Instructions:
1. Tape the Air Pillows – As you can see in the image below, you will want to roll out your packing tape with the sticky side up and then place the edge of your air pillows onto the center of the tape. Make sure to cut the tape so that it fits nicely on the edges. The top area of the tape can be used as a tab for hanging purposes
2. Cut the Open Edge – You will need to use your scissors or knife to cut open the edge that will contain your plants. In the finished version of this particular example, which is pictured above, the garden has been made to drape over the edge of a chair. Therefore, the cuts were made into the edges that point to the middle of the air pillow column.
3. Add Some Gravel – A small amount of gravel or rocks should be added into each air pillow. Please be aware that the middle air pillow will be best left unfilled for weight distribution and hanging purposes. For example, if you have seven air pillows in a row, you should leave the fourth pillow empty. You may need to use a binder clip to keep your hanging garden in place.
4. Add the Plants and Dirt – You can transplant one pre-potted plant and its dirt into every air pillow except for the middle one. Keep in mind that this is best for small plants and herbs. If you do not have pre-potted plants to transplant, you can put soil and seeds into the air pillows. It is best to select plants that need a minimal amount of water unless you can put something underneath the hanging plant garden to collect any water spillage.
This is a great way to upcycle air pillows, and it is also much more cost-effective than the first DIY hanging plant garden project. However, this is also likely to be less stable for the long-term and may need regular maintenance and repairs.
Photos and concept provided by Justin Taylor Tate via a CC BY-NC-SA attribution license.