Transform a Candy Bucket Into a Concrete Pumpkin Planter

by KarenK116

84K4125

Intro: Transform a Candy Bucket Into a Concrete Pumpkin Planter

Summer is fading and Fall is just around the corner and time for all things pumpkins. This easy-to-make cutie is guaranteed to bring a smile to anyone's face.

STEP 1: What You Will Need

1) Plastic pumpkin candy bucket

2) Quick setting concrete

3) Solo cups

4) Cooking spray

5) Plastic wrap

STEP 2: Instructions

1) Cut off the bucket handle

2) Spray the inside of the bucket and the outside of a Solo cup with cooking spray for easy release

3) Mix concrete according to the manufactures directions

4) Poor the concrete into the bucket leaving about an inch at the top

5) Bounce the bucket a bit to get rid of some air bubbles

5) Place a Solo cup in the center and push it down into the bucket; a bit of concrete will ooze out over the top

6) Cover the top with plastic wrap and place something flat on top. This keeps the Solo cup in place while the cement is drying

7) Let dry for about a day

STEP 3: Removing Your Concrete Pumpkin

1) Remove the Solo cup by working the blade of a screw driver down the outside of the cup. The Solo cup will crack making it easy to remove

2) Using a utility knife cut down the outside of the plastic pumpkin and pull it away from the concrete. You can use the blade of a screw driver to help pull away the plastic

STEP 4: Vuala . . . . . .

Here are a few of my cute concrete pumpkin planters. You can leave them naked or paint them. Either way they look great !!

19 Comments

kristensquires19 1 year ago

What kind of paint do I need to use if they’re going to be outside? Will watered down craft paint and coated in modge podge be ok?

MzSophie 1 year ago

I LOVE these!! Wow! Thank you for sharing!

lime3D 3 years ago

If you first fill up a solo cup with concrete and let it harden a head of time, it is much easier to push the solo cup down into the wet concrete in the pumpkin. This 'core' can be used over and over.

wannabemadsci 7 years ago

A fabulous project. I love it! To get really 'fancy' you might want to find something larger than a solo cup so that you have more room for potting soil.

Also, wouldn't it be cool to plant a pumpkin vine in it and have the stem and leaves of a pumpkin coming off the top!

KarenK116 7 years ago

good ideas and I love the idea of planting a pumpkin in it .... Love it

KarenK116 7 years ago

Thank you and thanks for the vote :)

offseid 7 years ago

Easy! Creative! Got my vote! :)

KalleL4 7 years ago

How many pumpkins can you do with this amount of concrete?

KarenK116 7 years ago

We made 4 pumpkins with 3 buckets of quick concrete. I think they were 20 lbs buckets. However, we had to add a few small rocks to the last pumpkin for we were a bit short

ashleyjlong 7 years ago

I love the simplicity of this. I even think they look good unpainted!

KarenK116 7 years ago

Thank you Ashley. I think so too ....

The Papier Boy 7 years ago

I unmolded mine this past weekend. A few notes to others trying this...

I used mortar mix, which seems good because there is no rocks in it.

The cups can and will collapse as the concrete cures. I suggest stuffing some rags inside before you cover and put weight on top. This will help the cups keep their shape.

Particularly in the "cool" autumn climates, allow to cure much longer than 20 hours before unmolding. 48 hours would be my suggestion. Otherwise, the concrete will still be relatively soft and you'll gouge it with your scissors/utility knife as you cut off the plastic. If you can't wait, just be really carefull.

Most of these plastic pumpkins have small holes in the bottom. So there may be a puddle of water under them after the sit for a while to cure. So don't let them cure on your priceless heirloom dresser or your newly finished hardwood floors.

They'll probably have to sit for a week before painting.

I'm looking forward to finishing them next weekend.

KarenK116 7 years ago

Thanks for your input and I'm sorry to hear that ya had some problems with the pumpkin project. Fortunately, I didn't experience any of the problems that you had. I used quick setting cement and it set up just fine within a day. My Solo cups didn't collapse either and I painted mine right away without any issues. Maybe the key is to use quick-set concrete and instead of mortar. Please post up some pics of your painted pumpkins. I'd love to see them :)

seamster 7 years ago

Such a simple idea! I love the thought of having homemade Halloween decor items to use year after year.

(My kids think I'm a bit of a spoil-sport, as I detest carving pumpkins . . . this is a much better option I think!)

KarenK116 7 years ago

I agree with you seamster about carving pumpkins. Each year I carve at least one but I'd rather find other alternatives :)

KarenK116 7 years ago

Thanks. I do plan on keeping them out all year. I have them on my cement picnic table. They look great out there :)