Our 8-by-22-foot deck looked a little plain, so we decided to build a planter. The soil box is made from a thick plastic soap barrel taken from the dumpster of a company that washes buses and trucks.

Sturdy pots and planters that look nice are some of the costlier elements of expanding your houseplant or garden collection. But you don’t have to settle for cheap plastic pots or drop a fortune on ...