

      August 05, 2020 at 11:00 am

      I just wanted to say how much I enjoy your Blog. Have a great day and keep up the great work!!

      Reply
      • Kathy Owen

        August 05, 2020 at 8:32 pm

        Thanks so much Sharon. You guys are being so nice to me today! Thanks for reading the blog.

    13. Olivia

      August 05, 2020 at 10:05 am

      Yes, Aloe Vera is great for burns and sunburns. What great ideas for nifty recycling!

      Reply
      • Kathy Owen

        August 05, 2020 at 8:33 pm

        Thanks for the info!

    14. Sharon Davison

      August 05, 2020 at 9:13 am

      This looks like a great grandchild and me project! Thank you!

      Reply
      • Kathy Owen

        August 05, 2020 at 8:34 pm

        Yes!

    15. Stormee

      August 05, 2020 at 8:29 am

      Too cute!! One would never know what the container was in its original life!! Succulents are easily grown and hard to kill, even when you forget to water them. A win-win in my book!!!

      Reply
      • Kathy Owen

        August 05, 2020 at 8:35 pm

        Thanks Stormee. Was that a vote of confidence?? Maybe the succulents will survive.

    16. Valarie Sanford

      August 05, 2020 at 8:11 am

      Yeah a nutty genius you mean ha!

      Reply
      • Kathy Owen

        August 05, 2020 at 8:35 pm

        Ha!

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