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DIY Hanging Flower Planter Using Shoe Bags

Published on June 5, 2023 ♛ By Melissa J. Will

This post contains affiliate links.
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Want a mini flower garden in an unusual location? This DIY planter is made from a hanging shoe organizer. It’s a smart way to add a splash of living color to patio walls, a doghouse, or the top of a shed.

For more ideas, see 40 Unique Container Gardening Ideas featuring creative planters from home gardens.

Shoebag planter over top of mini greenhouse.

Make a Mini Rooftop Garden

Flower roof created by planting in shoebags.

It’s a mini roof top garden and vertical garden all in one!

I made my mini greenhouse from recycled windows a few years ago and always wanted to add a green roof.

Or, more accurately, add some plants to the roof without putting a lot of weight on it.

I looked at several commercial vertical planters made from plastic, synthetic fabrics, and felt. After seeing the prices, I opted for shoe bags instead. Same idea, much lower price.

This shoe organizer is sturdy enough to last many garden seasons. As I’m writing this, I have used it several years in a row and it has minimal signs of wear.

Rooftop flower garden made with shoe organizers.
Growing flowers in shoe organizers on mini greenhouse roof

I attached mine to the top of my greenhouse and used some leftover pieces to cover a large birdhouse. It would also be sweet on a small shed or doghouse (if strong enough).

It’s perfect for annual flowers and vines that do not need a lot of root space.

It would also work as a herb planter.

If you are planting on a roof that will be overhead, it very likely requires a building permit and safety check by engineer.

Big white bird house with shoe bag roof planter.
Birdhouse with rooftop shoe bag flower planter

Petunias planted in shed gutters.

Want another shed planter idea?
See the rooftop petunia planter here.


Planting Tips

1Measure Roof Top or Wall Area

Flower planter made from shoe bags on roof of mini greenhouse.
Rooftop flower garden

Hanging shoe organizers come in various sizes (lengths and widths).

I got lucky with my little greenhouse: the roof is exactly two shoe organizers wide.

You can trim the shoe bags to make them narrower or shorter.

Mine were longer than needed so I used the excess to cover a birdhouse.

While trimming does remove the finished edges, the material does not fray. And, once the plants start growing, they completely cover everything.

Also, in case this affects your choice of location, keep in mind that the planter will drain excess water after each watering.

2Get Shoe Organizers

New shoe organizer.
New shoe organizer to use as a planter

Avoid all-plastic shoe organizers that feel like cheap shower curtains. They won’t last and the world does not need more plastic waste.


See it at Amazon:
Over the Door Shoe Organizer


3Get Plants and Potting Mix

Flowers ready for planting.
Flowers ready for planting

For plant choices, any annuals with short roots will do.

Each year I choose a flower color theme base on what’s available (dirt cheap) at the local greenhouses.

Trailing petunias and vines would look fabulous.


Vintage birdcage planted with trailing succulents.

Related: How to Make a Birdcage Flower Planter


4Prepare Hangers

Shoe organizer grommets
Shoe organizer grommets

For my little greenhouse, I attached screws in the roof to line up with the grommet holes on the shoe bags.

If you plant to display your shoe bag planter on a wall, ensure your hanging hardware can take the weight. It’s going to vary depending on size, but it could be 50 to 75 pounds for a large one (plants + potting mix + water).

5Plant the Shoe Organizer

Shoe organizer ready for planting.
Shoe organizer ready for planting

Safety Tip

N95 mask

When potting or repotting plants, wear an N95 mask to help prevent inhalation of fine particles.

Both potting mix and soil can harbor pathogens that are harmful when inhaled.

It’s easiest to plant with the shoe bag hanging up.

If your wall space or roof top is easy to access, hang up the shoe bag and plant it in place.

Otherwise, you will need help to move and hang it after planting.

If you use fertilizer, add slow-release fertilizer to the growing medium while you’re planting.


Old-fashioned wagon used as a flower planter.

Related: 22 Creative Wagon Planter Ideas


6Care

This first photo is just after planting:

Newly planted rooftop flower display.
Newly planted shoe organizer

And here it is a few weeks later:

Flowers after a few weeks of growth.
Flowers after a few weeks of growth

That’s how I hoped it would look.

If your planter is up high like mine, you will want a long watering wand to reach it.

Colorful backyard flower garden.
Colorful backyard flower garden

Remember to take photos. It’s fun to see how it changes as the flowers fill in.

Mini greenhouse rooftop garden.
Mini greenhouse rooftop flower garden

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~Melissa the Empress of Dirt ♛

Flower roof created by planting in shoebags.
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Melissa J. Will - Empress of DirtWelcome!
I’m Melissa J. Will a.k.a. the Empress of Dirt (Ontario, Canada).
Join me as I share creative + frugal home & garden ideas with a dash of humor.
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